Fish, fun and flamingos: A coastal look at feasting and festivities, the Koli way

Renu Vaiti, a manager with an IT firm who had put up a stall felt it was a great idea. "Most Mumbaikars know and enjoy only the western waterfront. Festivals like these will bring more Mumbaikars to the eastern waterfront, which is better preserved," said Vaiti, even while turning over pomfret and surmai being shallow fried on a tawa.

Many like Manisha Waingankar, a homemaker who had come all the way from Vikhroli with her husband and kids said they were having a rollicking time with the food and view. "The cool evening breeze is just right to sit with a glass of sol kadhi and fried fish by the sea," she said, adding, "The entire coastal belt makes seafood but nothing comes close to the Kolis."

"That's because none understand fish like us. It's in our genes. We've lived by the sea and fished for several generations. We may have the same fish curry, fish fry and dry fish preparations but can you breathe the masala aroma? It's typical to our community," said Vaiti.

Matriarch Sangita Bhoye said, "I'm craving my beedi, but my son keeps saying that it'll embarrass visitors. Kids don't understand. People come here to experience real Kolis, not some polished look. Kolis never have two faces. You get what you see."

Her daughter-in-law Suman, who's setting plates for clients at the busy stall said she has had to fend off those asking for prawns/fish Koliwada. She said, "There is nothing Koli about that dish. It was started by some Sardar selling fried fish in Sion Koliwada and the name's stuck."

Her husband Vishnu joined in the conversation saying, "Irrespective of the lies, some aggressive politicians peddle for votes, we're the original ancient Mumbaikars. We've been marginalised by the city's tower dwellers who think of us only as fishmongers at markets. And now there is an attempt at making invisible our cuisine as well." He feels Mumbai needs more such festivals to educate people about Kolis, their culture and cuisine.

Many others like community leader Vikas Tandel echo Vishnu. "Where the Victoria Terminus station was built was where the ancient temple of Mumbadevi (from where Mumbai gets her name) originally stood. The British shifted it to its current location," he said, adding, "You know Colaba comes from Kolibhat and Apollo Bunder comes from Palva Bunder?"

Bringing back the conversation to food, his mother said, "The rich and mighty have glamourised prawns and pomfret, often taking them out of the reach of masses. But the real flavours of fish can be found only in taarli, tuna, bangada, halwa, mori, lobster, mandeli, goval pakat (sting ray) and baby squid and crabs," she said.

Vishnu Tandel said that he hopes festivals like these will educate people on eating all kinds of fish. "Unlike traditional fishermen, the commercial trawlers over fish. They sift and sort fish like pomfret, halwa, bombil, prawns, ghol, lobster etc and dump the rest back into the waters. This kills more fish than needed," said Tandel.

One of the organisers of the festival, Meera Sanyal (ex-head of the Royal Bank of Scotland in India) said she was amazed at how what began as a trickle at sundown was soon a sea of people swarming at stalls to try out the fare on offer. "I'd promised this to the Koli community while contesting elections in 2014. After I lost, this initiative hit some rough waters but the support from people has finally seen it take off," she said hoping that the festival will be an annual affair.

A restoration project has been underway as a part of the Mumbai Fort Circuit Project. "Dilapidating walls and roofs are being repaired. Plans for a promenade linking the fort to the waterfront, along with the creation of a landscaped garden, food court, and amphitheatre is on the anvil," said Sanyal, pointing out this daughter of Gulab Hiranandani who masterminded the crippling naval attack on Karachi during the 1971 Indo-Pak war. "The location will promote interest in the unique flora and fauna of the area too," she hoped even as herons and seagulls flew over looking for left-overs and bones. The Sewree mudflats, readers may know, are also frequented by migratory species like lesser flamingoes.