COCONUT PALM
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COCONUT TREE AND ITS FOLKLORE
by Mr.M.AMIRTHALINGAM
DESCRIPTION OF THE LIVING BEING
THE TREE
The coconut tree is the most common palm of the tropics. It has a tall, unbranched, light grey coloured trunk, ringed at intervals by leaf scars. From the swollen base, adventitious roots arise, which are strong enough to anchor the palm even during hurricanes and storms.
LEAVES
The top of the trunk is a radiating crowned of thirty or more feather-like leaves that are about 2-4 meters long. Each leaf consists of a stout axis on with numerous leaflets. New leaves emerge as spear-like structures from the top most point of the trunk and slowly unfold to take their place in the crown. A normal palm can produce a new leaf every month. After 2 1/2 – 3 years, the leaf dies and detaches from the tree leaving behind a ridged scar that gives the trunk its roughness.
FLOWERS
Flowering begins after 6-7 years. The inflorescence (flowering bearing branch) is borne in the leaf axils (where the leaf meets the stem). Initially two leathery leaf-like structures (bracts) protect each inflorescence. The coconut palm is monoecious i.e. the male and female flowers are produced on the same inflorescence. The flowers are pale and yellow coloured.
As the flowers contain nectarines and are sweet scented, it is thought that they may attract insects for pollination. However, as the pollen is light and dry, there may also be some wind pollination. The inflorescence can either be self or cross pollinated. The tall varieties are nearly always cross pollinated as the female flowers mature first and are no longer receptive when the male ones shed their pollens.
FRUITS
The fruits referred to as ‘coconuts’ are oval, 20-30 cm long and covered with a smooth skin which is green, orange or brown in colour. Underneath the skin is a thick fibrous layer, which surrounds the hard dark brown shell of the seed with the three characteristic eyes. The inside of the shell is lined with a white, edible layer called the meat. The outer layer of the seed is the brown papery material that adheres to the white flesh when it is removed from the shell. The fluid inside the seed cavity is coconut water. Coconut is abundant in unripe fruit but it gradually absorbed as ripening proceeds.
GEOGRAPHICAL SETTING
The origin of the coconut palm is subject to controversies. Although scientists generally agree with respect to the native habitat of the coconut, their views widely differ when it comes to the particular geographical location where the palm originated. While some theories suggest the tree to have originated somewhere in the western Pacific or eastern Indian Ocean region, others suggest that the palm has its origin in South America.
Regardless of its origin, the coconut today is the most widely cultivated of all palms, grown in more than eighty countries. It can be found in most islands and coasts of the tropical realms with some minor extensions into the sub-tropics. The trees grow in abundance in the Asian continent (Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka, Brunei, Cambodia), in Central and South America (Mexico, Brazil,) and in Africa (Mozambique, Tanzania and Ghana).
The plant grows in deep alluvial or loamy soil, thriving near the seaboard. It prefers areas with abundant sunshine and regular rainfall. Coconuts also need high humidity levels for optimum growth, which is why they are rarely seen in areas like the Mediterranean, where temperatures are high enough.
SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION
The coconut belongs to the palm family (Palmaceae or Arecaceae) – one of the most well-known and extensively cultivated members of the plant families. They belong to the monocot order. The Arecaceae are about 202 genera and 2600 species that have been described in this family, most of which are restricted to warmer climatic regions. Most palms are recognised by their large, evergreen leaves arranged at the top of their unbranched stem.
Cocos nucifera Linn. is the Latin name or binomial name for coconut. The generic name Cocos and the popular name coconut are apparently derived from the Spanish word ‘coco’ meaning “monkey face”. Sixteenth century Spanish and Portuguese explorers gave this name to the coconut because they thought that it had a similar appearance to that of a monkey’s face – with two round eyes and a nose. The specific name nucifera means nut-bearing.
CLASSIFICATION OF COCONUT
It is the only species in the genus Cocos. Consequently, every coconut palm in the world is taxonomically the same species.
Two major classes of coconuts are typically recognised on the basis of their height – the tall (Cocos nucifera var. typical)and the dwarf varieties (Cocos nucifera var. nana). Most commonly planted for commercial purposes is the tall variety, which reaches upto 30 meters high. They produce medium to large sized coconuts are have a life span of 60-70 years.
The dwarf varieties probably originated as mutations of the tall variant. They grow to a height of 9-10 meters and have a life of about 30 years.
MYTHS AND FOLKTALES
The coconut palm is one’s of nature’s wonders. Every part of the tree is useful in one way or another. From this tree, we can derive everything necessary to sustain life. In the Philippines and the islands of the Pacific, coconut is called the ‘tree of life’, ‘tree of heaven’ or ‘tree of abundance’, reflective of its essentiality to everyday life in the tropics.
In India the coconut tree is eulogized as ‘Kalpavriksha’ – a mythological tree supposed to grant all desires. Since ancient times the tree has been used in our country as a source of food, drink, fibre, fuel, etc., many of which are still important in present times. In Valmiki Ramayana, there are several references to the coconut and the coconut-eating vanaras in the Kishkindha and Sundara Kandams. (Source:Smith, B., ‘The Izhavas of Kerala and their Historic Struggle’, Regional and Social Conflict in South Asia, BRILL, Page 26, 1976)
CREATION OF THE COCONUT TREE IN INDIAN MYTHOLOGY
According to Hindu mythology, the coconut was created by Sage Vishwamitra to prop up King Satyavrata who was attempting to gain entry into swargaloka (heaven) as a mortal but was thrown out by the Gods.
Satyavrata was a famous king of the solar dynasty. He was a pious ruler and was greatly religious. Satyavrata had only one desire. He wished ascend to swargaloka with his mortal body intact.
Once while Vishwamitra was away performing tapsya a great drought swept the land. Satyavrata saved Vishwamitra’s family by giving them food. In gratitude, Vishwamitra agreed to help the king achieve his only desire. He started a yagna (sacrifice to the Gods) and with the powers of his prayers, Vishwamitra made Satyavrata ascend towards the sky. As he neared the gates of heaven, Indra – the king of the Goda pushed the king back to earth. As Satyavrata fell he cried out to Vishwamitra, who cast a spell to stop him mid-air. Enraged Vishwamitra declared his intention to redesign the cosmos and create a heaven for Satyavrata. Peace was restored and a compromise was reached. The Gods allowed Satyavrata to stay mid-air. However, the sage realised that Satyavrata would fall back to ground once the spell weakened. So, he held him with a long pole. In time this pole became the trunk of the coconut tree and Satyavrata’s head became the fruit. Since, Satyavrata was suspended between space and earth; he got the epithet Trishanku – ‘one who is neither here nor there’.
LEGEND FROM KERALA
There is a popular legend in Kerala that the coconut was originally a deva vriksha (tree of the heaven). It is believed to have been brought down to earth by Lord Parashurama for the prosperity of the people of the Malabar coast. The coast thus came to be known as Kerala literally meaning the ‘land of coconuts’.
FOLKTALE FROM KERALA - HOW THE COCONUT GOT ITS FACE?
A young man from Kerala, born into a fisherman’s family, did not know how to catch fish. He tried all the ways but he never caught any fish and he got poorer and hungrier. Everybody in his village laughed at him. So he decided to learn some magic.
He went, to a teacher of magic and learnt how to remove his head from his body. When the beach was deserted in the evenings, when all the fishermen had returned to their villages with their daily catch, he would come to the beach and, in a secluded corner, take off his head from his trunk and dive into the water. The fish had never seen such a strange sight and they always clustered round. All the small fish entered his body through his neck. The man would then swim ashore, take the fish out, and replace his head. He would go back to his village and show the villagers all the fish that he had caught.
He told no one his secret. The villagers who saw no poles or nets in his hut nor caught sight of him at the beach grew exceedingly curious. One day a little boy followed him to the shore and saw him take off his head and dive into the water. The little boy darted forward and snatching the head ran away. After a few yards he found it too heavy and threw it into a bush. The man came out of the water and could not find his head. He searched all over and then, because his magic was running out, he threw himself back into the sea and became a fish.
The little boy brought all the villagers to show them the miracle of the head. But when they came to the bush at the side of sea, they found that it had already grown into a tall and slender palm with nuts on it. Each nut had the man’s face on it. And thus, the coconut tree was created.
RITUALS AND BELIEFS
The coconut fruit is considered highly auspicious and is an essential part of many Hindu religious ceremonies and festivities. It is believed to be symbolic of good fortune and prosperity. The fruit is in fact referred to as ‘Sriphala’ or the fruit of Lakshmi, the Goddess of prosperity. The Goddess is symbolically depicted by the "Poorna kumbha" or the vase of plenty, consisting of a pot filled with water or rice and topped with a coconut and a coronet of mango leaves. It is used during ceremonies including gruhapravesham, upanayanam, etc. and also during festivals such as the Sankranti. The poorna kumbham is also given as a mark of respect to noble souls and saints.
Symbolically, the coconut is considered as Lord Shiva’s head – the fibrous mesocarp representing his tangled hair and the three black round scars on the shell representing his three eyes. According to Hindu mythology, once Lord Ganesha asked Lord Shiva to give his head as a sacrifice. To symbolise the sacrifice, Lord Shiva created the coconut with the three eyes. (Source: Ganesha – Chitra Katha Series, Neela Subramanian, Sura Books, Chennai, 2007)
The coconut is also associated with Lord Ganesha. At the beginning of any auspicious task or a journey, people smash coconuts to propitiate Ganesha – the remover of all obstacles. They also break coconuts in temples or in front of idols in fulfillment of their vows. During the annual Adi festival of Sri Mahalakshmi Amman temple at Mettumahadanapuram in Karur district coconuts are broken on the heads of the devotees by the temple priests.
In all sacrificial rites, the coconut is offered as an oblation to the sacred fire. Some people believe that this ritual as well as the customary breaking of coconuts on the altar of deity is associated with the fact that the coconut fruit resembles human head.
The association of human fertility cult with coconut is prominently manifested during wedding rituals across India. The fruit is often placed in a pot which is a metaphor for the womb, while the nut itself, a symbol or life, confers fertility on the bridal couple. In Gujarat it is customary for the bride to present the coconut to the groom at the time of the marriage. The coconut is then preserved as a precious memento by the husband throughout his life.
The members of the Prabhu caste of Maharashtra move a coconut around the head of the bridegroom several times and then throw out its pieces in all directions. This they believe will ward off evil spirits. The Muslims in Deccan India also to ward away evil spirits throw cut coconut and a lime over the head of the bridegroom.
The Nair community of Kerala place a coconut inflorescence inside a wooden barrel filled with paddy grains as the auspicious centerpiece in the kalyanamandapam (traditional wedding podium) of the. In Kerala as well as in the other southern states, during marriages as well as during festivals such Navarathri, it is considered auspicious to distribute coconuts among married women as a part of the tambulam. Among the Tamils, the tali (an important symbol of marriage consisting of a gold ornament stung from a yellow thread) are initially tied around the coconut before it is tied around the bride’s neck by the groom. In north India, when a woman wants to conceive she would go to the temple priest and get coconut.
In many tribal communities also the coconut features in many of the marriage rituals. The Gonds and the Bhils of Rajasthan, Gujarat and M.P., a ceremony referred to as the ‘Golgothero’ is organised at the time of the Holi festival. Some jaggery and a coconut is tied on a tree at a good height and all eligible males and females dance around the tree in two separate circles. Any boy who tries to break up the inner female ring is resisted by broomstick beatings. When the boy succeeds in getting the coconut, he is at liberty to select any girl from the formation (Source: Tanwani, D. ‘Marriage among varioud communities’, Marital Adjustment in Tribal and Non-working Women, M.D.Publications Pvt.Ltd., 1997, Page 21).
Fishing communities along the peninsular coasts believe in appeasing the sea God (Lord Varuna) with offerings of coconut during the monsoon. On the fifteenth day of the bright fortnight of shravana, fishermen especially in Maharashtra celebrate the festival of ‘Nariyal Purnima’. On this day fishermen paint their boats and decorate them with flags. With much rejoicing they throw coconuts into the sea, with prayers for a plentiful fish catch.
TOTEMS AND TABOOS
In Kerala, Goddess Bhagavati is believed to be the soul of the coconut tree, after which some believe that Kerala has been named. One of the Goddess’s common epithets is Kurumba which means ‘tender coconut’.
The people of Mysore worship the coconut as a family god.
The Kunabis of Konkan region in the state of Maharashtra worship the coconut which they preserve in the memory of their ancestors. At the times of harvesting they distribute the fruit among the labourers.
In the Nicobar Islands, scores of taboos revolve around the coconut palm Reference: http://www.indianexpress.com/ie/daily/19970527/14750803.html
SACRED AND PROFANE LOCALES OF IMPORTANCE
The temple town of Kumbhakonam and its surrounding villages are linked together by a fascinating Hindu legend. Lord Brahma put divine nectar (ambrosia), the Vedas and the seeds of creation into a pot. On the top of the pot he placed a coconut surrounded by mango leaves. He placed the pot on top of Mount Meru. During the deluge or the pralayam, which signals the end of every Yuga or cycle of creation, the pot was come floating down to the south. The coconut dislodged and fell into water about 10 kms. from Kumbhakonam. Instantly, the water cleared and a lingam appeared. To this day the lingam is worshipped as Narikeleswarar Reference: http://archives.amritapuri.org/bharat/purana/kumbhakonam.php
In Vadakurungaduthurai, Lord Kulavanangeesar is believed to have taken the form of a coconut tree to help quench the thirst of a pregnant woman.
PROVERBS, RHYMES, RIDDLES AND OTHER VERBAL ARTS
In South India, it is must for every household to plant a coconut tree. There are several popular saying about the coconut.
Erumbukku ilaneerthaan kadal – Tamil Proverb
(A coconut shell full of water is a sea to an ant)
Oru kurumabaiyai kollarudhu Onpathu thennai nattathirku camam – Tamil Proverb
(The killing of a kurumbai (an insect that feeds on coconut flowers) is equivalent to planting of nine coconut trees)
Vaitha pillakkup paadu paarthal; Petra pillaikku udhavum – Tamil Proverb
(Plant coconut trees they feed you and your children)
Pattikku muzhuvan thenga kittiyathu pole – Malayalam Saying
(Like a dog that gets a whole coconut)
Theru Thengai yedhuthu Vazhi Pillayarukku Odaitha Kathai – Tamil Saying
Naam nirappaata, kutam thane nirampi, payan tharum. Adhu enna? – Tamil Riddle
(A pot that was not filled by us gets filed by itself and gives us its yield. What is it? – The answer to this is coconut)
Khopdi – a popular Hindi slang in Mumbai has its origin in the Hindi word (Copra) for dried coconut. It is used to describe one’s head or to refer to someone to be foolish.
COMPARE AND CONTRAST WITH THE POPULAR PAN-INDIAN EXPRESSIONS, PERFORMANCES AND ARTISTIC EXPRESSIONS
Coconut palms provide materials such as fibres and woods are used in all kinds of crafts especially in Kerala, Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Goa. From ropes, rugs, brushes, bowls and jewellery, some of these are traditional and used in everyday lives. Others are popular among tourist are decorative items and exported.
A number of folk musical instruments including the pungai (been), khamak, ekta) are also created using coconut parts. Even the plectrum of the sarod is made out of coconut shell wood.
The essential component of the Theyyam (ritual dance of Kerala) costume is the coconut. The mudi (head-dress) is made out of cutting and painting coconut sheaths in black, white and red patterns, the skirt fresh is made using coconut fronds (Kuruthola) and for the female characters, the breasts are fashioned out of dry coconut shells called mularu. Tribal groups residing in the island of Car Nicobar also get dressed in coconut fronds while performing the Nicobarese dance during the Ossuary or Pig festival.
Yubee Lakpee (meaning coconut snatching in Manipuri) is a popular outdoor sport in Manipur, played only by men. It is similar to rugby, except that instead of a ball there is a greased coconut, which the players must carry to the goal line.
EXERCISES FOR COLLECTION, ANALYSIS, AND CLASS ROOM PRESENTATIONS
1.Divide your students into few working groups and ask them to prepare a list of products used in everyday life that are derived from the coconut tree.
2.Parts of the Coconut Tree – Gather the students around a coconut tree and encourage them to observe the tree and study its parts.
3.Ask your students to find the vernacular name of coconut in different parts of India.
4.Encourage them to make art using coconut shell and leaves.
5.Learn about coconut traditions & folklores outside India.
GUIDELINES FOR TEACHERS WITH BIBLIOGRAPHIES AND FURTHER REFERENCES
*Gandhi, M., ‘Brahma’s Hair’, Rupa & Co., Calcutta, 1989
*Gupta, S.M., ‘Plants myths and traditions in India’, Munshi Manoharlal Publishers, New Delhi, 2001.
*Patnaik, N., ‘The Garden of Life – An Introduction to the Healing Plants of India’, Doubleday Publishing, New York, 1993.
*Amirthalingam, M., `Sacred Trees of Tamilnadu’, C.P.R.Environmental Education Centre, Chennai, 1998.
