Up a Palm Tree in

It all began when my homestay host, Suresh, mentioned that his cousin was a toddy tapper. I’d never heard the term before. He explained, “It’s an old Kerala tradition—we climb the palms to collect fresh sap from coconut flowers. We drink it fresh or let it ferment.” My curiosity about traditional palm tapping was instantly piqued.

The next morning, I followed him to a cluster of tall palms just beyond the backwaters. In my first introduction with Rajan, the toddy tapper, I noticed that he was wiry but strong, his muscles well-toned. He stood under the palm tree barefoot and ready to climb. His skin was bronzed from years under the sun, and he carried a coil of rope, a small sickle, and a round clay pot.

“Today, you try palm wine making Kerala,” he said in broken English, with a grin that was both welcoming and slightly mischievous. For the next few hours, Rajan would be my guide and instructor. 

First, he showed me how to tie the rope around my feet—a simple loop that would grip the trunk and give traction as I climbed. Watching him ascend was like watching someone walk up a ladder made of air. I, on the other hand, looked like a tourist attempting an Olympic sport. My first few tries were clumsy, but with his encouragement (and a lot of laughter from the small audience that had gathered), I made it halfway up.

At the top, Rajan demonstrated the process of making this toddy drink Kerala: cutting the tip of the coconut flower bud, tying the clay pot underneath to catch the slow drip of sweet sap. “This is neera—fresh toddy,” he explained. “Drink now, it is cool and sweet. Wait a few hours, and it becomes strong.”

Back on the ground, he poured some of the translucent liquid into a small steel tumbler. The taste took me by surprise. It was light, slightly sweet, and faintly floral. It was nothing like the beer or wine I knew; it tasted like sunshine and tree sap in the best possible way.

As we sat in the shade, Rajan told me how Kerala oddy tapping is more than just a livelihood, it is a way of life integral to Kerala’s rural culture. Families pass down the skill through generations, and many festivals in the region still serve fresh toddy as a symbol of hospitality.

By the time we walked back, I realized that my clumsy climb and first sip of toddy had shown me more about Kerala than any guidebook ever could. It wasn’t just about tasting a drink—it was about tasting tradition and learning more about Kerala toddy tapping. 

And while my feet were sore the next day, my heart was full with happiness and gratitude that I was able to become like a native of this beautiful land, participating in Alleppey local culture, even if for a day.