Jumma Bhai Wagher is a fisherman who lives near Bhadreshwar, in an exceptionally picturesque part of the Gulf of Kutch. When we reach the coast, all the boats near his village look abandoned, mired in mud; there’s no water in sight. But glimmering in the distance is a silver lining — the tide, slowly moving in. Three hours later, the water reaches the boats, unmooring them from the bank as they begin to bounce and bob on its hip.

The sea moves in and out here by more than 7km every day, twice in 24 hours. Once Jumma Bhai and his fellow fishermen are out at sea, they must wait a whole day before they can return. On these long hauls, they sing songs about life at sea — some traditional strains, others on the modern vagaries of fishermen... Several large industries have, for instance, appeared along the coast over the last decade. Jumma Bhai tells us how these industries have affected the daily life of the fishing community, physically obstructing the boats by constructing embankments, polluting the water and disastrously affecting the catch.

(Anushka and Iswar are filmmakers currently working on the >Uramili project

The roadshow. Young boys flank Jumma Bhai and his travelling music box

Blurred boundaries. The quality of water and the evening light create wonderful illusions

Stranded. The fishing boats weigh anchor, waiting for the tide

Fishy affair. Catch of the day

Day's end. The sea at sunset, its monotones broken by floating scrub

Published on April 11, 2014