Pickles taste better after Tsunami

Chennai: Two-years after the killer Tsunami ravaged Tamil Nadu coast, Chennai fisherwomen have more or less managed to resurrect their livelihood.

One such woman, Vijaya who lost her husband in Tsunami, now makes fish and prawn pickles to earn her living. She is just one amongst many other fisherwomen who survived Tsunami in Chennai.

"All the women here have the same horrible story to share. Tsunami unites us, gives us the drive and courage to prove something," Vijaya says.

Working feverishly from nine to five, under demanding bosses and no perks, Vijaya along with 29 other Tsunami survivor fisherwomen collectively owns the prawn and fish pickle-making factory where she works.

Some of these women have alcoholic husbands who drank away all government compensation. They now earn and look after their individual families. "Even if my drunkard husband demands my money, I won't give him. I've three grown daughters to look after. I’m happy to have found a livelihood after surviving the Tsunami," says Rita a fisherwoman entrepreneur.

Fish and prawn pickle is a delicacy that the South India is known for. Clearly, 30 cooks have in no way spoiled the broth. Each one of them picks prawns and fish pieces carefully, removes scales, cleans and fills jar-full of pickle.

The women make the pickle hygienically. "Insects, hair and saliva shouldn't fall into it, so we wear masks. People are paying money to buy, we'll give them hygienic product," says Deepa a fisherwoman entrepreneur.

Success smells good to these women as they carry on their three-weeks old business. But there is some bad news too. The Chennai Port, the very area in which their factory and homes are, has been marked for privatization. However the women seem undeterred and very much at ease. After surviving Tsunami, perhaps nothing seems too big.

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