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| AI-generated |
I am not fond of fish. Fish doesn’t taste like fish,
that’s the reason. We get adulterated fish most of the time. In Kerala, my
state, traders are reported to use formalin for preserving the freshness of
fish. Formalin is used for preserving dead bodies by embalming.
You will find me in a fish stall once
in a while, though. My cats want fish occasionally, that’s why. Not that they
are particularly fond of it. For a change from the regular pellets and packaged
wet foods, all delivered promptly by Amazon. Even cats love a change. Most of
the time, the entire fish that I buy is consumed by my cats. So much so, Maggie
and I have come to think that fish is cat food, not human food.
People may have different reasons for
not eating any particular food. One of the most endearing reasons I heard
recently is that fish is a symbol of the voiceless. People commit atrocities on
fish, this person said [I forget who – I read it a couple of weeks back on
Magzter]. They suffocate it to death, skin it, cut it up in all sorts of ways,
fry it… But no one raises a voice against all that cruelty. Unlike in the case
of dogs, for instance. Or elephants, tigers… even snakes.
Do you know why? He asked. His answer: Fish have no voice. They cry but their cry is never audible. When your cry is not heard, no one comes to your defence.
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| Pearl Spot |
The Modi government which is pure
vegetarian and perfectly Brahminical has decided to permit deep-sea mining off
Kerala’s coast. Kerala government has passed a resolution against it because such
mining will endanger Kerala’s coastal areas. Kerala’s coasts are already
experiencing immense damages due to the impacts of climate change. Deep-sea
mining will eat into the coastal region much more.
There’s another aspect that should be
considered too. Deep-sea mining will destroy a lot of fish. The habitats of
fishes will be destroyed totally by the process. There will be sediment plume
pollution, noise pollution in the ocean, and release of toxic compounds that
will kill marine organisms which in turn will lead to irreversible damage to
unique and fragile deep-sea ecosystems and their inhabitants. In other words, this
decision of Modi is totally non-veg and absolutely un-Brahminical. At least for
that one reason, he should revoke it. I know he won’t care two hoots for the
people of Kerala. But his magnanimous heart ought to care for the voiceless,
marginalised, Dalit, fish in the Arabian Ocean.
When I expressed this view of mine to a
friend, Joe (not his real name), yesterday evening over a drink, Joe said
something that went straight to my heart.
“Do you like pearl spot fish, കരിമീൻ?
“No,” I said. Pearl spot is the brand
ambassador of Malayali cuisine. It comes in infinite variety like the
savouriness of Shakespeare’s Cleopatra. It is treason to say that you don’t
like pearl spot if you are a Malayali. But Joe is no patriot, let alone
nationalist. He is a fan of Arundhati Roy, citizen of the cosmos.
“You don’t, really? Why?” Joe was
surprised in spite of his lack of patriotism and nationalism.
“It has more bones than flesh,” I
said. Joe appreciated the sheer pragmatism of my gustation.
“I stopped eating pearl spot because
of their romance,” Joe said.
This is one good thing about
drinking. It brings out the romantics in people’s hearts.
What Joe said then was rather tragic,
however.
Pearl spots are more monogamous than
the most conservative Indians, Joe said. They don’t mate with anyone and
everyone. Only single partner. That’s why they are not seen in other parts of
the world except Kerala’s water bodies. They are very possessive of each other,
just like Malayalis. When the spawning season comes, the male pearl spot goes
in search of food for the entire family. The female waits. Waits until her mate
returns. If he doesn’t return, she will refuse to eat. And she will die waiting
for her mate.
I was stunned listening to Joe. I sat
in absolute silence for a while because the image of a pearl spot waiting on a
coastline for her mate and dying of starvation in the end froze my imagination. I wouldn't ever want that mate on my dinner plate.
Touching post...
ReplyDeleteWhen we start understanding reality deeply, life looks tragic!
DeleteHari OM
ReplyDeleteThis is it - we must imagine ourselves in others' shoes/fins to appreciate how we might harm them. And I was reminded of a scene in the movie Cheeni Kum when Amitabh-ji's character asks Tabu's character if she doesn't have guilt at eating her fish dish, for it it not that they have families too... YAM xx
Yes, I remember that movie, especially how Amitabh's character was made fun of for being a ghas-poos eater.
DeleteBeing flesh-eater is painful.
Oh wow that indeed is tragic!
ReplyDeleteAs Yamini says above, putting ourselves in the 'fins' of others makes life rather sad.
Deleteai, ai, ai
ReplyDelete👍
DeleteThat's a very sad story. I never thought of fish that way, but it's true.
ReplyDeleteTragedy is not a human prerogative.
DeleteThank you!
ReplyDelete