I was quite surprised to learn that octopus is caught and consumed in Lakshadweep. I then came to realize that Appal, as octopus is called in Lakshadweep, is considered more of a sea delicacy rather than the eight-limbed, scary creature that I have known since my childhood from cartoons and Discovery Channel. When I expressed my astonishment about octopus fishing, which is unheard of in Kerala despite the socio-cultural links with Lakshadweep, one of the octopus fishers told me that the Appal caught here is relatively small, somewhat the size of a Kanava (squid). He pointed out that if Keralites can consume Kanava, why not Appal, a similar sea creature? This remarkably logical question left me dumbstruck. Seeking an explanation, I asked Kumar Sahayaraju, my senior at Dakshin Foundation Sustainable Fisheries team and a researcher from the traditional fishing community in Thiruvananthapuram, about why Keralites don’t catch and consume Neerali (octopus). He explained that Neerali, or octopus, are often accidentally caught in fishing nets in Southern Kerala; however, fishers throw them back into the sea, dismissing them as “Chori Kanava” or “Pe Kanava” (both prefixes in Malayalam indicate aversion). Kumar says perhaps they are unaware that octopus meat can be prepared into delicious dishes, as in Lakshadweep, where he also enjoys it much.
Sarfez Khan, another colleague at Dakshin and a native of Lakshadweep, explained how his father and other octopus fishers practice Appak Kuthal (literally octopus spearfishing) in Kalpeni island. They snorkel in the lagoons to spot the Appal’s den, and using specialised iron rods called Appal Kolu, they gently push the octopus out of it. Using another iron rod or by hand, they immediately turn its mantle inside out and kill the octopus by spearing it through its brain to prevent it from secreting its dark defensive ink, which is difficult to remove from the fisher’s skin. However, octopus fishing is traditionally done on the major intertidal reef sides of the islands, especially during the full moon and new moon low tide times, in which women also actively take part by gleaning the reef flats.
Appal meat is a popular delicacy in Lakshadweep. When caught, it is easily sold and often distributed freely among neighbours, friends, and relatives, reflecting the islands’ strong culture of sharing. It is used to make delicious traditional dishes, including fried and pickled varieties and I also heard of a special Biriyani prepared using octopus meat. Appal is also dried and processed for long-term use, and both fresh and dried Appal is sold to other islands, particularly to Andrott, the only inhabited island in the Lakshadweep archipelago without a lagoon. One of my collaborators told me about a revered Sufi saint in Andrott who was very fond of Appal, and to date Appal Choru (Rice dish made with Octopus) is distributed at his shrine on his remembrance day. Besides being a nutritious part of the customary diet, Appal is also used as bait for catching large fish.
© Serfas Khan
© Serfas Khan
© Serfas Khan
© Serfas Khan
© Serfas Khan