All these years Indrila Das’s husband would go fishing on weekends while she stayed back at home. “At most, I would prepare the ‘pulao’ – food that would be the bait - but I had no interest in this sport,” Indrila said.
All that changed last Sunday at Eco Park when she took part in an all-women’s angling competition, organised by Bong Anglers, a one-stop hub for anglers based in Howrah and online. “This was my first time trying this out, and today, my husband prepared the pulao,” she smiled.
And she wasn’t alone. Pomila Marandi has grown up watching her father and brother cast the line, and though much of that knowledge rubbed off on her, it took her 42 years to go out angling for herself. “I never tried angling myself as they were the experts. Guess I needed that push,” said Pomila, who caught a 6.2kg katla. “I feel charged up and confident now.”
The all-women’s contest was the second one by the group; last year it was held at Budge Budge with 20 participants. “This time we got 28 entrants and then closed registration as we had no more seats. So some disappointed women pre-booked their seats for next year!” said proprietor of Bong Anglers, Ayan Mukherjee.
Giving out prizes at the closing ceremony was Chandan Gupta, vice-president, conservation, of the All India Game Fishing Association. “I don’t know of any other all-women angling event anywhere in the country,” he said. “Women do take part in open-to-all events, but their numbers are abysmal. So the level of competition is not equal, as women don’t have the experience that men do. Exclusive events are a must to encourage ladies.”
It was the first angling outing for many women, and so the rules allowed male assistants to cast the line. Beyond that, it was up to the ladies. “I’m rather proud of myself,” smiled Saraswati Roy, who caught four lylontikas. “Tackling the fish once they bit the bait required much skill, and I found it challenging. My usual hobbies are watching films and web series, but I enjoyed my first stint with angling too.”
The event also drew two schoolgirls. “My father has always loved angling, so I’m doing this since I was five,” smiled Anushree Mukherjee, 13. “I caught four fish today and narrowly missed another that would have easily weighed over eight kilos.” The event was a catch-and-release, so the fish were weighed, clicked, and released back into the water to promote sustainability. Her mother Debashree Chatterjee would have loved to join too, but had her hands full watching her little son, Anushree’s brother, running about.
Stacked against odds
The men were supportive but also felt that it wasn’t practical for women to go to every open-to-all event. “Sometimes we have to reach the site at 3.30am, in the dark and in the wild, where there are no toilets. Sometimes tickets to angling seats at ponds cost up to Rs 5,000, and if no fish get caught, brawls break out, with anglers demanding their money back. Such situations aren’t safe for women,” said Pintu Karmakar, who had come with his brother and sister-in-law, Saraswati Roy, the contestant.
Even at this competition, some women were more worried about their responsibilities than the fish. “This sport requires concentration, but how can I focus with my five-year-old son running amok, especially in a place that has a water body in front?” asked Indrila. “I was constantly worried about the child falling into the water or running off too far. The organisers should arrange a contest for kids too. Else, the mothers cannot give their 100 per cent to their game.”
Mukherjee, the organiser, had just this in mind. “Next year we shall also hold a kids’ angling camp,” he said. “Open-to-all events see very few women, as we haven’t been able to create a comfortable environment for them. But we want women’s inclusion in sports. This is why we did not even charge entry fees from contestants. Once upon a time, even cricket was considered a men’s game, but today the women’s team has won the World Cup. Women’s Angling must catch up too,” he said.
At the end of the day, Anushree, Saraswati and China Biswas Mukherjee jointly won the prize for the highest number of catches (four). Ranu Mondal won the prize for the heaviest catch – a 7.795kg pangas.