Phakki Kadiya in Jesri refers to the Indian vagabond butterflyfish (Chaetodon decussatus). They are corallivore fish, primarily feeding on coral polyps, small invertebrates, and algae, in the shallow, tropical coral reefs of the Lakshadweep islands. The butterflyfish are known for their beautiful colour patterns and character, which are naturally selected/evolved to adapt to colourful coral reefs. Interestingly, they are also the state fish of the Lakshadweep.
The Jeseri name Phakki kadiya fascinated me for the striking similarities between the term Phakki which sounds similar to pakki, a term that southern keralalites such as myself use to refer to butterflies in the local Malayalam dialect. I have noticed that the sound “pa” in Malayalam appears as “fa” in Jesri, which makes me think that both words refer to butterflies. Additionally, some references say that the term pakki refers to pakshi or bird in Tamil. Whether the term phakki or pakki refers to either butterfly or bird, islanders must have felt that these fish resonated with the swift movements and colourful patterns of butterflies or birds.
My first experience of seeing a butterflyfish was as a preserved specimen at the fisheries college fish taxonomy lab. As a specimen, preserved in formalin for many years, most of its skin colour and patterns had already worn off. The FAO fact sheets that describe the morphology of the fish, such as the number of spines, the position of the mouth and the tail codend, were the only way to confirm it as a butterfly fish.
Many years later, I saw a butterfly fish while snorkelling off the Bengaram island of Lakshadweep during my fieldwork with the Dakshin Foundation. The butterflyfish I saw were greyish in colour with yellow and black bands running along their body. They had a slightly long mouth to glean or graze coral polyps. The majestic colours and patterns on their bodies made me really sad for the preserved specimens in the lab. A species which needs to be identified through its majestic colours and patterns is reduced to a meagre morphological identity, based on a fact sheet. The name of the fish itself evokes its features; it deserves to be understood beyond the rigidity of “scientific” morphological markers.
© Mahaboob Khan
© Mahaboob Khan
