FISHERMEN TASK FORCE- THE REAL UNSUNG HEROES

Fishermen Task Force - The Real Unsung Heroes.


Finally, as the flood fury ebbs and the state of Kerala limps back to normal, thousands of people owe their lives to a group, they never thought would come as messiahs in their lives. For thousands of people who were stranded in their houses, it was probably the most traumatizing experience they have ever been through in their life. When the ordeal showed its effects almost instantly, who would have ever thought the damage from the incessant rain for the past couple of days would be this much severe? Everything soon changed in the blink of an eye. Those who chose to stay in their houses, expecting the water level to drop, quickly found themselves in deep trouble. They sensed the first signs of danger when they realized that their shelters were already halfway submerged in floodwaters and they were rising at an alarming speed. Desperately searching for a way out, they glanced around but saw nothing except the vast wilderness of gushing floodwaters. And as the night crawled in, distress calls from the panic-stricken flood victims began pouring in on help lines. Thousands of people sought help through face book, whatsapp etc from all over the world. They made videos in their mobile phones, giving their details and exact location and posted them on the local channels and whatsapp groups, seeking help.
And in many cases, nothing had happened.
The local rescuers were the first to act. They rowed through the murky brown waters using their huge cooking vessels as rafts to reach their ill fated neighbors. They saved many lives in the first wave of flash floods in this manner. And the next day, when the things turned chaotic as the dams upstream had to be opened when they were filled to capacity, the government of Kerala send an SOS call to a task force, the people of Kerala have never heard or experienced before, the poor FISHERMEN.
When the announcements were made through microphones in the fishermen hamlets at midnight by the government agencies, requesting them to launch an immediate rescue operation in the flooded inland areas, many of them was not even available in their houses. They were called back from their work place, the sea . In no time, a contingent of more than one thousand battle hardened sea warriors, let me call them the “Fishermen Task Force” , left for the flood affected areas after loading their mechanized country boats and catamarans in trucks hired by the administration. They did not wait for any government aid to come along. They pooled money from their own pockets for their basic amenities.
Pressed into service, they rushed out with their mechanized country boats adept at navigating through strong undercurrents, to places where even the well equipped defense forces could not go. They also served food for the marooned flood victims who scrambled up to the higher floors in their buildings and crouched together on balconies waiting for help. Their rescue boats brought them to the relief camps. Their ability to navigate fearlessly through the flood waters proved to be invaluable during the hour of crisis.
It is estimated that they have rescued around sixty thousand people from floods without giving much thought about their own health and the damages caused to their boats, their only source of livelihood. They even refused to accept money offered by the government for their services by saying that “Humanity can never be honored with money”. And this is despite the fact that they too have suffered massive losses in the flood because of the strong winds and ingress of sea. No amount of words could ever describe the bravery and courage displayed by these unsung heroes when the state of Kerala faced its worst flood in 100 years.
During the last December’s Okhi Cyclone disaster, they lost more lives at sea than those died in the present floods. The response of our civil society towards their plight at that time was pathetically meager compared to what we have seen now. But still they came from far-flung places, braving the inclement weather and treacherous waters, and played a decisive role in rescuing their brothers and sisters in distress. These brave hearts have proved once again that theirs is a culture that encourages risk-taking as a part of their life.
The determination and toughness of these fishermen community to defy odds and go for daring missions in perilous waters have no comparison. When they steers their boats far out to sea with hope to stumble on enough fish to save the day, they know very well that this could well be their last journey. They face the wrath of unpredictable weather almost every day.
Many of us know very little about these fishermen. They are those who live in poverty and deprivation in the isolated fishing settlements in the confinement of a port or a sea shore. They seldom mingle with city dwellers or interact with outsiders. Their face always bore the strain of life. As a result they appear standoffish, unapproachable or disinterested to the so called civilized society. In a sense, they are a group ostracized by the other communities as they belong to the lower rungs of the socio economic ladder.
Up until two years ago, I too had a similar perception of aloofness towards this community but I have been proven completely wrong when I had a chance to interact with them during one of my visits to the much famous Shankhumugham beach in Trivandrum. Actually I was skeptical at first, when I offered my helping hand to pull out a fishing net laid overnight by a few fishermen over the vast Shankhumugham Sea. But later, it proved to be an experience of a life time. It gave me a fascinating insight into how tough, hard and tumultuous is the life of a fisherman. Cresting the waves at the crack of dawn, some of the fishermen would venture out in a couple of boats into the rough sea with their fishing net loaded in one boat. Half a kilometer off the shore they spread out the net floating over a large area and head back to the beach with each boat hauling a long rope from each end of the net. Then they slowly start pulling the net from the two sides. This is of course the most stressful and hardest part of the whole process. The nets are so big and heavy that it takes almost an hour or two for some thirty to forty fishermen to haul it to the shore. They pull the net in a rhythmic manner so that when both parties come close by, the net forms the shape of a circle. Then they would pull together the heaviest part of the net with the fish inside. Sometimes fortune smiles on them with plenty of catch while at other they have to return home empty handed. Theirs is a daily struggle with the rough sea to earn their livelihood. I remember, an old man named Joseph sung a beautiful fisherman folk song for me that day, linking with traditional gestures, with melody and with rhythm that harmonized with the sound of the waves. It was a wonderful experience for me, hearing the fishermen folk song against the magnificent backdrop of the roaring sea. He also told me some very interesting facts about sea and fishing. While leaving, they offered me some fish which I politely declined. It was a memorable day for me and my two sons who were also involved in assisting the fishermen.
Those moments made me aware of the amazing bond between them and how they work in unison to achieve the objectives. No surprise, they came, they saw, they conquered many hearts in this time of crisis. The People of Kerala should never forget the services, these fishermen bestowed upon them.
Few photographs........ !