Kolkata banyan tree is the world's biggest
We have climbed down from our air-conditioned bus, with its endless water bottles and sanitiser, and melted into Kolkata's summer, pre-monsoon heat.
I haven't even bothered to look at the official temperature, as I just have to tell you that it is very hot and humid.
I just have to tell you that I have chosen a shirt that doesn't look much different when wet (unlike those light blue shirts that quickly look like you've just fallen into a swimming pool).
I just have to tell you that I did my old trick (taught to me by Aboriginal bushmen) of loading up on tea at breakfast, and will now only sip on room temperature water.
And so, our little group walks with local guide Vikal to the Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Indian Botanic Garden's big attraction, a Ficus benghalensis tree.
This banyan tree is a living heritage site.
It is huge.
In fact, it is so big that there is no longer a central trunk — this living tree is a conglomerate of more than 1000 aerial roots.
And, according to its 1989 entry in the Guinness Book Of World Records, it is the biggest tree specimen in the world, as judged by canopy coverage.
The tree, which is more than 250 years old, is a forest in itself.
The paved path around it, outside the wall and metal fence protecting it, is a 330m circle.
Inside this, a man is working on supporting thin, new aerial roots, with bamboo props tied with jute string. It strikes me it is like a giant bonsai.
In 1925, the main trunk was removed to keep the remainder of the tree healthy. It had become infected with a nasty and potentially fatal fungi, after being damaged by two cyclones.
In October 2024, the high winds and torrential rain of cyclonic storm Dana hit the botanical garden, in Shibpur, which is one of the biggest and oldest in South Asia, uprooting more than 2000 trees.
It left two empty patches in the giant banyan — but nature, of course, abhors a void, and aerial roots will continue to fill these.
The banyan continues to draw visitors — perhaps more than the rest of the collection of exotic plants from five continents. There are more than 14,000 plants representing 1300 species.
It is no secret that it suffers from a lack of money — it is reported that there is no specific funding for the garden; it is in a pool with many others.
But the 110ha gardens also give insight into a different, less manicured, more natural way of presenting a botanical garden.
The botanical garden isn't actually in Kolkata — it is in its twin city, Howrah, the other side of the River Ganges.
It was originally called The Royal Botanic Garden, and founded in 1786 by the East India Company, on the advice of Colonel Kyd, who became its first superintendent.
It was renamed the Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Indian Botanic Garden in 2009. Bose was a son of Kolkata, and one of whom Bengalis are very proud.
Sir Jagadish Chandra Bose, who died in 1937, was a polymath scientist who was a pioneer in the investigation of microwave optics and, more relevantly, made significant contributions to botany. He is also considered to be the father of Bengali science fiction.
The banyan tree in Kolkata's botanical gardens is an old friend.
I have visited it before and watched the protective wall and fence around it grow into a bigger and bigger circle.
I hope I will visit it again one day.
It is always worth any amount of heat.
Of course.
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Kolkata banyan tree is the world's biggest
There is just one moment of weakness when I wonder if it's worth the heat. We have climbed down from our air-conditioned bus, with its endless water bottles and sanitiser, and melted into Kolkata's summer, pre-monsoon heat. I haven't even bothered to look at the official temperature, as I just have to tell you that it is very hot and humid. I just have to tell you that I have chosen a shirt that doesn't look much different when wet (unlike those light blue shirts that quickly look like you've just fallen into a swimming pool). I just have to tell you that I did my old trick (taught to me by Aboriginal bushmen) of loading up on tea at breakfast, and will now only sip on room temperature water. And so, our little group walks with local guide Vikal to the Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Indian Botanic Garden's big attraction, a Ficus benghalensis tree. This banyan tree is a living heritage site. It is huge. In fact, it is so big that there is no longer a central trunk — this living tree is a conglomerate of more than 1000 aerial roots. And, according to its 1989 entry in the Guinness Book Of World Records, it is the biggest tree specimen in the world, as judged by canopy coverage. The tree, which is more than 250 years old, is a forest in itself. The paved path around it, outside the wall and metal fence protecting it, is a 330m circle. Inside this, a man is working on supporting thin, new aerial roots, with bamboo props tied with jute string. It strikes me it is like a giant bonsai. In 1925, the main trunk was removed to keep the remainder of the tree healthy. It had become infected with a nasty and potentially fatal fungi, after being damaged by two cyclones. In October 2024, the high winds and torrential rain of cyclonic storm Dana hit the botanical garden, in Shibpur, which is one of the biggest and oldest in South Asia, uprooting more than 2000 trees. It left two empty patches in the giant banyan — but nature, of course, abhors a void, and aerial roots will continue to fill these. The banyan continues to draw visitors — perhaps more than the rest of the collection of exotic plants from five continents. There are more than 14,000 plants representing 1300 species. It is no secret that it suffers from a lack of money — it is reported that there is no specific funding for the garden; it is in a pool with many others. But the 110ha gardens also give insight into a different, less manicured, more natural way of presenting a botanical garden. The botanical garden isn't actually in Kolkata — it is in its twin city, Howrah, the other side of the River Ganges. It was originally called The Royal Botanic Garden, and founded in 1786 by the East India Company, on the advice of Colonel Kyd, who became its first superintendent. It was renamed the Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Indian Botanic Garden in 2009. Bose was a son of Kolkata, and one of whom Bengalis are very proud. Sir Jagadish Chandra Bose, who died in 1937, was a polymath scientist who was a pioneer in the investigation of microwave optics and, more relevantly, made significant contributions to botany. He is also considered to be the father of Bengali science fiction. The banyan tree in Kolkata's botanical gardens is an old friend. I have visited it before and watched the protective wall and fence around it grow into a bigger and bigger circle. I hope I will visit it again one day. It is always worth any amount of heat. Of course.
