23rd Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest People
A Fisherman's Dreams

Kolis are traditional fishermen who were the original inhabitants of Mumbai at a time when the city was still seven separate islands. Their traditional fishing villages (called Koli wadas) have now been swallowed by the sprawling city and form out of place alcoves amid glitzy high rises. In the photo a Koli fisherman sleeps curled on the deck of a boat in the Koli wada of Badhwar, bathed in the dim light of night. Behind him, a mural of brightly painted figures and boats stretches across the wall, telling a story of labour and community.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 09.2025
Date Uploaded: 11.2025
Photo Location: Mumbai, India
Camera: NIKON D7000
Copyright: © rajeev anand