https://www.indiawaterportal.org/environment/life-on-elephanta-island-mumbais-koli-community-between-shrinking-fisheries-and-a-changing-sea https://media.assettype.com/indiawaterportal/2026-05-14/t5fuv43d/20260110131512.jpeg boats in front of the Gateway of India in the morning, a quiet journey across the sea. https://media.assettype.com/indiawaterportal/2026-05-14/gbo3xt3t/20260117184527.jpeg Boats in front of the Gateway of India in the morning, a quiet journey across the sea. https://media.assettype.com/indiawaterportal/2026-05-14/ky1g11xm/20260108145416.jpeg A road on Elephanta Island, used daily by residents beyond the tourist paths. https://media.assettype.com/indiawaterportal/2026-05-14/zwjp1bnm/20260109155138.jpeg Vijay and Veena, a couple who’ve been fishing and sailing together for half a century. https://media.assettype.com/indiawaterportal/2026-05-14/vvwl0ihi/20260109154515.jpeg Vijay patil and veena tying their boat at the harbour, Elephanta Island, Mumbai, Maharashtra https://media.assettype.com/indiawaterportal/2026-05-14/6uk06sc4/20260109161955.jpeg Vijay showing a miniature boat made by the couple, a small reflection of their life at sea. https://media.assettype.com/indiawaterportal/2026-05-14/ogav0nlo/20260109153324.jpeg Vijay is sailing in his diesel boat, heading out to sea for nearly five hours of work. https://media.assettype.com/indiawaterportal/2026-05-14/gla0k1r3/20260109150600.jpeg Veena was waiting for her husband at the harbour, watching the boats return. https://media.assettype.com/indiawaterportal/2026-05-14/otdjo7zr/20260117173954.jpeg Women return from the tourist routes, carrying back unsold goods and earnings, walking quietly towards their respective villages as the day winds down. https://media.assettype.com/indiawaterportal/2026-05-14/4z3plory/20260117171109.jpeg A woman fetches water, meant only for cleaning and bathing, reflecting the limited access to basic resources on the island. https://media.assettype.com/indiawaterportal/2026-05-14/h1pr2qft/20260117173351.jpeg At her small stall, Gita Patil serves tea, biscuits, and chips, meeting a steady flow of tourists arriving at Elephanta Caves. https://media.assettype.com/indiawaterportal/2026-05-14/s6abyesd/20260117172537.jpeg A toy shop on the island displays bright plastic and handmade items, small reminders of how tourism shapes local trade. https://media.assettype.com/indiawaterportal/2026-05-14/zy8vo43t/20260118120201.jpeg Flower shops line parts of the pathway, their offerings tied closely to both ritual use and tourist demand. https://media.assettype.com/indiawaterportal/2026-05-14/b5vfsivn/20260117170220.jpeg A woman gathers and carries firewood on her head, a daily task that continues alongside the island’s growing visitor economy. https://media.assettype.com/indiawaterportal/2026-05-14/44vbhmbu/20260109135002.jpeg Rajesh pauses at his small shop, serving lemon soda to passing visitors, a brief exchange between island routine and tourist curiosity. https://media.assettype.com/indiawaterportal/2026-05-14/g8h95pfi/20260109141728.jpeg Rajesh stands at his diesel boat, which he sails occasionally, balancing between fishing, transport, and the slow rhythm of the harbour. https://media.assettype.com/indiawaterportal/2026-05-14/i77sxosr/20260117183822.jpeg The Mumbai Harbour glows at night, distant and luminous, a contrast to the island’s slower pace. https://media.assettype.com/indiawaterportal/2026-05-15/p6df5vyl/20260109143010.jpeg A damaged boat rests at a small dock near the harbour, hinting at wear, weather, and the uncertainties of livelihood. https://media.assettype.com/indiawaterportal/2026-05-14/9ir7tbep/20260124151444.jpeg Mangrove plants stretch along the edges, while in the background, signs of construction quietly alter the coastal landscape. https://media.assettype.com/indiawaterportal/2026-05-15/6f3ujixd/20260109172344.jpeg A seagull hovers close to tourists, often fed despite restrictions, becoming an unintended part of the island experience. indiawaterportal en 2026-05-15T12:08:51.830Z Life on Elephanta island: Mumbai’s Koli community between shrinking fisheries and a changing sea elephnta, mumbai, koli, UNESCO, Koli community, sasson dock , Arabian Sea, Maharashtra, fisheries Mumbai, climate change