Women of the Water: Nepalese Fishers on the Lake
As the sun begins to rise over the still waters of Pokhara in Nepal, a line of slender wooden boats drifts quietly across the surface. In each boat, Nepalese women sit poised and focused, casting handmade nets with steady hands and time-earned skill.
Wrapped in colorful shawls and patterned saris, these women move with graceful confidence. They’ve known these waters since childhood, reading the lake’s quiet ripples like lines in a story. Fishing isn’t just work here—it’s a way of life, passed down through generations of women who have always been tied to the rhythm of the lake.
Their boats glide silently past patches of water lilies, as the mountains reflect like a dream in the water behind them. Every catch—big or small—means something. It feeds families, supports local markets, and sustains a tradition that’s as beautiful as it is vital.
In these peaceful, powerful moments on the water, Nepalese women show what strength looks like: calm, enduring, and deeply connected to the world around them.