Annual Community Fishing Festival Set to Begin at Deepor Beel
Excitement Builds for the Fishing Event
Palasbari, Jan 4: The annual community fishing festival at Deepor Beel, a vital wetland located on the western outskirts of Guwahati, is gearing up for its much-anticipated event.
As in previous years, local fishing communities from surrounding villages are preparing for the traditional mass fishing event, which is set to occur on the first Sunday of the new year, January 4.
Fisherfolk have started to repair their boats and get their fishing gear, including nets and traps, ready for use in the wetland.
This event is being organized in a structured manner under the guidance of the Deepor Beel Paspara Cooperative Society, the sole registered organization dedicated to the welfare and advancement of local fisherfolk.
Sources indicate that the community fishing festival will be formally inaugurated on Sunday morning with traditional rituals and prayers. Since its establishment, the cooperative has focused on protecting the wetland and enhancing the socio-economic conditions of fisherfolk in the Azara region.
The main goal is to keep Deepor Beel free from pollution while safeguarding the traditional fishing rights that have been upheld for generations.
Approximately 800 Scheduled Caste fishing families from villages such as Keotpara, Medhipara, Hirapara, Hatuwapara, Noapara, Matiya, Natunbasti, and Barbori have relied on Deepor Beel for their livelihoods for many years.
To support their welfare, the cooperative releases fish fingerlings of various species into the beel each year during the monsoon season, particularly in the month of Shravan. Fishing is permitted only after a six-month hiatus, starting with the New Year community fishing event.
To fund conservation and development initiatives, the society collects an annual fee of Rs 500 from each member, providing official receipts.
A festive atmosphere is anticipated along the Azara side of Deepor Beel on the day of the fishing festival, continuing through the Uruka celebrations of Magh Bihu.
Renowned for its delicious fish, Deepor Beel draws hundreds of buyers from across the region during the fishing season, and a similar turnout is expected this year. Notably, in keeping with tradition, the fisherfolk sell fish not by weight but using local measures known as Aaska Bhaav.