the mystique of the banyan tree

from young, i have always been fascinated by the banyan tree. the banyan tree is to me one tree with a certain mystique about it. this tree seems to have been held in reverence by the chinese. it is not uncommon to find make-shift altars at the foot of the banyan tree or joss-sticks and other prayer items left around it.

all banyan trees send down a great number of aerial roots from their branches. when the roots touch the ground, they eventually grow into new trunks. as they spread further and further from the original trunk it looks as if they are taking steps and walking away. that is why the banyan is sometimes called 'the walking tree' .

the banyan tree is native to india, sri lanka and pakistan. it is often planted around temples and is considered sacred by both hindus and buddhists.

the great banyan tree in the indian botanic garden, calcutta, india is the tree with the world's largest root system. it covers an area of 1.21 hectares. it has 1,775 supporting roots and dates back to 1787.

banyan trees are found in almost every village in india, and they are the centre of village life. since the banyan trees are believed to be sacred trees, little shrines are usually built under them.

in hindu religion, the banyan tree is called "ashwath vriksha" ("i am banyan tree among trees" - bhagavad gita). it represents eternal life because of its seemingly ever-expanding branches.

when buddha called 12 creatures together under the banyan tree, he "taught them about their strengths and weaknesses, then sent all twelve animals into the world to guide people in their growth, linking each animal to a month and year."

one of the largest known banyan trees is in sri lanka. it has 350 large trunks, and about 3,000 smaller ones. this one single tree resembles a small forest in itself, and it is impossible to tell which was the original trunk. and the tree is still growing. banyan trees may grow up to a hundred feet (30.48m) in height.

the banyan tree is extremely mystic in the way it grows and develops. it looks both reassuring and forbidding at the same time. this is why in many asiatic countries like india, china, sri lanka and vietnam, there is a deep belief that spirits and ghosts reside in banyan trees.

in singapore, the banyan tree can be found in a number of parks but the places where it stands out are at fort canning park, where there is a huge banyan tree and at sembawang park where there are several of these magnificent trees.

the banyan is part of the coat of arms of indonesia it is meant to symbolise the unity of Indonesia - one country with many far-flung roots.

robinson crusoe in the 1719 novel by daniel defoe makes his home in a banyan tree.

in my secondary school days at bras basah road, we used to spend our recess time lounging about under the shade of the old banyan tree. the tree stood next to the toilets, not far from the school tuckshop and it overlooked the school field.

a group of old boys from the graduating class of 1961 - 64, have revived the spirit of that same tree by publishing a 288-page book, aptly titled 'under the banyan tree'. a highly evocative, lovingly-compiled collection of stories and photographs spanning the years they were in the school.

"under the banyan tree" is also the name of a short story by indian author r. k. narayan written in 1985 about a village story-teller who concludes his career by taking a vow of silence for the rest of his life, realizing that a story-teller must have the sense to know when to stop and not wait for others to tell him.

it was first published in the uk in 2001 on the author's death. it is a story for children.








































the banyan trees of sembawang park