Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Aug 23: We all know that there are people who are skilled at climbing coconut trees and plucking coconuts. They either make a living out of wages they earn out of plucking these coconuts, or by selling the coconuts they pluck and eke out a living out of this activity.

It may come as a surprise to many to know that there are people who collect coconuts without bothering about going up the trees. There are rivers, rivulets and streams in the coastal region on the banks of which coconut trees stand. The coconuts which fall into these water bodies particularly during the rainy season when they overflow, are collected by people living on the courses of water bodies, who have adopted this as their profession. For example, Seraje rivulet, which flows on Karnataka-Kerala border via Manila village, brings cheers to the people of Seraje during the three monsoon months.

Many villagers, who are farmers, pick the coconuts which come floating in this rivulet, and earn out of it. Nets or shields made out of bamboo straps are used to catch hold of these coconuts and heap them on the bank. A team led by Damu, a local, can be always found engaged in this task at Seraje during the rainy season. Approximately this team gets about 10,000 coconuts during these three months.

While it is business which drives Damu, for many youngsters, it is a mode of entertainment. The coconuts which escape from nets and bamboo straps are chased and caught by the youth by using boats. The team, most members of which are amateurs, is able to make a profit of over a lac of rupees this way.

In addition to teams of youth, local agriculturists also find this activity profitable. During heavy rains, they are free and the rivulet provides them with an opportunity to get involved in gainful employment of netting the floating coconuts.