Fishmonger is a word we learnt as children growing up in the folds of the Oxford Dictionary. A Person whose job is to sell fish in a store. But what about a person whose job is to only cut and clean the fish that have been sold? What do you call such a person? And can he possibly like such a job?
I was in Lake Market on a late evening this autumn, an old style vegetable and fish market in south Kolkata. I entered the fish market with some hesitation, slivery and prostate fish glittered on the stands. A strong smell of blood and scales filled my nostrils. The incense sticks burning at the stalls only managed to add a funereal touch. I watched my steps on the concrete floor slippery with pale pink water. The vendors beckoned with gusto, perhaps sensing my inability to bargain. I ended ups buying some fish and then was told to proceed to the cleaning/cutting station.
A largish man sat on a raised platform bent over a bonti, a vertical cutting blade attached to a wooden plank. People were lined up in front of him with their fish purchases. The man was going to clean and cut everyone’s fish for a very small fee. That was his job, cleaning and cutting fish all day.
Amay Mandal, The Fish Cleaner 
Amay cleaning fish 
Not the one I bought
When my turn came, I started talking to him. His name is Amay Mandal and he has been at this for 35 years. He came from his village to work at the market when he was 12 years old. He spoke of his mentor with reverence, someone who introduced him to this trade and taught him the skills. While talking to me he started cleaning the small fish I had bought, curling out entrails and hacking off fins with speed and precision.
I asked him if he liked doing this. He laughed out aloud and said – “Fish is my life. why not?” I told him he was going to be in my blog. His face beamed and he said, “Please write that I’ll do this as long as people want me to cut fish. I am helping them to eat a good meal.”
I walked away with my bag and thought of things. We are so focused on getting to places in life. Management ranks, top ten percentile, next big promotion. The list of factors impacting job satisfaction keeps growing.
What can you say about someone whose entire life has been about cleaning fish?
Mandal seems happy and content about what he does. A job done with joy and pride.
With that thought I quickened my pace. The air was hot and I had to get the fish to a frying pan sooner than later.
More about Fish Markets of Kolkata
https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/kolkata-fish-market/index.html
