Latest news with #Krishnachura
New Indian Express
20-05-2025
- General
- New Indian Express
Gulmohar diaries: Notes on Kochi's 'flames of passion'
There wouldn't be many city residents who have not been paused a moment to marvel at the brilliant blooms of the gulmohar. Clusters of red and orange conceal the green canopy, as if the trees have caught fire — a striking contrast against the clear blue sky. Strolling through Panampilly Nagar or Fort Kochi during summer, one is sure to sight the resplendent gulmohar — also named Mayflower tree — even from afar. Often mistaken for the 'Flame of the Forest' or palash (Butea monosperma), the gulmohar earns its title 'flame tree' for precisely this reason. Interestingly, its primary Indian name evolved from an amalgamation of gul (flower) and mor (peacock). In simple terms, the peacock among trees, courtesy its flamboyance. Known by several monikers, the gulmohar (Delonix regia) is most familiar to Malayalis as 'vaaga'. Another popular name, 'kaalvaari poo' or Calvary flower, is rooted in the belief that the tree was in full bloom on Mount Calvary at the time of Christ's crucifixion, its deep red blossoms said to be stained with his blood. In West Bengal, the tree is known as Krishnachura (flower that adorns Lord Krishna's head). Its Indian cousin — the copper pod with its vivid yellow flowers — is called 'Radhachura'. Though now a common sight across India, the gulmohar is not a native species. Introduced from Madagascar in the mid-19th century, the tree made its first Indian appearance in Mumbai. According to historian M G Sasibhooshan, it was Travancore maharaja Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma who popularised gulmohars in Kerala. 'During one of his travels to Mysore, he was captivated by the city's verdant avenues and tree-lined roads. There, he met the Mysore maharaja's official botanist, Gustav Hermann Krumbiegel, the man behind the design of Lalbagh,' he says. Impressed by Gustav's vision, the maharaja invited him to Thiruvananthapuram to create green stretches. 'Originally a forest tree, Gustav transformed vaaga into an avenue highlight,' Sasibhooshan adds. E S Santhosh Kumar, technical officer at Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden & Research Institute, says many of these non-native trees adapt fast; 'they settle in, thrive, and sometimes even push out native species'. 'That's how they eventually became a part of Kerala's urban greenscape,' he adds.
Time of India
11-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
Green drive in New Town to plant 50k trees this year
Kolkata: The (NKDA) is set to undertake a across New Town, planting 50,000 flower-bearing tall trees according to soil stated that with an average height of 15 ft will be planted on the roadside, median dividers, and other vacant open green spaces. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "Trees selected for plantation include Bakul, Krishnachura, Radhachura, Cassia, Bilati Jarul, Ashoke, Kadam, Janglibadam, Shimul, Karanj, Chhatim, Sirish, Arjun, Swarnachampa, and Mahogany," said an has started the process to engage agencies for the plantation drive. They will be tasked with planting the trees within a month, and nursing them for three mentioned that pits measuring 2 ftx2 ft will be dug and filled with earth mixed with the required fertiliser for planting the saplings. The saplings will initially be supported with bamboo sticks to aid their the years, as an initiative to increase greenery, NKDA has planted small- and medium-sized trees, like coconut, palm, and cherry blossom, off the main arterial road. These trees do not have very large activists emphasised that not only plantation but also proper maintenance and upkeep of the saplings are necessary for them to survive and fully grow. Ecologic — a New Town-based nature lovers' forum, which planted close to 3,500 trees in different areas of New Town in the last three years — conducted an experiment to ensure that the trees receive regular water to survive the summer heat, by by planting water bottles next to the saplings with a tiny hole at the bottom, allowing water to ooze out and keep the soil moist for an extended period.
Time of India
02-05-2025
- Climate
- Time of India
Tree-lamp post fall claims senior citizen in Behala
1 2 3 Kolkata: A 60-year-old lost her life on her way back from a local shop in Behala after a termite-infested Gulmohar (Krishnachura) tree collapsed on her during the nor'wester on Thursday evening. A lamp post also collapsed on impact. Another 32-year-old man, who tried to join the restoration work, was electrocuted a few minutes later. This victim, however, is stated to be stable. As many as 40 full-grown trees and branches of another 27 trees were uprooted and felled due to the squall on Thursday evening. According to a KMC parks dept official, the incidents were reported from Kankurgachhi, Beliaghata, Park Circus, Ballygunge, Rashbehari Avenue, Southern Avenue, Tollygunge, Behala and some areas off Bypass. According to a KMC buildings dept official, they had to respond to an SOS and cut down a large tree that had fallen on a boundary wall in a Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Road neighbourhood. KMC also deployed borough-wise manpower for cutting and removing large trees uprooted. The Behala incident was reported around 7.20 pm from Unique Park. A section of locals wanted the tree to be cut down, while another section opposed it. "The tree in front of 57B Unique Park fell on a local, Meena Ghosh, a resident of P-55 Unique Park. She was taken to Vidyasagar State General Hospital, where she was declared dead on arrival. The OC and other officers of Parnasree PS, the DMG group of Kolkata Police, KMC workers, fire brigade, and CESC staff rushed to the place and rendered their services to remove the fallen structures," said DC (Behala-SWD) Rahul De. Her daughter, Soumita, a final-year student, said her mother had convinced her father and aunt (who stays with them) and stepped out to buy some evening snacks despite the weather. "She was returning from a local shop when the storm picked up. The shopkeeper requested my mother to wait, but she insisted that she would rush back. She was barely less than 50 metres from home when the tree fell along with the post. Though police claimed she came under the Gulmohar tree , when we saw her lying on the road, we felt that she was electrocuted by the live wires," she said. Her father, Subir Ghosh, a trader, said: "I never imagined we will lose her this way." "Sundar Halder, 32, a resident of 35/1, Unique Park, was also electrocuted due to fallen wires of the pole that got entangled with the uprooted tree. He was provided medical care by fire brigade officials and Kolkata Police and taken to Vidyasagar State General Hospital. As of now, he is stable," said DC De. Locals said Sundar, a driver, had gone to help the DMG and fire brigade in the rescue operation. Soumita said the tree had barely survived Amphan. "It was hollow from inside, eaten by termites. A few of us signed a petition and submitted it to KMC borough office and councillor of ward 130 asking it be chopped. Some here, though, objected to it even after a team led by the councillor inspected it. A few of us were being named in a cop complaint," said Ganesh Halder, a local. KMC said an audit of trees in the area will be done. "We had deployed multiple teams to clear roads across city of the logs. By late Friday morning, we could clear all major roads," said a KMC official.
