The Hindu’s Information in Frames

The palmyra climbers of Thoothukudi district in Tamil Nadu eke out a dwelling by harvesting pathaneer, the sap extracted from the flower clusters of the timber. The sap makes for a refreshing drink and will also be processed to make panangkarkandu (palm sweet) and karupatti (palm jaggery).

Pathaneer or palm nectar shouldn’t be fermented to make toddy as its sale is prohibited in Tamil Nadu. Palm jaggery and palm sweet are favoured over white sugar as they’re made with out using chemical compounds and no preservatives are added. The product can be identified to have minerals, nutritional vitamins, and antioxidants. The palmyra is the State tree of Tamil Nadu.

Palm merchandise are extremely wanted and the palmyra tree climbers work onerous in arduous situations to acquire the sap. Nonetheless, they typically don’t see the fruit of their labour. They’re poorly paid, though climbing the timber generally is a life-threatening job. Morever, the work is seasonal. Sap from palmyra timber is just accessible for 5 months in a yr. Throughout this time, a employee has to climb a tree 3 times a day to gather the valuable sap, as soon as at about 4 a.m., then at 10 a.m. after which within the night earlier than the sap dries. The sap is collected in mud pots, coated with lime to forestall it from changing into toddy, tied to the flower clusters.

The sap is boiled in big pans for making karupatti. As soon as the boiled pathaneer attains the fascinating pasty consistency, it’s poured in coconut shells and allowed to chill for some time to get the tasty and candy karupatti. The boiling of the sap is normally undertaken by the ladies within the households. The stable blocks are then able to take to the merchants as karupatti. Ladies add dried ginger, black pepper and thippili (lengthy pepper) powder whereas making panangkarkandu, a finer model of palm jaggery. This sweetener, now with medicinal properties, enhances the worth of the product. It could actually take a number of days for the households to provide the palm jaggery, from accumulating the sap to processing it.

The karupatti is offered to merchants for ₹200 to ₹250 per kilogram, however the market costs can go as much as ₹380 per kg.

The variety of climbers in Thoothukudi has come down drastically, as their work may be harmful because of the lack of protecting gear and the danger of falls. Most of the climbers are not looking for their kids to take up the work, which can be not profitable.

Photograph:
Rajesh N

Rising to the event: A climber midway into his journey to the highest of a palmyra tree at Vembar.

Photograph:
Rajesh N

Examine record: A climber will get prepared along with his gear and instruments at Vembar village in Thoothukudi district.

Photograph:
Rajesh N

A day at work: Palmyra climbers, carrying gear, strolling to work at Kulathoor village in Thoothukudi district.

Photograph:
Rajesh N

Able to go: Sustaining his instruments and equipment may be matter of life or demise for a palmyra tree climber, who’s prone to falls.

Photograph:
Rajesh N

Cooling off: A climber washes his ft after a trek up a tree.

Photograph:
Rajesh N

Finish product: A lady carrying a recent batch of palm jaggery that she has constructed from the palmyra sap.

Photograph:
Rajesh N

Treasured inventory: A dealer arranges the palm jaggery at a store in village. A kilo can fetch as much as ₹400 and the product is most popular by many over white sugar for well being causes.