Fishing Phenomenon in Alleppey

I stopped by a fishing village bursting with life on the way to Kainakary village in Alleppey district. There were fishing boats everywhere, lots and lots of people unloading fish from the boat sorting fish selling fish, carrying fish and bargaining over fish. “Shagara” is a fishing phenomenon that happens only a few months in a year usually in June. It seems mud banks get formed naturally near the sea shore during the south-west monsoon season; oxygen and nutrients released from the mud attract thousands of fish and prawns. This action brings in the seafood in abundance, causing traffic in the sea ; everyone wants to fill his boat during this fish harvest. It was as if everyone was celebrating a festival. Many of the fishermen were wearing umbrella or mushroom shaped hats made of Palmyra leaves and some had the same shape hats in plastic.