THOOTHUKUDI: Surrounded by dense orchids of Palmyra trees lies the eight-decade-old middle school in the quiet hamlet of Anthoniyarpuram. What was started in 1940 by Tirunelveli Roman Catholic Diocese to educate the children of palmyra climbers, and later upgraded to RC Middle School in 2003, the school found itself running out of funds.
That was when the entire village joined hands in lending support and help. They set up a ‘Kalvi Nidhi Kulu’ (education fund committee) along the Thoothukudi-Tirunelveli NH, where the money generated by selling pathaneer, a sap or a juice tapped from the tender fronds of palmyra trees, is used to meet the expenses of the school.
Pathaneer is usually collected by the palmyra climbers in small mud pots coated with lime on its inner surface to avoid fermentation. The drink is purchased by the committee at wholesale price to be sold to customers.Committee president Siluvai Anthony said the general rule for all the tappers is to give their day’s extract to the committee for a decent price. A palmyra climber from Anthoniyarpuram said, “The idea sounded good because the tappers need not have to wait on the roadside for hours to sell the juice. Plus, this will help their children get education.”
However, there were a few challenges. Home to 400-odd families, most of the residents in the village are palymra climbers, whose main occupation is tapping pathaneer. However as years passed, the number of climbers reduced drastically. “The village has over nine palmyra climbers now, the number has come down from 100 plus, Many families prefer other jobs due to the health risks involved,” said Anthony.
He added the climbers tap around 600 litres of pathaneer per day during peak seasons — June, July and August. However, the palmyra climbers would be jobless for six months starting September as palms do not secrete pathaneer, Anthony said. The committee will give a wholesale price for the climbers for the quantity of pathaneer they extract on the day. Along the Thoothukudi-Tirunelveli NH the committee has a stall where it is sold.
“One litre of pathaneer costs Rs 100,” said Anthony, adding at least 400 to 500 litres will be sold within a few hours. The unsold pathaneer is later used to make karupatti which will also be sold to generate funds for the school, he said.Anthoniarpuram RC Middle School Head Mistress Stella Mary told TNIE the school has as many as 163 students, including 95 in primary and 68 in middle school, currently. “Many students have passed with flying colours from the school,” she added.
Anthoniarpuram Catholica Valibar Sangam president Jeyaseelan said the middle school in the area helps reduce number of drop-outs. “As children coming out of primary classes need to travel 5 kilometres to attend high school, high rate of dropouts was witnessed. Now, the children can study till class 8 here,” he added.
Constable Gnanaraj of Anthoniarpuram police station said he studied in the school. “After my father’s death, I had to climb palmyra trees to tap pathaneer to make both ends and to finance my college fees,” he recalled. Each of the three teachers at the middle school receives Rs 10,000 said Anthony. They select B.Ed graduates on temporary basis for teaching at the middle class. However, graduates haling from families of palmyra climbers said this is the last generation who climb the palmyra trees to tap pathaneer.