Mangroves & petrichor: The many facets of mud

Burrowing gobies are eel-like fish that live in mud, along the coasts and estuaries of India. Mostly they stay safe in burrows, snapping up prey that comes close. But in the monsoon, surging waters get them to emerge and spawn. At which point they are caught and eaten in Goa, as a monsoon delicacy,
tambde bhalem.

By July end, the monsoons are tiring, with relentless rain and mud. Yet it’s worth remembering that mud means life, like the rice