When Kahlil Gibran said that trees were the poems earth writes upon the sky, he was hinting to our ever-present relationship with them. From ancient proverbs using trees as metaphors to the ultimate symbol of the three of Life depicting the cycle of life and death, trees have been a part of our existence as much as we have, a part of theirs. Across myths and memories, trees stand as silent witnesses to the rise and fall of empires, the murmur of lovers, the whispers of pilgrims, the birth of revolutions and even the enlightenment of one Gautam Buddha. Each one a storyteller, their lives reflect the strength, resilience, and grace that nature imparts to us.
Reflecting upon this interconnected reality a new book, 'Iconic Trees Of India', takes us on a deeply rooted journey across India, showcasing trees that have witnessed history and stand as cultural icons. S. Natesh a former botany professor, and the author of the book spent over a decade tracking, researching, and photographing these incredible trees, presenting them not only as elements of nature but as symbols of a shared heritage. The book, rich with vibrant watercolors, reveals the stories behind these remarkable trees, sharing insights into their historical, cultural, and even spiritual significance.
Each chapter serves as a portal into a unique aspect of India’s arboreal history. Take the Chinars in Kashmir for example. Even though the Mughals didn’t bring the chinar tree to Kashmir, they fell in love with its grandeur and beauty, which reminded them of Persia. The name 'chinar' even comes from Persian, meaning 'what a fire!', a nod to the tree's fiery autumn colors. Emperor Akbar was so captivated by the chinars that he ordered a garden to be built for them in 1586, just north of Srinagar by Dal Lake. Later, in 1635, Shah Jahan expanded the space, planting 1,200 chinar saplings on a lush rectangular plot, reportedly watering them with milk for six months. When the trees matured, a gentle, almost magical breeze started wafting through the garden, earning it the name 'Bagh-e-Naseem' or 'garden of the gentle wind'. By the 1830s, botanist-traveler Godfrey Thomas Vigne measured some chinar trees in Bagh-e-Naseem at almost four meters in girth, estimating their age at around 248 years. Today, Naseem Bagh is among the oldest Mughal gardens in India and still has several chinar trees planted by Shah Jahan.
From Kashmir, the journey takes readers to Kerala, where the towering Tetrameles nudiflora, or the 'Green Colossus', dominates the landscape of Conolly’s Plot in Nilambur. Locally known as the 'chini' tree, its massive roots create a sprawling base with a ground-level circumference of 33.2 meters, while its smooth, pale, almost glossy trunk stretches 55.2 meters into the sky. This tree is a sight to behold, with speckled bark due to tiny breathing pores. Interestingly, the chini tree is famous worldwide for appearing in Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, where its powerful, twisting roots at Angkor’s Ta Prohm temple in Cambodia symbolize nature’s strength withstanding the test of time.
Natesh’s stories stretch across India, capturing tales as vivid and varied as the country itself. He introduces the solitary sequoia in Kashmir, aptly called India’s 'loneliest tree', a curious presence in a foreign land that’s made a home out of the Himalayas. He explores a 'haunted' peepal tree near Jabalpur, intertwined with tales of sorrow and resistance, standing as both a spiritual beacon and a reminder of darker histories. In Hoskote, a banyan tree bustling with bees becomes a living hive of activity, a microcosm of interconnected life, showing how trees not only endure but support entire ecosystems. Through Natesh’s work, each of the 75 documented trees on the book becomes a vehicle of socio-political commentary revealing the histories of cultures, communities, and folklore.
Somewhere along the way, trees became resources and material that we started using for construction, fuel, and paper, but that also led to an erasure of societal and planetary history. As our world grapples with climate change, books like Iconic Trees of India are vital, awakening us to the beauty and importance of these living legends. Natesh reminds us that to protect the future, we must honor the past—recognizing trees not just as plants but as historical monuments and cultural treasures. The book encourages readers to find these trees, spend time with them, and, perhaps, discover a sense of wonder that binds us all.
Get the book here.
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