Did you know that September 2nd was declared THE WORLD COCONUT DAY ? I just heard about it and am overjoyed.

Oh yes, I called my grandmom Achamma to give her the good news of this special day and can almost hear her whispering to others about it.  I can still recall that I would barely put my school bag on the bench on the verandah after school and she would give me a glass of fresh tender coconut water and the malai to eat saying Chechi there is no better healthy drink than this. 

 

Oh wait…then after a bucket bath Achamma would get lunch ready from delicious appams, stew, payassams,ice cream etc., and tell me how she prepared all of this and used coconut in different ways from grated, the pulp and the milk. Just to make me eat my lunch she would spin stories about how the coconut fell on someone, a ghost on coconut tree appears every night, how the coconut climber learnt the skill from her grandfather Muthachan etc., Oh boy !!  I am still proud of my thick black hair all because Achamma used coconut oil and massaged every single day.  Every hurt or wound was cured with just applying coconut oil.

 

For every stomach disorder half a tea-spoon of oil…Isn’t it Amazing ??Only now I realize the benefits. On a lighter note I remember the lyrics of these wonderful songs “Coconut water is good for your daughter…I have a lovely bunch of coconuts…Beautiful memories of growing up in the beautiful High Thatched Roof Ancestral Home surrounded with coconut trees and playing with plenty of cousins every evening.  Most Mallus and people from the coastal areas will definitely relate….

Yes its true that  coconut and the tree have endless benefits and seems like our lives revolve around THE COCONUT …

 

A DAY dedicated ?… It dates back to September 9 1969 when the Asian Coconut Community came into existence. Then countries outside Asia began to join and it was later renamed as Asian Pacific Coconut Community. To commemorate the APCC, the 2nd of September was declared “The World COCONUT DAY”. Almost all the coconut growing countries became members of this community. The APCC is headquartered in Jakartha and more than 80 countries produce them and India is the third largest producer. The APCC has over 20 member countries including India, Indonesia, Phillipines, Sri Lanka etc.,),

 

Though in India the CDB (Coconut Development Board) conducts events on this special day it has not created much of awareness amongst the common man. Infact there are several recognitions and awards given to the coconut farmers who have excelled.

 

My Ideal celebration  THE WORLD COCONUT DAY will be…  A  family Reunion on September 2nd. With my Achamma and Muthachan, uncles and aunts, nieches, nephews grandkids and that may be well over 200 from across the globe. It will be one hellofa task to organize but certainly exciting…Wow what a feeling…Ofcourse ensuring that everything used and prepared ONLY AND SIMBLY with COCONUT and its extracts.  Imagine from  invitations, decorations, the delicious mouth watering dishes, the desserts, the crockery, the palm shamianas, artifacts to everything made of coconut and dancing to my favourite coconut numbers..…What more can I say.. even the Pooja needs a coconut and What are your plans ?

I wish everyone a Happy World Coconut Day.