Meet the Madurai’s Banyan Tree ‘Guardian’

A 105-year-old banyan tree in the Madurai district of Tamil Nadu is being nurtured by a man named Abu Baker. A resident of Madurai’s Meenambalpuram area has been taking care of a 105-year-old banyan tree that can be seen on the banks of the river. It is believed that Madurai was full of banyan trees. There were around nine banyan trees on the banks of the Kanmai River but only one survived after years of encroachments. Abu Bakar is now 62 years old. He claims that he grew up while looking at the tree and enjoying its shade. To save the life of the remaining banyan tree, Abu Bakar uses a water management system after calculating the life of the banyan tree. With the help of his intensive research, Abu Bakar tries to protect the banyan tree and create awareness by celebrating its birthday recently.

The banyan tree, which helps in filtering air, prospers in the monsoon in June and July. Therefore, he celebrates his birthday every year on July 28. In that way, this year, this oldest banyan tree will reach 105 years. The trees like the banyan tree and the royal tree grow more in water levels. To maintain it, Abu Baker protects the banyan tree by pouring soil and hiding the roots.

“Until now, some people don’t know the glory of this ancient banyan tree. They cut the branches and leaves of the tree and pollute it by throwing garbage near the tree. Therefore, in the coming days, to protect this ancient banyan tree in a better way, I pour soil around the banyan tree and construct a platform with cement” said Abu Bakar. He compares the banyan tree with mother and father. He calls its leaves as a child which we need to be protected. “If we pollute it, the family will disappear later,” added Abu Bakar. Therefore, he says that my greatest desire is to protect my family, who I consider my life.

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