Pulasa Netted In Floodwaters, One Sold At Rs 22,000 For 800 grams
The fish is called Hilsa in Bangladesh, Myanmar and West Bengal. It enters River Godavari through the Bay of Bengal. When Hilsa reaches Godavari Waters in the monsoon season and flood period, it swims against the current from the sea to Godavari’s red and muddy waters. Then it changes its colour
KAKINADA: Several of the much-sought-after Pulasa fish were caught from floodwaters in Yanam and Tallarevu in Kakinada district and some places in Konaseema district this rainy season.
“Pulasas were caught four times and these were sold in the range of Rs 15,000 to Rs 22,000. In the early hours on Sunday, the fish was netted by Malladi Prasad near the Bhyravapalem area. It weighed 800 grams. A woman Ponnamanda Ratnam bought the fish for Rs 22,000 at the auction. Recently, the fish was netted three times and these were sold at rates ranging from Rs 15,000 and Rs 20,000,” reports said.
Notably, for the past a few years, the Pulasa fish availability has gone down drastically. It was netted two or three times in 2024 and 2023.
This is a rare delicacy relished by fish- eaters all over Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. But its availability is very less. The fish is becoming extinct due to various factors.
The fish is called Hilsa in Bangladesh, Myanmar and West Bengal. It enters River Godavari through the Bay of Bengal.
When Hilsa reaches Godavari Waters in the monsoon season and flood period, it swims against the current from the sea to Godavari’s red and muddy waters. Then it changes its colour. Local fishermen and the people of Godavari area call it Pulasa.
When it reaches the Godavari waters for breeding, it has fat content in its body. This gives much protein to eaters of the species.
Places like Kotipalli, Ravulapalem, Pasarlapudi, Bodasakurru, Yanam, Bhairavapalem, Dowleswaram etc are the breeding centres of Pulasa. However, the fish is netted before its breeding. It is mostly available at Yanam, Bhyaravapalem and nearby places in the sea.
Women cook the delicious item with great care. They prepare a soup with the fish and keep it in a pot the whole night and it is consumed the next day. It tastes great. The people of the region serve the fish soup to higher officials, political leaders and others to please them or to win favours from them.
A popular saying is, “A Pulasa fish must be bought even by selling the sacred marital cord (Mangala Sutra).”
