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Backward Classes Welfare Minister Ch. Venu Gopala Krishna is curating a unique exhibition on the ‘life of a toddy tapper and his occupation’ in his hometown of Ramachandrapuram in East Godavari district.
The exhibition commenced on Thursday and will remain open till the end of the Sankranti celebrations.
A few palm trees have been translocated to the exhibition site. The Minister himself has been involved in developing the exhibits by preparing the toddy collection pots, tying the pots to the trees.
The visitors are being allowed to spend time designing the rope that enables the tapper to climb the tree. The toddy tappers, who still eke out their livelihood from toddy tapping, will demonstrate their occupation to the visitors. The exhibition is an attempt to throw light on the vocation of toddy-tapping.
“I have joined our team of volunteers to design the exhibition to highlight the changes in the life of the toddy tapper. We will display how a toddy tapper does his task of toddy collection, climbing a tree, toddy collection methods,” Mr. Venu Gopala Krishna told The Hindu.
“The exhibition will show the changes of life of the toddy tapping community in all aspects in the past three generations. The community has witnessed changes in the toddy tapping methods. Once lived in the thatched huts, the community now lives in better houses”, observed Mr. Venu Gopala Krishna.
The Minister feels proud to hail from the community of toddy tapping, an occupation in which one slip could spell death for the toddy tapper. Mr. Venu Gopala Krishna himself will demonstrate the visitors on the toddy tapping during the Sankranti festival.
