Motorcycle Diaries: A Priest's Road Trip For Palm Trees

Chennai: Riding his 1964 Royal Enfield motorcycle, 40-year-old Christian priest Godson Samuel is on a 3,000 km expedition that is taking him across four states.

The Maharashtra-based priest is on a quest to search for palm trees and is touring Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and the union territory of Puducherry besides his home state.

His aim? To meet palm tree climbers and toddy tappers, document their condition and promote the use of palm trees.
 "I was born in Tamil Nadu's palm-rich Kanniyakumari. Palm trees always fascinate me. It was through palm leaf writing that our priceless literature was passed on to several generations. If we can have a Silk Route, why not a Palm Route?" he said.

"Palm trees used to be the third highest employment generating industry earlier. We used to export palm fibre to London," Rev Samuel said.

Tamil Nadu has banned toddy tapping though in other states toddy tappers make handsome earnings. "Palm trees and poverty now go hand in hand," he said.
 On his return, Rev Samuel says he would draw a plan to raise awareness on creative commercial exploitation of palm leaves which he believes would economically empower communities.

"How about making business cards using palm leaves? They have a 100-year life. Attractive palm bookmarks, greeting cards and even portraits - the present generation would love these and there would be a great demand," he said.

The church which celebrates Palm Sunday could help too, the priest said. "Earlier we used to collect 'jaggery offering' when palm trees flourished. But now we've moved to lucrative rubber for instance in Kanniyakumari district. The church too could help people revive this dying industry," he said.