Sen Trees of Mumbai

This book is basically the culmination of a course run by the Centre for Extra-Mural Studies—A Tree Appreciation Course. The participants of the course were very enthusiastic, and they exchanged notes on the trees they had seen— along with photographs and seed, flower and leaf collections. Their joy was infectious, and we decided to publish a booklet on the trees of

Sen‘trees’ of Mumbai

Mumbai to accommodate their creativity. The idea has grown big, just as a huge tree would grow out of a tiny seed; here is then a coffee table book saluting the real Sentries of Mumbai, which we are happy to present to all tree lovers everywhere.

Look at this Banyan tree closely, and you can spot a strategy that would make an engineer proud. The way the aerial roots have grown over the rocks to balance the tree standing on top of

Sen‘trees’ of

Mumbai CMYK OG

the hill and the way they fall down the sheer cliff face 60 feet below, trying to reach the ground and give support to the tree, is an incredible phenomenon, as incredible as the fight for survival that Mumbaikars are known for.

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Pterocarpus indicus Andaman Padauk

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Pterocarpus indicus Andaman Padauk

106

Lagerstroemia speciosa Queen’s Flower

Taman, the ‘Pride of Maharashtra’, is very easily available in Mumbai. Its floral splendour has conquered many hearts and many roads are adorned by it—Colaba, the Cooperage Garden, the vicinity of the Life Insurance Corporation Building, the Hindustan Petroleum office, the Mumbai University Fort Campus corner, the spot opposite the Institute of Science—all these places have a good mix of all three varieties of the Taman trees. In fact, 13 Tamans compete for light with the Rain trees and Putranjeevas by the side of the buildings of the Fort Campus of the University of Mumbai that faces Mahatma Gandhi Road; despite the competition, they have managed to grow very tall.

There are many Taman trees which have been planted in the Bandra Kurla Complex which have now grown to a reasonable height. There is a lovely group of Tamans standing at the roadside in Santacruz, and some beautiful trees in the Hiranandani Gardens and in Essel World too.

Needless to mention, the Taman is abundantly available in all the great gardens of Mumbai too.

My favourite one though is the beautiful loner, with its deep pink purple flowers standing on the corner of a by-lane off Peddar Road leading to Sophia College.

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118

Plumeria obtusa

Temple Tree

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Alstonia scholaris Devil’s Tree

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Cordia dichotoma Bhokar

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Saraca asoka Ashok

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Polyalthia longifolia Asupalav

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Spathodea campanulata African Tulip Tree

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Garuga pinnata Kakad

144

Lannea coromandelica Shimat

148

Mitragyna parvifolia Kalamb

152

Barringtonia acutangula Hijjal

156

Couroupita guianensis Cannonball Tree

162

Samanea saman

Rain Tree

166

Terminalia arjuna Arjun

196

Kleinhovia hospita Kleinhovia

198

Swietenia mahogani (microphylla) Spanish Mahogany

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Amherstia nobilis Urvashi

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Bauhinia variegata Kanchan

this wonderful tree starts flowering. It can tolerate various types of soil but does not tolerate water logging. It also cannot tolerate cool temperatures. It does need much care, but it is observed that if a little care is given, it reciprocates it generously with a very good bloom. Various species of bees and insects are attracted to its aromatic flowers. Germinated seeds are eaten by insects and birds.

The tree is mainly used for ornamentation. However, it also has a very useful bark, which is used in tanneries.

The leaves of the tree are used for rolling beedis. As far as cuisine goes, the leaves and buds are edible, and a good pickle is made from the buds.

There are some beautiful Kanchan trees in the Japanese garden section of the Jijamata Udyan.

There

are

some

smaller specimens in the Colaba gardens. The Kalina Campus

of

the

Mumbai

University is home to several of them, all of the mauve flower variety.

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Bauhinia variegata Kanchan

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Thespesia populnea Portia Tree

Madagascar Kopal Hymenaea verrucosa Gaertn.

Caesalpiniaceae After entering the Jijamata Udyan, if you were to continue walking keeping the mighty Baobabs to your right hand side for about 20–25 feet you will be confronted by a 20 feet tall smart East African specimen, namely the Madagascar Kopal tree.

It

is

a

worthwhile

experience to visit this one and only specimen in Mumbai in September when it is in full bloom, with greenish white flowers. It has compound leaves of

two

leaflets

with

very

prominent veins, so very like varicose veins which win for it its scientific name.

A native of Madagascar and Seychelles the tree may then be said to have migrated to the East African coasts of Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique and Zanzibar. We do find this tree in certain Indian gardens though it is a very rare visitor to Mumbai.

Hymenaea verrucosa

Madagascar Kopal

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250

Piscidia piscipula Fish Poison Tree

254

Crataeva tapia Vayvarna

256

Madhuca indica Moha

46

Cocos nucifera Coconut Palm

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Cocos nucifera Coconut Palm

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Ficus bengalensis Banyan

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Ficus elastica India Rubber Tree

‘Avaroha Nyagrodha’ suggests how the branches re-root and how they grow from top to bottom; ‘Bahupadh or Bahupadhi’ talk about the expansive nature of the trunk; ‘Chita’, ‘Dhruva’ and Nita’ highlight the characteristic of its indestructibility and immortality; ‘Jatal’, ‘Jateel’ and ‘Jaati’ refer to the aerial roots that look like matted or tangled hair ‘Kshira’ as its petioles and leaves contain milk; ‘Mahachaya’ due to its ability to provide that all encompassing and munificent shade; ‘Mandali’ paying obeisance to the sheer girth; ‘Nanda’, ‘Nandi’, the protector of ‘Shivaganas’ and ‘Raktaphala’, an attributive name referring to the blood-red fruits; ‘Shifaruha’ focussing on the hanging roots, ‘Skandaja’, ‘SkandaJanya’ and ‘Skandaruha’ refer to its roots from its branches. ‘Vaishranvasa’, ‘Vaishravanodaya’, ‘Yakshatara’ and ‘Yakshavasa’ refer to yakshas and kinnaras or, in short, various races who have taken shelter under its shade.

As pointed out earlier, Indian literature too has unstintingly sung the praise of the Banyan.

The banyan tries all possible ways of propagating its progeny. Once it gets to root anywhere, it will start growing on its own with the help of a number of branches and aerial roots. The Banyan grows in Mumbai quite well. Ironically, it grows also on the walls of buildings, or, in short, wherever it finds some moisture. It grows in gardens and roadsides.

We usually find Banyan trees at the entrance of villages and large courtyards of famous temples.

Since it grows so well, it is a much sought after Ficus, especially for the purposes of the craft and art of Bonsai.

People generally build rounded resting places around it. Sometimes, we find the Banyan subletting its shade for a Hanuman or Shankara temple too.

A long living tree that gathers a huge canopy cover even as it ages, a cover that needs to be seen to be believed, there are several examples of its longevity and expanse. In Gujarat, a Banyan tree named Kabir Wat, referring to the times when Kabir lived, is stationed at the mouth of the Narmada river and has approximately 350 aerial roots that hang in clusters entrenched deep inside the earth, thus living up to its name as ‘Jatal’, ‘Jateel’ and ‘Jaati’. It is not unreasonable to state that 5000 people can easily sit or rest under it. In the Chindwada district of Madhya Pradesh, a Banyan is spread over two and a half acres of land. Near Aurangabad, in the village Chincholi, a Banyan is spread over one and half acres of land. In Cinchunkuppe, a tree said to be 500 years old, is spread over three acres. There is a huge Banyan tree on the outskirts of Bangalore with its expanse again covering around an acre and a half.

Story has it that in Prayag, there exists a tree under which Ram and Sita are said to have rested for a while and whose roots have reached the Fort of Allahabad and appear in one of its underground tunnels.

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