The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Fishermen venture into sea from Samiarpettai

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jan 09, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Fishermen venture into sea from Samiarpettai

By Our Special Correspondent

Fishermen of Samiarpettai in Cuddalore district setting out in catamarans for fishing on Saturday.

CUDDALORE, JAN. 8. Thirteen days after tsunami wrought havoc in coastal villages, a group of fishermen ventured into the sea at Samiarpettai near here today.

About 50 fishermen set out in 16 catamarans — one of them fitted with an overboard motor — after the village priest, T. Perumal (52), performed pujas onshore and sprinkled the holy water on every boat.

Vijayakumar and Girija Nagooran, senior fishermen, told The Hindu that the puja was done because the fishermen were resuming fishing after the devastation.

Normally such pujas were performed when the catch was meagre, or the fishermen would have to take a long voyage to harvest the "kola" species. They said the fishermen were still in the grip of fear. Yet they could not while away their time. Hence, on their own accord and after the persuasion by officials, they started fishing as a "morale-booster exercise."

Mr. Nagooran said the jumbled-up wooden logs were hurriedly put together to make country boats. About 200 villagers worked overnight to sew the nets from the materials supplied by the district administration.

During the winter the sea would be rough, and hence, the elderly would stay on shore, sending their young wards out for fishing. As a precautionary measure, the district administration gave them life jackets and buoys.

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