An eastern investigation

In December-2013, I participated in the ‘city symphony film-making workshop’ at Periferry's alternate address: A-Type housing in Old Guwahati. It is situated near the river Brahmaputra.

While researching on subjects and sites for filming, I got interested in Periferry’s ongoing project “Narratives of Brahmaputra”. To link it to my current questioning of ideas of food, land and labor, I started some preliminary investigations.

One of them was to look at the river, not only for water or as a means of transport, but also as a source of food. The river is still one of the least polluted in the country and breeds a large variety of fishes and other freshwater fauna.

Assamese cuisine boasts of excellent fish recipes, which have created a strong cultural link with the river. Sadly creation of large hydroelectric dams in the Brahmaputra basin is threatening this vital food supply.    

Similarly cheap imports from as far away as Andhra Pradesh are substituting the traditional fishes provided from the river, further endangering the livelihoods of local fishermen.

There are many paradoxes at play especially around the city. The high concentration of population on one point needs a large food supply, which can easily lead to over fishing and extinction of many native species from the vicinity. But at the same time the old culture of fishing and cuisines needs to be maintained and preserved. Similarly the high-energy demands of urban centers need the creation of dams. How does one find middle way and in terms of food how does one negotiate between quantity and quality?