Jambudwip is a small island at the edge of the Sunderban delta in India. Every year from October to Feb hundreds of fish workers migrate to the island to set up fishing camps. Some of them set off in boats to set up traditional nets in deep sea to catch fish. These boats remain in the sea through the season. Everyday carrier boats from the Jambudwip island ferry the fish catch back to the island for drying. This is the largest dry fish industry in the eastern part of India supplying dry fish starting from west Bengal to the northeast states. Its the poor man’s protein.

The geographical location and characteristics of Jambudwip make it ideal for drying fish .There are creeks within the island making it possible for the boats to get the fish right to the camp. This way the fish can be offloaded and dried immediately, making it better in quality. There are vast flat areas which serve as a good drying bed. The island has mangroves making it protected from cyclones.

In 2002 under an order of the Supreme Court the fish workers were banned from using the island. According to the order the island fell under the forest act and its use for fishing camps was declared illegal. Overnight almost 10,000 families directly or through ancillary industry lost their livelihood.

UNDER THE SUN tells the story of this transient fishing community, who have used the island since the 1960’s and since the ruling have not been able to return to Jambudwip.