Pazhaverkadu fisherwomen will be offering a gratitude feast for the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu for saving the biodiversity of the region

While planning a gratitude feast for the Chief Minister, the fisherwomen of Pulicat and Kattupalli share a glimpse of the environment, creatures, and recipes that define their lives and livelihoods

On October 16, the day declared by the United Nations as World Food Day, women of the fishing community of Pazhaverkadu, well known as Pulicat Islands, plan to get together and cook up a seafood feast for the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.

A historic seashore town about 60 kilometres from Chennai, Pulicat or Pazhaverkadu is considered a haven for seafood lovers. Pazhaverkadu prawns and crabs are bestsellers across all the fish markets in Chennai.

The island is famous for certain varieties of fish, but its value in terms of food heritage and biodiversity was truly spelled out recently, when a group of fisherwomen from Pazhaverkadu came to Chennai to invite the CM to their village via a press conference. At the unusual event, where the women set out tasty samples of Pulicat’s fish, crab and prawns, G Rajalakshmi, a fisherwoman said, “Right from the British era, our island has been known for seafood.”