As Polavaram looms, Koyas cast one last net in Godavari floods
Koya tribal communities in the Godavari Valley are utilizing traditional fishing nets called 'Pander Valla' during the current flood season. This practice, passed down through generations, remains a vital part of their cultural identity and subsistence in the border regions of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Chhattisgarh.
Why it matters
It documents the intersection of traditional ecological knowledge and the impact of large-scale infrastructure projects like Polavaram on indigenous livelihoods.
The Koya tribals are making the most of the last phase of their traditional fishing excursions, braving the flood waters of the mighty Godavari, the sacred Sabari and their revered tributaries, Chandravanka and Sokileru, with their Pander Valla, a traditional fishing net handed down through generations in the Godavari Valley of Andhra Pradesh.
Designed in a rectangular shape with bamboo poles, the Pander Valla is a hand-held net used exclusively for fishing in deep waters during floods. It continues to be widely used in Koya villages in the region bordering Andhra Pradesh’s Polavaram district, Telangana’s Khammam district and Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district. The Sabari enters Andhra Pradesh at Chintoor in the Polavaram district.
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