Palmyra for Plastic, Cradle to Coffin. Meet Palmyra Man of India

Passionate about Palmyra tree since the 90s, in 2016 this Priest had undertaken a 3000KM motorbike ride “Palmyra Quest Ride” along south India’s coast, from Mumbai to Tamil Nadu, exploring the Palmyra map in Andhra, when destruction of Palmyra groves was on the rise. 

 

Later, he spent two more years documenting all Palmyra stake holders including tree climbers, artisans and cultivators on their life, challenges and hope besides understanding several coastal communities who hold the tree “dear as their mother”. He came out with a book “Panaimara Salai” (The Palmyra Road) as well.

 

Palmyra is also the state tree of Tamil Nadu. His quiet work, awareness, drive and mission to plant Palmyra trees over the years has turned into a movement. Palmyra conservation had even become a poll issue earlier this year. The new government in Tamil Nadu has announced planting 76 lakh Palmyra seeds across the state.

 

While Palmyra artisans who belong to the earlier generation are dwindling, any rise of demand in the market, he believes, would activate and generate talent. He also moots the idea of taking care of the tree climbers who he calls are the true conservationists and  teaching this craft to school children to “keep it alive” and to let the traditional craft turn more “creative and contemporary in the hands and minds of the young”. 

 

Although Palmyra tree is seen as a Tamil identity, citing its spread across India and around the world, Godson says that Palmyra has a global appeal and potential to mitigate the global plastic challenge. He wants the  world community  to celebrate it and tap it’s potential. While some call him the “Palmyra Man of India”, Godson says “I merely connected all so people can understand.”