Garden produce, Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

Looking after a coconut tree.

It is claimed by the villagers that to make a barren coconut tree bear fruit, a totally naked male adult must take an 'idhaella' - a garden broom stick made of coconut leaf strands - and beat the base of the said coconut tree beating the trun k repe4atedly. This must be done on a full moon night. I heard about this village magic a few years ago at Batticaloa, the eastern part of Sri Lanka. I heard this repeated by a village woman in Avissawella, a few days back.

'Ambaraella' fruits - sour and tasty with salt and chillie powder.

Ripening berries of 'Black Pepper'.

'Black Pepper' - Piper nigrum - climber.