Pulling Up The Infant Jesus

The fishing boats came in through irksome waves one by one when the sun was already climbing high. They were pulled and pushed and shoved and drawn by whole families and anyone else who happened to be on the beach at the time, slowly -inch by inch- heaving up from the water's edge and up onto the sand where the boats would perch boldly and proudly until it was time to push them out to sea again in the evening or night. I watched this timeless ritual every morning when I walked along the beach at Goa –once or twice I joined in, and I was always captivated and exhilerated by the zeal and activity involved. For me it was a holiday -the beach stretched far and beckoned with its powdery sand: for these people it is their livelihood. The "Infant Jesus" is typical of the biblical names given to these vessels. Location: Goa, India