Breaching edge
A walk from a cluster of houses of Navelim to the closest ‘bandh’, is a rich sensorial walk through the sun-baked fields of paddy and overgrown wilderness before entering the mushy and dark envelope of mangroves. It opens into the sluice gate which holds the bandh and separates the extensive Mandovi river and the inner side of the water mass locally called ‘poiem’. The bandh holds in the river water while absorbing its salinity and providing a nurture pool for the fish and crabs. The extensive farmlands are majorly used for farming Korghut rice and are shielded from the brackish waters by the bandh. The proper functioning of the bandhs is hence critical to the farmlands and subsequent ecology of the landscape.
We further explore several narratives of the sluice system and its impact on ecology and livelihoods.
The inflow of saline water leads to the growth of mangroves on the inner side of the bund wall and eventually growing on paddy fields. This affects the farmers and their livelihood. Salinity of the soil also brings about the growth of wilderness. Drainage going through the fields affects the crops severely.” Agriculture indulges a lot of hard work but less profit and fishing, vice versa.” People have resorted to take up other jobs due to the decrease in the production and their value. They have their own entrepreneurial work regarding printing press, sports shops, etc in Panaji. The so-called ‘wastelands’ are then sold for double the price to private sectors for the construction of residential or commercial building blocks.
The bund wall plays an important role in the politics of the land creating a stark difference between the farmers and the fishermen. Certain people hold power in the region by having the sluice gate on lease. The under maintenance of the bund wall and breaching of the sluice gate by these people allows for the flow of water inside, to gain profits from the cultivation of saline water fish. The poiems can be used by all the gaokaris but they are presently under the influence of a handful of people. Due to this, they also avoid paying taxes to the government by claiming that the saline water is damaging the fish cultivation in poiems. They also have prospering side businesses such as restaurants and bakeries as well
Fishermen catch fish at two in the morning and go around the settlement in tempos selling prawns,sardines, mackerel, etc. They further leave to go sell in Panaji at a slightly higher price.
The gaonkaris (native residents of the land) had an existing system that auctioned land to tenants for farming. The Bhadkaris were landlords and the Munkaris were tenants.
This system changed with the intervention of the Portuguese. They constructed maps by documenting the place to collect tax from the people and appointed scribes to communicate with the community, thereby naming them the ‘communidades’. As the tenants association was formed, the communidades as tax collectors gained power and influence in the region.
After 1961, the Indian government came into being and introduced the Tenancy Act which gave the tenants residing there the right to the land. The Panchayat also came in, with which the auction was to be held under the supervision of the Mamladar. The capital is then channelled to the Tenants’ Association, hence creating differences in the households in terms of communication between them.
Navelim is situated on the eastern border of Diwar Island, featuring a diverse topography that includes settlements, paddy fields, a stretch of tall grass, mangroves, and bund walls in a sequential arrangement. The sluice gates along with the bund wall play a crucial role in managing estuarine water flow throughout different seasons. In the monsoon, saline estuarine water infiltrates the cultivated land, depositing salt and elevating soil salinity. This prompts the relocation of agricultural activities away from the estuary, allowing wild grass patches and wetland ecology to thrive, gradually replacing freshwater flora and fauna. The increasing salinity not only triggers a shift in agriculture but also influences the surrounding ecology. In its early years, the agricultural landscape was primarily characterized by paddy cultivation, but this came to an abrupt halt when the bund walls broke, leading to the soil turning saline. Consequently, this event marked the decline of agriculture and had an impact on the livelihoods of the local community.
The fishing at the bandh wall happens in unison with the 28-day lunar cycle. Each of these transitions is observed and recorded as cultural anchors called the Purnima, Amavasya and Ekadashis.
The incoming low tide shows drastically low levels of water and shallow grounds. The amavasya or the new moon night brings the maximum low tide.
Low tides are a fisherman's feast. Prawns, chonak and rat snipers fall prey to the practised hands.
A few villagers still continue to catch crabs on every high tide. The monthly cycle ends with the Purnima, when the high tide reaches its peak, it makes fishing unviable.
Culturally, a vegetarian diet is also followed on this day. This helps us link the lunar cycle with anthropocentric practices.
This serene village awakens each morning to a harmonious symphony. Roosters announce the dawn, blending with distant cattle lowing, clattering cooking utensils, and warm human interactions. As the day progresses, the soundscape smoothly shifts; the sun's warmth resonates with the constant hum of diligent farmers in their fields. With the afternoon sun's descent, calm tranquillity pervades, marked by distant dog barks and the occasional clip-clop of passing carts.
As evening arrives, Navelim transforms again. Crickets commence their nocturnal serenade, soft conversations weave into a gentle background hum, and the village adopts a new melody—a composition of shared stories and solace in the night's embrace. In the village's nocturnal darkness, a unique serenity prevails, defined by gatherings and the comforting sounds of a community finding peace in the tranquil hours.
The change in the landscape level creates inhabitable spaces for various species. Four different environments can be identified on this side of Navelim which all affords different kinds of species. Starting from the settlements dogs, cats, cows and birds are seen eminently as the area has more human movement compared to the others.
The paddy fields, currently harvested and dried out can only hold a few insects and birds like egrets and parrots as small patches of land are often burnt to prepare the land for the next year’s cultivation.
Further towards the sluice gate, are the abandoned fields which have been taken over by wild grass, which now shelters bees and a few birds.
Ahead into the walk, the soil changes from dry to wet and marshy which allows for the new mangrove shoots to grow. It further leads to fully grown mangrove trees which inhabit crabs, snakes and fire ants. Most of these species inhabit the roots of the mangroves.