Rana Tharu women go fishing in southwest Nepal. Photo by Yves Picq (Wikimedia Commons)
Fishing is the art of catching fish, which is an age-old practice. It is one of the earliest occupations. Tharus are fond of fishing. Tharu men and women, young and old, fish throughout the year. Fishing is regarded as a pleasant pastime. If Tharus do not have work in the field, they go fishing. Irrespective of age and gender can be seen fishing individually or in groups in local canals, streams, and rivers. Men, women, young boys, and girls go out for fishing equipped with nets, traps, and other fishing accessories. During the hot months, groups of women and girls can be seen fishing in the river. They collect the trapped fish with their hand and put them in Deliya (basket), which is tied on their waist. For women, fishing is a collective affair. Fish is eaten with great delight.
Tharus possess a good knowledge of fishing. They make different types and shapes of fishing traps. Their fishing techniques are typical. All are handmade using local materials i.e. , bamboo strips, jute, and nylon rope. They are called Khonghiya, Jaal, Helka, Taapi, Dhariya, Pahaai, etc.
Fishing methods
Tharus employ several fishing methods based on the indigenous knowledge system passed on by their ancestors to catch fish. The methods of fishing range from catching with hand to the operation of indigenous nets and traps are adopted for fishing. Villagers fish in the river during the dry season, whereas they fish in the canals and rice fields during the rainy season. Men, women, and children fish with bare hands in muddy water, a paddy field or a stagnant pool. They bail out the water by hand and catch the fish, snail, crab, and prawn trapped in the mud. It is a simple method of catching fish by hand.
Fishing with devices
The type and form depend upon the nature of the fishing grounds and local materials. The fisherman blocks the running water with mud in the irrigation canal and places Helka (a hand-woven fishing nets) in between the mud dam, fixing it on the small supporting poles. Then, using a bucket, he pours water into the net of Helka, trapping fish. Tharu men bail out water of the partitioned river with mud, and women and children catch the fish in the dried-out section.
Khonghiya
Khonghiya is made of stem of Munj (Saccharum spontaneum) or Siru grass or bamboo strips. It is a valveless fishing trap and is conical in shape. The end of the Khongiya is closed tightly, while the mouth part is open and serves as the mouth through which fish enter. It can be used in paddy fields, canals, and rivers.
Jaal (casting net)
Fishing nets are used for catching fish in the running or still water of the pond, stream, and river. Tharu men use Jaal for fishing. Tharus make two types of Jaals. They are Barka jaal and Ghuriyali jaal. It is woven by men. Silken thread is used for making Jaals. The size of the mesh (web) i.e. Faanda, can vary from 0.5 to 2 cm. Terera is a rope tied on the head of the Jaal. It is 3 to 5 metres long and is caught by the fisherman. Mai is added to make the Jaal wider. Jaal forms a huge circle that has iron sinkers, called Geti attached at its circumference with the help of a thick rope i.e. Sanghwa. It is hung on the hand and thrown into the water. In the past, Getis were made from clay by the Kumhaar. The sinkers attached to the net help to go down, trapping the fish in the water. Just below the Sanghawa and Geti, Ghai is made in which fish are trapped. Barka Jaal is big in size and used for fishing in the river and pond. Ghuriyali net is small in size and used in a small stream.
Cheudhi
Cheudhi is a kind of fishing net. It is 15 to 20 metres long and 2 metres wide with wooden or plastic sandals that float. This net is fixed on both sides of the river.
Helka
Helka is a type of hand-operated semi-circular hoop net fabricated with a semi-circular wooden frame, which is woven with netting materials made of cotton or indigenous fibre. It is mainly used by women to catch the fish.
Tapi
Tapi is square and made of thread and maintained on two bamboo crossed handles. It is also used by women.
Dhariya (basket-shaped trap)
Dhariya is a rectangular basket with two entry points at the bottom through which fish are trapped.
Pahaai
Pahaai is built on the main river with stones and bamboo in a triangular shape. Only one channel is opened in the centre where a big conical Khonghiya is fixed. A small hut is built for a night watchman. Barerwa is also made of bamboo lattices to trap the fish in the canal during the rainy season in Deukhuri.
Bansi
Bansi is a fishing hook which is used to catch fish in deep water.
Fish poisoning
Generally, Tharus fish with fish traps and nets, but fish poisoning is also introduced to catch the fish. Blocking the flow of river or stream, crushed polygonum Captatum (Biriya) is put into the water in order to be effective. It is done in the very hot weather in May or June. Crushed plant in stagnant water suffocates the fish. The dead fish are collected by hand.
