Kashir Gaad
I was at Max Vaishali yesterday where my legendary uncle Sh Jawahar Wanchoo is admitted for a brief illness. Due to sedative medicines he was sleeping and i knew how to get his response. I started talking to his permanent attendant during day ,his son sameerji about the pervious night menu especially the all spiced up fish curry generally known as gaad .To our surprise ,he opened his left eye and saw us both with optimismistic thought which carried a meaning that he will soon get up from the bed and go home and prepare himself for this astonishingly favourite cuisine.l wish him luck and pray to God that he gets well soon.
I can’t forget an incident very early in my life , those days viral patients were starved for days together . I remember having viral and after 4 days of near fast i begged my family for a bowl of rice with boiled potatoes. I was refused and was given half a bakers lavasa while all my family members were enjoying a finger licking fish curry. It was really disgusted with my life. Sooner my mother finished off with the cleaning of kitchen and went to market for groceries . It was my chance . I entered the kitchen covertly and found good amount of rice in a vessel covered by tweed sheet. I grabbed a big piece of fish and ate like it was nectar of life leaving a large kond in my hand to hear a voice outside. I had enough time to put the kond in the rice vessel and covered it again with the tweed sheet. Mother came to know of my mischief but i denied all .
Kashir gad or fish falls the category of, “gourmet par excellence” for kahmiri pandith community be it serving the grooms relatives or the groom himself or any other person who needs to be shown a high degree of hospitality . Several others are sought as luxury food in expensive restaurants. A sizeable number of food fish species, both fresh water and salt water are put in the category of excellent, very good, good and fair, depending upon local, regional or national consideration of guest preference and eating habits.
I also remember how my mother would decorate the fish for the ghar devta. A steel thali full of cooked rice was decorated well. A raw fish was put on the rice and almost painted with Sinder (vermillion). It was then put for the consumption of ghar devta on the top floor of the house in kashmir. However it is done with utmost care in rented houses in jammu fearing somebody will accuse of witch hunt.
The present push of world community for importance of fish as food and of the rate this fact might play in the meeting the ever increasing global food problem in the context of the immense potential of carouses for exploitation, has been instrumental in the initiation of development of fisheries in many countries where it never existed to any significance as well as in encouraging expansion of fisheries where it, already existed. For those of you who would have got the opportunity of viisiting one such trout fishery at Dachigam national park would appreciate the importance of maintaining it and the beauty of it. The fish trade centres of Zainakadal fish lane known as gaad koche and nigeen boat market are worth mentioning.
Fishing in certain scared rivers or in certain streams and lakes associated with temples have been prohibited from time to time owing to strong attachments to fish of these “sacred” waters. This is not unique to kashmir considering this belief is followed in other nations also . In Scotland, likewise, a strong emotional sentiments is attached to the Grey Seal (Halichoerus grypus) which consequently enjoys complete protection against destruction although this predator is a cause of a very severe damage to salmon fishery, killing at least about 7 kg of fish on an average per day, besides the damage to the conventional fishing gears used in a salmon fishing. At the same time mention may be made of a number of other dogmas and customs prevalent in many countries which exist to piscatory favour for these tend to boost up consumption of fish and thereby spirit in price of fish and consequent greater profit trade. For example, Red porgty (Chrysophrys major), In Japan, is considered a symbol of good fortune and is therefore traditionally served at occasions of celebrations like wedding, birthday etc. There is one more belief amongst us that fish should Not be consumed in months where word ‘r’ figures. The fish remains to be offered to the home diety or the ghar devta even at temporary homes outside kashmir . It enjoys the top cuisine slot during shivratri .
For kashmiris the fish was cooked in tens of kgs as it could last for weeks together thereby providing relief to the women folks or cooks. It is a pity that even at the present time fish has not got the importance in diet that it rightfully deserves, Scientific and medical findings notwithstanding, fish is generally not regarded more than a food to supplement cereals and rice, or as a substitute for meat or merely a food for a change, at least this is with the impression is with many housekeepers of the present day.