Fisherwoman on wheels: This Kochi vendor is using her scooter to make inroads into business

KOCHI: One of the most common sights in Kochi is women with large aluminium vessels called ‘charuvams’ going around the residential areas selling fish. They start their rounds from around 8 am and finish off by noon. It is tough work. Carrying the heavy vessel on their heads and making rounds of the residential areas walking kilometres.

This was 55-year-old Ramani Mani’s routine until 10 years ago. Now, she zips through her haunts at Varapuzha, Chenoor and Kadamakudy on her Activa scooter.

 “I began selling fish nearly 25 years ago,” said Ramani whose husband is also a fishmonger. “Things were tough back then and I wanted to help my family’s finances. So, I took up the job that was familiar,” she said.

“Selling fish was lucrative in those days,” she said. “There were not many players in the field and we could sell every item that we got from the market,” she said. After getting fish from the market, Ramani used to take a long and arduous walk to the areas where her loyal customers lived. “It used to be tough, but since I was relatively young. I could easily make the trips,” said Ramani. 

Long periods of walk with ‘charuvam’ on the head, became gradually impossible for Remani who developed swelling in the knee coupled with back pain.

“But sitting at home was not an option for me,” she said. So, Ramani decided to buy a second-hand scooter.  “It can be termed a bold but intelligent step. Even now, it can be safely said that no fisherwoman is doing the business on a two-wheeler in the city and surrounding areas,” she said.