Toddy tapper
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A toddy tapper is a specialized person who collects toddy, the liquor fermented from coconut or palm sap.
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[edit] Prevalence of toddy tapping
Toddy tapping is found in South India, South East Asia, Eastern and Western Africa.
[edit] Toddy tapping in South India
Specialized castes tapping toddy are found in Sri Lanka, Maldives, and in Indian states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Lakshadweep,Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Toddy is also known as kallu in Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. It is known as Raa in Sinhalese and Dhivehi. Traditional toddy tappers include sections of Kerala. They are known as Edigas in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, Shaanar or Nadar caste in Tamil Nadu and as Durave amongst Sri lankan Sinhalese and Nalavar amongst Sri Lankan Tamils
[edit] Transformation in India
In India most of the formerly downtrodden toddy tapping castes have elevated them through education that they no longer depend on toddy tapping alone for survival. In fact many Indian modern industrial corporations and business are founded by the members of these castes eg. Tamilnadu Merchandile Bank, Media houses which publishes Malai Malar, Rani weekly and TV channel Raj TV. They are also ruling Retail businesses throughout Tamilnadu[citation needed]. But in Sri Lanka such transformation is yet to manifest[citation needed].
