A fishmonger who usually does the round of some south Kolkata neighbourhoods with a shallow drum of fish for doorstep supply before selling the rest at Lansdowne market has for the past few days perched herself strategically near three banks on Ritchie Road with an eye on long queues. Local youths were amused when she first settled down on Madab Lane on Saturday but her strategy has paid off. While she managed to sell only three-fourth of her stock after knocking on 25-30 doors and walking 5km with the load, since Saturday she has sold the entire stock by noon without budging an inch. “All my customers were going to the bank. So I thought why not set up shop where the customers are. I come around 7.30 am, just before people queue up at the banks. Several among those who head to the bank stop over to look at the fish and place an order if they like any. They then pick the fish up on the way back, paying me with the crisp, freshly collected notes,” said Kanon Senapati, the fish vendor from Canning. “Fish sales had plunged since last Thursday. On Wednesday, sale was brisk with customers keen to spend Rs 500 or more. On Thursday, too, those fish vendors who accepted Rs 500 notes did decent business. It seemed people came to the market to dispose their Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes. But I was confident that fish lovers, particularly Bengalis, cannot stay away from fish.” she reasoned. She was spot on. Since Sunday, people have been stopping by on way to the bank, picking the fish of their choice, asking her to set them aside and carrying them home on their way back. Not only did Senapati choose the right location, she also displayed acumen to change her basket; from big rohu, katla and hilsa that cost more, she has homed in on varieties that are lower than Rs 250 and hence, more pocket-friendly in these dire times.
2016 Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd.