CHENNAI: Life as a fisherman can’t be all bad. These men get up before dawn and head out on to the open water while most of us are still asleep. Waking up early is less than appealing for most of us, but with a view like this, I can’t help but envy these fisherfolk.The high tide waves pound along the beach shores as the sun rises, just as they have since the beginning of time. The morning haze still obstructs the sun’s rays while fishing boats cross the horizon.The beach is alive already; even at 5.30am, people are all over the boardwalk are jogging, stretching or just taking a leisurely stroll before the encroaching heat of the summer day. The area is almost packed, but with a short trip over the sand, there are no doubts that an unsound mind will find solitude, among the fishermen.As this newcomer to Chennai sands finds a spot to sit, people tend to gather around. Not necessarily in close proximity, but near enough to show that when people seek the peace of the morning waves, they don’t mind company. In a few moments, the red sun begins to peer over the haze like a giant orange pendant dangling over the sea and Marina traffic picks up the pace. Businessmen, tourists, and couples walk along the ocean, but there’s still no one here to surf the breakers of this nearly deserted beach, a scene that most surfers would kill for. A few tourists take pictures of the sunrise and the colourless shapes of barges and cranes bearing down on the shipyard in the distance; while crows pick at the tumbling garbage.Being near a massive body of water, it’s hard not to stare into its infinity, something that has pulled humankind to explore its vast surface and depths, fueling our inexhaustible passion to explore.As the strong breeze blows outward, it’s easy for one to become lost in the waves and just stare in awe at the ocean’s majesty. Perhaps that’s why people from all over, no matter how rich or poor, gather here in the morning. As I raise my camera to capture the moment, a Tamilian man squats in front of me because nature calls, indifferent to the fact that he was giving me more than I had hoped for in my shot.Somewhere else on the shore, three fisherman bring in their line. One of them started reeling in a string and wrapping it around a piece of cardboard. The line he uses has hooks every foot or so holding some kind of bait, with a weight at the end. He doesn’t catch much, but still he tosses back all but a single catfish. Now was that lone crow again? I wanted to say, ‘Breakfast is served’.
Comments
0 comment