Myanmar Toddy Climbers.

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Climbers risk life and limb in pursuit of toddy juice

The toddy palm grove, especially in the Central Myanmar regions is said to be a paradise offering welcome shelter and tranquility to many a weary traveler. But paradise it also is to the thirsty ones who seek her cool smooth solace. For its toddy udders (Htan No) as the juice-producing shoot is called, offers the delicious necter from heaven through the stately palms.

Milking toddy juice is a high-risk venture calling for a high degree of skill, dexterity and cool confidence especially scaling sixty feet plus trunk.
He climbs up the ladder that's attached to the palm tree.all the way to the top.
The earthern pots are placed directly under the sliced shoots so that the toddy juice trickles into the receiving pot. Strings are circled round the rim of the pot and tied firmly to the stem to withstand the wind.

The toddy climber checks the pots, and unties the ones filled with milky nectar. Then he replaces them with the empty ones for the next day's rounds. He trims the shoots with his sharp knife for unclotted flow of the juice into the pot.
The half-pint (quarter-litre) of toddy juice that fills each pot is one of life’s great pleasures for the climbers who risk their lives to collect it.
Many have fallen to their deahs.
Climbers suffer many hardships during windy and rainy days, when it’s hard to support their families.