Pricey Pulasa favourite food for everyone

Rajamahendravaram: Fish lovers eagerly await every year  between June to August months to taste the awesome 'Pulasa' fish, which  is available only during these months. The taste of Pulasa is different from routine fish and each Pulasa fish costs from Rs 2,000 to Rs 7,000 based on its size and weight.

The people will devour it to their contentment and its soaring price, of course, never matters. It is the time for fishermen to make a fast buck during the months. They carry out fishing operations from Antervedi to Sir Arthur Cotton Bararge at Dowleswaram.

Many people across the state come to this area for Pulasa. Meanwhile, lower rung government employees send Pulasa to their higherups and local politicians also send Pulasa to their bosses to get some favours from them.

According to an official of Fisheries Department, Pulasa is an exotic fish species and its name is Hilasa Ilasa, known as Vilasa when it is in marine water and  called as Pulasa after entering into fresh water in Godavari. After entering into the sweet water from the sea, the tasteless Vilasa metamorphoses into a delicious Pulasa.  

The taste will be increased when it travels more from the sea and in river Godavari up to Dowleswaram. It travels a distance of 95 kms in 12 hours and at that time its fat will be reduced. The fish comes surges into the river for breeding purpose and returns after the breeding and in the meantime, it becomes food to the people and Pulasa can be identified with its glittering body.

A fisherman S Raju of Dowleswaram said Pulasa lovers comes across the state and they will book Pulasa fish one or two months before over phone by giving advance  amount. Many fishermen all along the river between the sea and Dowleswaram catch Pulasa. But, some are selling fish in the name of Pulasa which is posing problem to real Pulasa sellers.