The fishermen categorise major winds or wind systems into 8 wind directions:
- Koda or kara kaatu (towards the ocean/easterly wind or wind comes from the east)
- Kondal or kadal kattu (towards the coast/shore or western wind or wind comes from the west)
- Kachaan kaatu (towards south, from the north)
- Vada kaatu, (towards north, from the south),
- Kachaan Koda (towards south west, from north east),
- Kachaan Kondal (towards south east, from north west)
- Vada Koda (towards north west, from south east)
- Vada Kondal (towards northeast, from southwest the coast).
Koda kaatu usually blows in the early morning when the fishers start to venture into the sea. It helps them to easily venture to the sea as the direction of the wind is towards the sea. It is usually a low speed wind. But in the northern part of Trivandrum, Varkkala koda– which is a heavier wind blowing towards the sea is a riskier wind for fishers. On the other hand, Kondal kattu, the wind from the sea towards the coast, helps fishers sail back from the sea after fishing. They usually wrap up their fishing activities when the kondal has started to blow and they then get prepared to reach their home. Fishers assume kondal is the “wind of hope”. In earlier days, these winds were important for fishers while sailing in a Kattumaram. Kachaan kattu is the monsoon wind. If the Kachan wind is heavy with rain it is called Kurinchara, which is very risky for fishing.
Wind directions ©Panipilla & Lament, 2017
References:
Panipilla, R., & Jament, J. (2017). 4. Case Study: Mukkuva Community in South India: socio-religious history and biocultural diversity. Knowing our Lands and Resources, 56.
