Konkan is known for the plentitude of coconut trees. The
coconut tree is ingeniously considered desire yielding tree due to its very
resourceful nature. Primarily we get coconut from the tree, but apart from it,
there are many other subsidiary benefits of the same like coconut leaves to
make little sheds (we have used coconut leaves on the roof top of a cottage at
Maachli),wood(we have used it for the joinery of the roofing) and also many
other parts in making rope, broom etc.Every house in Konkan is surrounded by
coconut trees. Straight and erect posture of a Coconut tree also strengthens
the Konkani person to preserve tremendous value system and eventually to keep
the pride of a soil always high.
Focusing on the primary benefit of a tree, coconut plucking
session is generally carried out 8 times a year, keeping gap of 1 and half
months. A session is no where less than a ceremony, where all the people from
the house are involved in some ways. It can also be compared with a worship of
god which takes place occasionally in the house with the presence of a priest.
The only difference in coconut plucking is, the poised and traditionally
dressed priest is replaced by a skinny, tanned, rough and tough person, skilled
from his childhood to climb a coconut tree.
My grandfather keeps a watch over coconut fall. The skilled
chaps scatter coconuts all over the farm which needs to be taken care of
through series of activities which typically includes collecting coconuts from the
stream, finding way through the junk and thorns notwithstanding a bite of the
red ants. I shoulder the responsibility of filling the same in a sac and
mounting it on the head of fellow worker who takes it in the storage. Such
activities keep repeating for 3 hours. Finally everyone gets a creamy tender
coconut which happens to be a fruitful end of the session.