The Source
This is where the tree is tapped for its juice, high at the top, at the base of the leaf branches.
Delicious!
In Tamil Nadul, there are many road side stops offering the refreshing juice of Coconut trees and Palmyra. The juice is called Neera and the fermented alcohol beverage is called Toddy .
A palm climber
Highly skilled palmyra climbers can scale a full grown tree in seconds, extract the juice from the top and descend in a matter of minutes.
Palm baskets and boxes
In addition to beverages, the palmyra also provides a source of durable weaving material. The leaves, petioles and stems of the palmyra are used to create assorted baskets for home decoration and functional use.
Basket Weaving
The art of palmyra basket weaving is slowly being lost as more and more village people in India rely upon synthetic substitutes made abroad. Palmyra is just as durable and much more economic. Here we see a man weaving a basket in his front yard in the village of Peruvilai in Tamil Nadu.
Palm brushes
Here we see a woman from Tamil Nadu carrying brushes made from palmyra. The long lasting, waterproof, sturdy quality of palmyra fibre make it an excellent source for brush bristles.
