At 70, V.P. Sasi Still Climbs Coconut Trees, Honoured at World Coconut Day
V.P. Sasi, 70, continues his six-decade career climbing coconut trees in Tirunavaya, honoured at a World Coconut Day event.
For over six decades, the coconut trees of Tirunavaya have been a constant in V.P. Sasi's life. Now past 70, he still straps on his climbing rope and ascends the tallest palms with undiminished enthusiasm.
Sasi's palms and feet bear the scars of a lifetime of climbing. What began as a boyhood task—paid just 10 paise for three trees—has evolved into a profession that has seen payments shift from coconuts to cash, rising from ₹1 to ₹50 per tree.
Despite the arrival of modern machines and trained workers from other states, farmers in Tirunavaya and nearby areas continue to rely on Sasi. He has no complaints about the changing trade, saying he wishes to keep climbing as long as he is able, honouring a family tradition passed down through generations.
His work has also served the community. For years, he collected coconuts from households on behalf of the Edakkulam Juma Masjid, a practice that once helped fund mosque and madrasa expenses.
Climbing is not easy, requiring strength, balance, and experience, with falls posing serious risks. Age and health issues have slowed him, but not his spirit. For Sasi, each tree is not just a workplace but a reminder of a life's calling.
On Wednesday, at a World Coconut Day function organised by Re-Echo in Tirunavaya, Sasi was felicitated. Kuttippuram panchayat member K.P. Preman draped him with a ponnada, and Re-Echo president Poovathingal Rasheed presided over the event.