Telangana woman climbs 30 ft tall Palm trees to tap toddy every day

Telangana woman climbs 30 ft tall Palm trees to tap toddy every day

Mangalore Today News Network / News18

Hyderabad, Jan 20, 2021:     A woman from the Medak District of Telangana is surprising all with her ability to swiftly climb palm trees and tap toddy to make a living. Savitri, 33, of Regode village in Telangana’s Medak district has made a name for herself as a toddy tapper.

 

Ever since the death of her husband in 2016, Savitri works as a toddy tapper and climbs Pheonix palm trees every day to make ends meet for her and her family.

Savitri was four months pregnant with her second when her husband when Sai Goud, also a toddy tapper died of cardiac arrest. When she gave birth, her girl was born with special needs.

Speaking to News18, Savitri said, "God punished us. First my husband was taken, then my child was born with medical needs. I had to raise money to take care of her".

Having studied till the tenth standard, Savitri was literate and even got some job opportunities. But she refused them all as she wanted to follow in the footsteps of her husband and become a toddy tapper.

"I got other job opportunities but I turned them down. I wanted to become a toddy tapper which is our family profession. It reminds me and my family of my husband," Savitri told News18.

She also stated that she approached Prohibition and Excise department officials for the toddy tapper license. "Initially, the officials were not ready to give me the license. But my determination and commitment, they gave me the license," Savitri said. "I can climb 30 ft tall palm tree with ease," she added.

The 33-year-old climbs 30 palm trees every day and travels about 10 km each day to collect the toddy.