People in large numbers thronged fish markets to buy fish on the occasion of Mrigasira karti, making fish prices skyrocket on Wednesday. There is a popular belief that eating fish on Mrigasiri karti is good for health and also auspicious. As a result, fish markets and shops made brisk business. Musheerabad wholsesale fish market, the largest fish market in the city, witnessed busy activity all through the day with buyers visiting the market in big numbers. I used to wait till afternoon for selling all the fish. But today all the fish was sold in the morning itself. Even prices are also remunerative, said A Manemma, a petty fish vendor at Musheerabad fish market. Musheerabad fish market gets fish from not just Telangana districts but also from coastal Andhra. As a result all varieties of fish are available here and people from all over Hyderabad visit the market. We eat fish every Mrigasira karti day and follow it as a tradition. Therefore we came to market to buy fish. Though we expected prices to be higher, they are more than our expectations. Korameenu is costing around `700 per kg, opined S Ramadas, a resident of Tarnaka. Korameenu (Murrel), Rava, botcha (katla), among other fishes were in huge demand. While on normal days korameenu costs around `400 per kg on Wednesday it was sold at `700 per kg. Even other fishes like Rava, botcha, vanjaram, among others were sold at 30 to 60 percent higher prices. According to Hyderabad fisheries department deputy director Sarala, while about eight tonnes of fish is sold at Musheerabad fish market on normal days, more than 12 tonnes were sold on Wednesday, signifying the huge demand due to Mrigasira karti.
2016, The New Indian Express.