Travel | Plucking of the Coconuts in Goa, India

I’ve been very eager to share these ever since I took these photos a couple of days into 2013 (you might recall when I posted a photo on instagram).

These photos were taken at my one of my ancestral homes in Goa (maternal paternal, or my mother’s father’s home to be more specific). The plucking of the coconuts is supposed to be done every three months but on this particular occasion it had been more than six months since the last time.

I’ve lived in Goa for great lengths of time during school holidays but this is the first time I witnessed something like this; needless to say I was very excited.

Back in the day selling coconuts was rather profitable. But now-a-days the cost of labor has gone up & the price of coconuts has gone down, it’s a bit of a burden to do this but then it has to be done.

My uncle hired five labourers for the day – two males & three females. The males climb the trees & pluck the coconuts, the woman gather & carry them.

You obviously have to stay clear of the immediate vicinity when this is happening.After the climbers are done, the ladies step in to gather the coconuts.This is heavy & yet one lady managed to carry it on her head.A little gif to show you how they clim trees using two rope rings to hold their feet & hands together.Chopping off the dead leaves & coconuts.There were more than hundred coconut trees on the property, so this was a whole day’s work (with a short nap in the afternoon, of course).