The sky still has a purple hue from the night before. Morning has not yet arrived, but the palm trees in rural West Bengal and Kerala rustle with movement. One might think it’s our tailed ancestors hunting for food, but that would be incorrect. It’d be the Shiulis of West Bengal and the Ezhava in Kerala, collecting sap from the trees. This sweet nectar plays an important role in Indian indigenous alcohol culture as it is the primary ingredient for making Toddy. So, let’s take a sip of this coastal Indian spirit, shall we?
Also Read: 5 Hot Toddy Cocktails To Try On National Hot Toddy Day
History Of Toddy
Toddy is a mild alcoholic beverage made by fermenting the sap of palm trees. This sap is collected in earthen pots from the trunks, and flowers of the tree. The fermentation process isn’t longer than a day. It occurs without any additional yeast or culture being added to the sap.
The name Toddy is an Anglicized version of the Hindi word Tadi. It is the name given to the fermented sap from palm trees. Although not very popular in the planet’s western hemisphere, Toddy is a part of Indian culture, with traces of the drink spread over Southeast Asia and even parts of Africa.
The process of extracting Toddy is known as tapping and is a practice passed down through generations. In the past, tappers would climb palm trees using only their hands and feet, sometimes aided by ropes. They used different methods to attach terracotta or clay pots to the trunk or flowers of the palm tree to collect the sap throughout the day. While the extraction process has remained largely traditional, some modern advancements have been made, such as the use of ladders for climbing and the replacement of earthenware pots with oil tins for sap collection.
Also Read: Bia Hoi – The World’s Cheapest Beer
Cultural Aspects Of Toddy Around India
With a rich history in tow, Toddy has come a long way. Although much of coastal India partake in the drink, the cultural aspects are most prominent in Kerala and West Bengal.
Toddy In Kerala
In Kerala, Toddy is locally known as Kallu. With a mild alcohol content of 5% ABV, Toddy is not consumed to get high. The beverage is chosen as a way to cool oneself and for the various health benefits it provides.
Toddy can be seen being sold at Kallu Shaaps, as the locals call it, which are small shacks that serve the beverage with a variety of local cuisines. These aren’t the typical food and beverage establishments found in cities. Shaaps usually don’t have a menu; instead, you receive whatever the shop owner prepares and serves for that day. Local seafood and dishes made with fresh, seasonal produce are served along with Kallu. This combination of Toddy and traditional cuisine is a local favorite, as people from all over Kerala often drive hours to get to the nearest Kallu Shaap to enjoy a hearty lunch and a satisfying drink.
The sap from the palms is tapped by a local group called the Ezhava. Historically, the Ezhava community was formed of Toddy tappers and liquor businessmen. Today, the name of the community has become synonymous with the job of extracting palm sap. The Ezhava usually tap palms owned by someone else, and as payment, give either a third of their collection to the owner, or the monetary equivalent of the same.
Toddy In West Bengal
Toddy in Kolkata is a trend on its way out. Once sold in shacks similar to Kerala, Toddy in present Kolkata is not only losing popularity, it’s almost forgotten. All is not lost though, as date and palm sap boil into something else in West Bengal, literally.
You see, sap collected from the trunk of date palms is boiled on an open flame to make the famous Jhola Gud, which is a liquid jaggery. Not only that, Shiulis, the Bengali counterparts of the Ezhava, sell the sap of the date palm in the crisp mornings during winter, and the palmyra palm sap in the summers.
People gather near the temporary shacks that the Shiuli build, as they travel from the more rural parts of West Bengal, to buy and drink these beverages. A cup of either sap goes for a measly ₹10-₹20, so the only thing stopping the people from binging on sap is a full bladder! If you wake early enough, you can catch a Shiuli walking through a residential area, earthen pots hanging from his shoulders, selling the sap in plastic cups.
Also Read: Your Guide To Preventing A Hangover
Summing Up
Toddy is not just an indigenous Indian brew, it is a string that ties the rural drinkers of India to a rich and historical legacy. While commercial distribution of Toddy is illegal in India, and we do not condone breaking the law, if you see a Kallu Shaap or a Shiuli on your travels across India, a sip of the local culture won’t hurt.
FAQs
What Is The History Of The Toddy?
Toddy is a mild alcoholic beverage made by fermenting palm sap. The word Toddy is derived from the Hindi word Tadi, which is the local name given to the beverage.
What Is Toddy Derived From?
Toddy is made by fermenting the sap from palms. Based on the region, Toddy can be made using coconut, date, or palmyra palm.
Which State Is Famous For Toddy?
Among the multiple coastal states in India that produce and drink Toddy, Kerala is the most popular.
Who Invented The Toddy?
While the Toddy which is made from fermented palm sap traces multiple origins in Southeast Asia and Africa, the creation of the “Hot Toddy” drink is credited to the Irish doctor Robert Bentley Todd. He prescribed a combination of hot brandy, water, cinnamon, and sugar as a general remedy for any disease. The combination later turned into a popular alcoholic beverage.
Is Toddy Banned In India?
Due to largely unregulated production processes, and in an attempt to curb alcoholism in rural India, the production and consumption of Toddy are banned in India.
