National Tree Of India

The mighty banyan tree commands a great presence in the rural setting of India. The very size of the banyan tree makes it a habitat for a large number of creatures. For centuries the banyan tree has been a central point for the village communities of India.

The banyan tree is massive not only from outside but it also sends new shoots from its roots, making the tree a tangle of branches, roots and trunks. The banyan tree towers magnificently over its neighbors and has the widest reaching roots of all known trees, covering several acres. The life of banyan tree is very long and is thought of as an immortal tree.

Because of its huge size, the banyan tree acts as a good shield and protects the rural folk from the hot sun. Even to this day the banyan tree has remained the focal point and gathering place village councils and meetings. It is due to these qualities, the banyan tree is considered sacred and honoredand is the official national tree of india.

Cultural Importance Of The Banyan Tree
In Hindu religion, the banyan tree is considered sacred and is called "Ashwath Vriksha" ("I am Banyan tree among trees" - Bhagavad Gita). It represents eternal life because of its seemingly ever-expanding branches.

In Hindu mythology, the banyan tree is also called kalpavriksha meaning 'wish fulfilling divine tree'.

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.

Brian Aldiss, in his novel Hothouse, describes a future Earth where a single huge banyan covers half of the globe, due to the fact that individual trees discover the ability to join together, as well as drop adventitious roots.

Ta Prohm in the Ankor Wat temple complex is well known for the giant banyans that grow up, around and through its walls.

Older banyan trees are characterized by their aerial prop roots which grow into thick woody trunks which, with age, can become indistinguishable from the main trunk. Old trees can spread out laterally using these prop roots to cover a wide area. The largest such tree is now found in Kolkata in India. One famous banyan tree was planted in 1873 in Lahaina's Courthouse Square in Hawai'i, and has grown to now cover two-thirds of an acre.