Manori Koliwada

By Anurag

From being an archipelago of various disparate islands to becoming the leading metropolis in India, Mumbai has seen a transformation across its traditional geography. Urban sprawl morphed into or engulfed many quaint, bucolic villages. However, some localities, secluded from the megapolis, have still managed to hold on to their age-old mores, lifestyles, and settlements. Manori village, off the coast of Malad, is one such locality.

Early History

People have inhabited this region for at least the past eight to nine centuries. The Mahikavatichi Bakhar, a chronicle of Mumbai from the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries CE, provides evidence for this. The Bakhar mentions Manori as one of the five villages that made up ‘Thikan Uttan’ under the administration of an officer called Sindhe Sheshvanshi. In fact, Manori is one of the few places whose name has remained unchanged since then.

The traditional expanse of Manori Koliwada stretches from Sumlai Talav in the north, Manori jetty to the south, the open sea to the west, and Manori creek to the east. It is home predominantly to the Koli community, comprised of Hindu and Christian Kolis, along with a small population of Bhandari and Kunbi communities. Parshuram Koli, a native of Manori Koliwada, states that the Koli household is the oldest family residing in Manori. The extended family built new houses over the years as the family grew, leading to the expanded Koliwada we see today. [1]

Khandoba is the Koli family's kul devta, and the original family shrine, or Devasthan, still exists in Manori Koliwada, denoting the Koli family's oldest house. As the family expanded and newer houses came up, each house built its own family shrine; however, the reverence for the primordial Khandoba shrine within the Koliwada remains strong.

Socio-Religious Landscape

Present-day Manori Koliwada is split into various localities demarcated by lanes or gallis, each having an interesting etymology of its own. Pandhar is the Koli word for the traditional fish drying ground, consisting of dried tidal mud deposits. Parshuram Koli says that the fish dried on these pandhars are more delicious than the ones dried on concrete ground, as the dried mud helps retain the original flavour of the fish by not overheating it. The settlement that grew up near the pandhar of Manori Koliwada became known as Pandhar Galli. Established during the Portuguese era, Our Lady of Perpetual Succour is the main church, or deval, in Manori. The settlement that sprang up around the church thus became known as Deval Galli. Part of the Koliwada, which developed near an old military structure, got the name Barak Galli, with barak being the local word for barracks. The settlement near the local fishing port or bandar is known as Bandar Galli. The area where the Bhandaris of Manori reside is known as the Bhandarwada.

The gramdevta of Manori Koliwada is Karjai Devi, whose shrine is located outside the main Koliwada. On Paush Pornima, which falls in January, they organise the Palkhi Sohla in her honour. People place the goddess' image in a palkhi, parade it from her temple to the Hanuman temple at the southern end of Manori, and then return it to the original temple. Every household makes talis, religious offerings consisting of coconuts and fruits, to Karjai Devi on the day. Koli explains that the original custom involved wrapping up the palkhi procession before dawn, based on the local belief that Karjai Devi's palkhi should not face the rising sun. While the older generations followed this custom, the younger ones do not, and the Palkhi Sohla celebrations extend well into the morning hours. [2]

The older generations consider a spirit referred to as Kathivala Dev, or the god with the stick, to be the rakhandar, or guardian, of Manori Koliwada. He would patrol the settlement at night, regularly making sounds with his stick to announce his presence. Parshuram Koli states that the Kathivala Dev would also assist the fishermen on their nightly fishing expeditions by providing them company and security when fishermen would beseech him before getting on their boats. Koli regrettably states that Kathivala Dev is a dying lore in the present-day Manori Koliwada, and the younger generations are unaware of his historical and spiritual existence in their Koliwada. [3] [3] The Karjai Palkhi and Kathivala Dev incidents show how traditions transform with each new generation.

The ritual known as Sohla, also known as the Gavkicha Sann or the village community's festival, holds a significant place in the religious calendar of the Manori people. The ritual involves the slaughter of a goat in a field outside Koliwada, and the offering of its liver to Karjai Devi. After the oblation of the goat liver is done, it is divided into numerous small pieces and distributed to every family in the Koliwada as prasad. The large number of households necessitates the cutting of the goat liver into very small pieces for public distribution. Individual families then prepare curries, adding in the tiny liver piece they receive so that all the family members receive the blessings of the prasad. Galbat, or boat owners, also sacrifice chickens on the day of the Sohla, which are first offered to the goddess and later cooked into a feast for the employees working on their boats in the Koliwada.

Fishing Practices

The Kolis of Manori have always fished in the open sea, as it is the western boundary of their Koliwada. Their traditional fishing knowledge, passed down through the generations, influences most of their fishing techniques. For example, fishermen consider the tidal hours before going out to fish. Indigenous knowledge divides these tidal hours into four categories: the morning high tide, known as Disha, the morning low tide, known as Madaar, the night high tide, known as Eel, and the night low tide, known as Vhat. Koli mentions that the catch depends on these tidal hours, and they set out for the sea with the relevant preparations. Manori's traditional open-sea fishing technique is known locally as kav or kavechi masemari. It includes piling two large wooden poles known as khunt into the sea floor, using hammering equipment known as parbaan, and tying a large net, or dol, between those poles. The Kolis catch fish drawn into these nets by the force of the high or low tide. The traditional Koli measuring unit for sea depth is known as vaav. The khunts for Kav fishing are entrenched on the seafloor at depths ranging from 5–15 vaavs. It is a labour-intensive practice, and four to five people are required to put a kav in place on the seabed. Traditionally, the Kolis of Manori used a chiselled and polished palm tree trunk as a khunt. With the advent of the modern age and difficulties in procuring palm tree trunks, the Kolis of Manori have shifted to using iron rods as khunts.

The open sea adjoining Manori was and remains dotted with multiple kavs belonging to different individuals. Using geographical markers, the Kolis of yore identified their personal kavs. They identified the individual kavs at night by observing the stars above the fishing arrangement. During the day, fishermen identified the kavs by aligning them perpendicularly with coastal landmarks like large rocks, trees, and hills. Usually, the community had a tandel, or a boat captain, who was well versed in day and night identification of all the kavs in the sea, and individual fishermen often relied on his input to identify their personal kav in case of any confusion. The modern-day Kolis rely on GPS technology to track their kavs, and the practice of following natural markers is now a dying art.

After the end of Aagot, or the monsoon season, the Kolis fish actively from the months of August to October. However, the local dialect refers to a phenomenon unique to Manori as Tukari. Tukari is the period from November to January when the fish population in the sea declines and the fishing business in Manori experiences a lull. Koli reasons that since the Kolis of Manori employ locals, or bhagi, from the Koliwada, and not khapnar, or outside labourers, on their boats, they don’t have the necessary manpower to go out on long-distance fishing expeditions, unlike other large Koliwadas like Versova and Madh, where khapnar labourers are an integral part of the local fishing business, allowing the Kolis of those places to undertake long term fishing expeditions away from the Mumbai coast. During Tukari, the Kolis of Manori return to clam fishing near the shoreline to support their families.

Parshuram Koli reminisces about a time when the waters of Manori were abundant with prized catch such as Bombil (Bombay duck), Mandeli (golden anchovies), and Paplet (pomfret). However, the fish population has reduced significantly, and the most prominent catch currently consists of javla, or fresh shrimp. Koli cherishes his early years, when the children of Manori Koliwada embarked on fishing trips alongside their family elders during their holidays, and the nakhwa, or boat owner, bestowed a large pomfret upon each child upon their return to the shore. In those days, the abundance of pomfret in the sea provided food for the boat staff at sea. Today, the pomfret population has significantly decreased, and the boat meals now feature suki vakti, or dried ribbon fish, a stark contrast to the delicious pomfrets of the past. [4]

Some sections of Manori Kolis also engage in vanachi masemari, or hand-held net fishing, in Manori Creek. At present, fresh and dried shrimp constitute Manori Koliwada's primary marine product. A tandel, or captain, mans the fishing boats and sets out in the adjacent waters to fish for the daily catch. After completing the catch, they head back to the shore to start the process of sorting the catch based on species. The fish drying grounds reserve most of the fresh shrimp stock for drying, serving as the primary source of local fishing revenue. The act of ghatne, a crucial step in the shrimp drying process, involves evenly mixing the shrimp as they dry to guarantee their uniform dryness. The tuki or tukavne process, which involves cleaning and sorting the dried fish before shipping the final product to the market, commences once the shrimp have completely dried.

In the old days, when the farmlands were still abundant and active surrounding Manori Koliwada, farming was the mainstay of the Manori Kolis during the monsoon months. Parshuram Koli recollects how, during his childhood, the entire area surrounding the Koliwada turned green due to paddy fields in the monsoon. He narrates that the entire Koliwada community, including men, women, and children, used to work in paddy cultivation, which was known in the local dialect as aavni karne or aavni karayla jaane. The locals would collectively sing while working on the paddy fields. This tradition of singing, known as Aambavni, was an integral part of paddy cultivation in Manori and facilitated effective productivity among the farm workers. Another similar tradition was mutual storytelling by the people working the fields, which served the same purpose as mentioned earlier. [5]

Festivals

Holi, or Shimga, is a prominent festival in Manori, like all other Koliwadas. The Shimga celebrations last 15 days, culminating with Kombad Holi and Mothi Holi. A popular local Holi custom is known as Heli. Dancers use dagra, or wooden sticks, to strike each other's dagra progressively and rhythmically, creating a continuous cycle. Shimga is also a time of year when people engage in various social activities to release any pent-up anger they may have harboured towards their peers. Ghat Bandhni, a local practice, involves locking the houses of targets from the outside, tying a can on the door, and repeatedly banging it to disturb the sleep of the family inside. Another activity was to dump kurya, or firewood, into piles in front of others’ houses. The locals also insulted each other lyrically in songs, with one person saying something crass and the other responding even worst. Women would gather and sing traditional Holi songs as part of a native tradition. Men would follow these women, soaking them with sea water and engaging in a playful chase across the Koliwada.

Manori Koliwada traditionally creates the Holi bonfire from the wood of amba (mango), bhend (portia), jambul (jamun), and chimb (green bamboo). Locals take their Shimga celebrations seriously. The 15 days of Shimga begin on the first new moon night and last until the next full moon night. The days are known as Prathama (first day), Dvitiya (second day), Tritiya (third day), Chaturthi (fourth day), Panchami (fifth day), Shasthi (sixth day), Saptami (seventh day), Ashtami (eighth day), Navami (ninth day), Dashmi (tenth day), Ekadas (eleventh day), Baras (twelfth day), Trayodas (thirteenth day), Chaturdashi (fourteenth day), and Pornima (fifteenth day). People use amba and bhend wood to make a bonfire on the night of Kombad Holi, which falls on Chaturdashi, and solely use chimb wood on the day of Mothi Holi, which falls on Pornima.

Based on their horoscopes, the village invites newly married couples to participate in the Holi Pooja. The community elders consult an astrologer to determine which couple's horoscope perfectly matches that year's Holi, and they then choose that couple to preside over the Pooja.

Gauri Ganpati is another important celebration for the Manori Kolis. A unique aspect of Manori Ganeshotsav is that collective Ganpati hosted by every galli is more prevalent than individual household ones. There are seven to eight important Ganpatis in Manori, hosted by major settlements. The importance of Gauri over Ganpati during Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations is another fascinating tradition in Manori. Most locals observe Gauricha Upvas, a celebration in honour of Gauri, on the second day after the community welcomes Gauri. The central theme of Gauricha Upvas is the Ekthaat, or dressing in common fabric and colour, especially by the women of Manori. Tradition dictates that Gauri receives an offering of chimbori, or crab, known as naivedya. Parshuram Koli recounts a captivating local belief about this phenomenon. He states that it is the age-old belief of locals that Gauri eats with both her hands. Therefore, they always offer crabs to the goddess in accordance with her habit, as eating seafood necessitates the use of both hands. [6] This is a fabulous insight into how communities relate their culinary heritage to their religious beliefs.

Manori also enjoys Navratri, another important festival. Every household in Manori Koliwada offers nine different garlands to the goddess Karjai Devi, the focal point of the local Navratri celebrations, on the nine days of the festival. Dagra Nrutya, or synchronously dancing with the dagra wooden sticks, marks all nights of the festival along with a local version of the Garba, which involves coordinated clapping amongst the participants.

Another local festival collectively celebrated by the Hindu and Christian communities of Manori is the feast of the Our Lady of Perpetual Succour Church, known as Sukur Maulicha Sann, which falls in November every year.

Culinary Traditions

Manori locals take pride in certain dishes that everyone enjoys. Mushicha kismur, or shark mince, cooked with Koli masala, is a much-loved local delicacy. Aatlele ole bombil, or a thick Bombay duck gravy, prepared traditionally in a mud vessel known as tavkat, is another local favourite. People consume bombils in a variety of forms, including as a medicinal remedy. Most local homes consume sukya bomblachi chatni, or dried Bombay duck chutney, as a remedy for fever.

Chichavni, an indigenous version of tamarind curry, consists of thinly sliced onions cooked with tamarind water and Koli masala. It is a beloved dish among individuals of all ages. Manori's local version of kanji slightly differs from that of other Koliwadas. The Manori locals cook their kanji with chopped cashew apples and prawns on a rice porridge base, known locally as dhanachi pej.

The speciality wedding dishes important in Manori Koliwada are the vangi javla bhaji, or brinjal and fresh shrimp gravy, served along with the famous vades (fried fritters) made of wheat flour. The vades are symbolically synonymous with weddings in Manori Koliwada, and elders often poke fun at the younger folks with the saying, 'Vade kadhi denar?', which is a colloquial phrase that means, 'When are you getting married?' It is a beautiful example demonstrating the amalgamation of culinary and social traditions within a particular community.

Some communities resolutely defy the waves of modernity by preserving their local geography, lifestyle, and mores, holding dear to their cultural heritage to the best of their ability. The Manori Koliwada is one such anachronistic example amongst the native communities of this city, which transports any visitor to a bygone era.

Footnotes:

[1] Parshuram Koli, interview with the author, February, 2024.

[2] Parshuram Koli, interview with the author, February, 2024.

[3] Parshuram Koli, interview with the author, February, 2024.

[4] Parshuram Koli, interview with the author, February, 2024.

[5] Parshuram Koli, interview with the author, February, 2024.

[6] Parshuram Koli, interview with the author, February, 2024.

Acknowledgement:

The author thanks Parshuram Koli and Hemant Koli for their assistance with his research.

Bibliography:

Karmarkar, Dipesh. 'Understanding place names in “Mahikavati’s Bakhar”: A case of Mumbai-Thane region.’ Studies in Indian Place Names 31 (2012): 116–139.

Parshuram Koli (a native resident of Manori), interview with the author, February, 2024.