India Urban 2: Abdul Raheem, Tropical fish dealer in Bangalore

Objective:   To reveal the epic in the ordinary and create a cultural and historical narrative from the inner lives' of India's urbanites, through the mediums' of photography and writing.

2010

Abdul Raheem’s father has died 3 months and 3 days ago. He sits on an ancient swivel chair, by a slightly tilted seemingly ill discus fish floating in a stark silicone sealed tank, away from the bustle of the market, isolated on the first floor of the 83 year old Russell market building (upstairs).

“Business is terrible. We are struggling but managing. It is our love for the fish that makes me do this” he says, when I ask how the recession has affected him.

Abdul tells me that business fell by exactly 88 percent after the current government came to power.  Then he tells me about his grandfather, a ticket collector in the railways who decided to follow his passion and started the “Bharat fish aquarium” In 1954.

“He was a great man, wild birds would come and sit on his hand. Wild birds. I swear! Now no one can do that now ! We are different from all those other fellows who sell fish. We have customers coming back to us for 30 years! I get calls at 3 am from my customers sometimes, for a house visit. Who will go except us?"

 

“It is the first ever aquarium in Bangalore. For many years it was the only option. We had film stars, politicians and even police commissioners. ” Says Abdul. “The Assistant police commissioner Mr. Ashok Kumar of crime is my best friend now and buys fish from me only” says Abdul. “Please feature him in your article. He will be very happy. He is a good man.”

Abdul snaps his fingers inside a fish tank and several sword tails emanate out of the green water and rise to his fingers. “They only think of money, those fish fellows” he says. 

 

Abdul carries around pictures of his fish on his iphone.  “It’s a 3g, a beautiful phone.” He tells me and slowly and unnecessarily and carefully peels off the protective screen to show me photographs of his discus fish.

 

“Nokia is nothing compared to this. The 3gs is much better. Costs 37 thousand. Give or take, grey market or from apple” says Abdul and replaces the screen cover carefully.

“My grandfather liked me very much. He even sent me to Damascus to work at the water life company in 2001. There, they love Indians, they don’t hate anyone, I swear”. Says Abdul emphatically. “They invited me to dinner everyday but I did not go because I wanted to prove myself and cleaned tanks and maintained the ph all the time. They challenged me to breed angelfish! They said it was impossible to breed them in cold temperatures but I did! Later they took others from Chennai to help them but they could not do what I did. My water after I treat it is better than Bisleri mineral water! ”

“In 1988 we started making silicon gel for making tanks. Before bitumen was used not everyone uses silicon and we were the first! I have designed so many tanks now “ and Abdul and he takes out some photos of fish tanks he designed and holds them up for a photograph.

 

“We have accomplished many things."

 “Why did you come back” I ask him and Abdul thinks before he says, “ Home is home, no?”  

A customer enters the shop and  Abdul tells him that the discus fish cost 7,000 rupees and even then that they are not for sale.

There isn’t a customer in sight so I ask Abdul why he continues the family business. “My grandfather started it, my father just died, so I have to continue”. He says that his three brothers run other aquariums in the city but he runs his grandfathers old company, because he was the favorite.

“Also”.

Long pause.

“We are only paying 500 rupees rent a month in this old government building, the old corporation rates, whereas you will have to pay 15 to 25 thousand rupees a month in a mall. 
Short pause
But they will never be able to breed angels in low temperatures. There is no unity amongst the fish sellers now. There are about 1000 different aquariums in Bangalore today. That’s 1000 times the amount of business in 1954 and it all happened in the last 20 years “ says Abdul. 
Long pause
“But I do not care. We do not care. I swear!”

I asked if he wants to open up ship in a mall. “I have had some offers" says Abdul abruptly. 

Then he exclaims. 

“Who else feeds their discus fish goat heart? You have to clean it so carefully so they can digest it easily. Not even one small piece of fat should remain, otherwise the fish will fall sick. Tell me, which mall fellow will feed his discus fish goat heart? HUH? "

 

Abdul feeds his discus fish goat heart.

Many thanks to Abdul for the interview and also a big thank you to Ashok Krishnan for his time for the shoot and for his conversation . 

If you would like to buy fish, get your fish tank serviced or generally get yourself an aquarium consultant who loves his work you can contact Abdul on his cell phone at +919880528464
 
This conversation was published in edited form in Bidoun magazine 2010.