Spirituality of Fishing

 Continues from In the Heart of the Sea

A fishing competition was beginning in the boat. The boatmen distributed fishing cords and hooks that held small fish to each of us. All of us put our fishing cords to the deep blue waters. The boat men had warned that we shouldn’t put the cords too deep since there were ample chances for the hook to get caught amidst the corals. I learnt later that we shouldn’t put the cords above the visible depth of the water too.

First fish in the boat

A roar erupted from back of the boat as Nadeer caught the first fish in the boat. As he cheered and laughed over the victory, the second fish came onto his hook. The competition on the boat grew tight with others still dipping their cords into the water.

Our fish

 Shreya started persisting me to get a fish for her.  It might have been to answer her call; I felt a jerk at my cord and pulled it up. A silver and orange fish was gasping for breath at the end of the cord. The boatman soon released the fish and put her into the basket.

Soon, Bakhr in our group pulled out his cord with a coral hanging at the hook. It was Sreejith’s turn to pull out the cord next. His small fish was missing since the big fish from the sea was smart enough to bit off only his prey.  I again felt a jerk on my cord and pulled it up.  I saw a white fish coming up. All of sudden it plunged back into the sea with its prey. The big fish kept on attacking Sreejith’s preys. As everyone got tired of waiting and children grew restless, the boatmen moved the boat to another fishing location.

In the new location, the first fish hung to Bakhr’s wife’s cord. Nadeer followed the trail soon. He was leading with three fish to one fish from me and one from Bakhr’s wife. Again I felt a movement to my cord and with difficulty pulled it up. There was the biggest fish on the cord that had come to the boat. (Here, I realize that Nadeer will strongly disagree with me.)  The boatman told that this fish is really tasty and I could literally see his mouth watering.

A fish soon caught into Sreejith’s hook and finally one more fish came into Nadeer’s. Others who didn’t get even a single fish were getting restless by this time. We pulled out the cords and started the engine. The boatmen suggested that we can roast the raw fish at the island as some Westerners do. Since no one was eager for that we generously donated the fish to the boatmen.

 As we headed through the sea with shores of private islands, Shreya called me to show the fish in the basket. They were gasping for breath with their eyes bulging out.

All of a sudden the person in me who had been brought up as a felt the pang of guilt surging in. Suddenly I remembered my dear friend’s words, “Why do you feel so guilty in some situations? There is a reason for every happening in life. It is not you who is doing that but there is a power that makes you do that. You are only a tool. Your duty is to be happy and admire that power."

We reached our private island by then.

Continues in At Heaven!