Under the bright sun of Tamil Nadu’s coastal plains, tall silhouettes of Palmyra trees rise against the sky, their fan-shaped leaves swaying gently in the wind. For centuries, these trees have stood quietly along village edges, near ponds, and across fields — watching generations grow up around them.

At dawn, climbers scale their towering trunks to collect sweet sap. By afternoon, women weave baskets and mats from their sturdy leaves. In village kitchens, fruits like nungu and palm sprouts make their way into everyday meals.

It is this remarkable relationship between people and the tree that has earned the Palmyra its name as Tamil Nadu’s “Tree of Life”.

Yet today, this living symbol of heritage faces a slow decline. As landscapes change and traditional livelihoods disappear, the knowledge systems built around the Palmyra risk fading away.

At a time when heritage knowledge and ecology are under pressure, a Pondicherry-based organisation called Outdoor Being is working to bring the tree back into focus — not just as a symbol of the past, but as a living ecosystem that continues to sustain communities.

From its towering presence in the landscape to its rich significance in Tamil traditions, the Palmyra tree provides food, shelter and livelihood to local communities.

Celebrated in the Tamil literary classic Tala Vilasam for its 801 documented uses, from food to medicine, craft to construction, the Palmyra is known as karpaga vruksham, the celestial tree that sustains life in multiple forms.

It is central to Tamil culture and appears in literary epics such as Silappadhikaram and Manimekalai, preserved on palm leaf manuscripts made from the tree itself.

A livelihood rooted in generations

For Pandiya, a Palmyra tree climber from Narasinganur in Villupuram district, the tree has shaped his family’s life for generations.

His family has worked with Palmyra trees for at least eight generations.

“I have lived alongside Palmyra trees my entire life. They are deeply woven into my daily routine and have become a part of who we are. The products, medicines and opportunities........

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