As many as 14 indigenous villages of 1200 families live around the Deepor Beel, a perennial freshwater lake that provides natural resources to the communities for their sustenance and livelihood. The Karbis are one of the main communities that live around the wetland, their social and cultural practices deeply intertwined with the existence of the lake.
Their relationship with Deepor Beel can be characterised as one between a guardian deity and its followers; Karbi fisherwomen rejoice and sing praises of their provider, taking only as much fish as they need to feed their families. It is their source of drinking water, fish and aquatic plants, a waterway for transportation, and the wetlands provide farming areas for paddy and grazing land for cattle.
Today, the lake and its ecosystem constantly face the threat of rapid urbanisation, as the growing city of Guwahati slowly engulfs the once-pristine Deepor Beel. Despite the lurking dangers beneath the surface, the Karbi fisherwomen radiate positivity. Watch them welcome our rider-researchers with song, dance, and a willingness to share.