Thursday Tree Love Banyan Tree Auroville
The Great Banyan Tree, Auroville, Pondicherry
- Banyan or Baragad or Bad/बरगद: The national tree of India.
- One of the largest species in the world.
- Banyan is a fig tree that has an unparalleled ability to spread its branches and aerial roots.
The Great Banyan Tree which was there even before Auroville city was laid in 1960, Pondicherry
When Sri Aurobindo and the Mother established Auroville on degraded farmlands, they chose this Auroville Matrimandir Banyan tree as the focal point. It’s from this point that their reforestation and conscious-living community would spread.
Banyan Tree
Banyan trees are, in general, considered to be sacred in India and worshiped across the country. Perhaps, this is what prompted The Mother to select a Banyan tree as the geographical center as it was located on the exact point on which she wanted the center to be. An integral part of the Matrimandir complex, the Banyan Tree, with its peculiar aerial roots is spread across at a diameter of 50 meters (164 feet).
This Banyan Tree (Ficus benghalensis) belongs to the Ficus (fig tree) family and is now probably a little more than a hundred years old.
I’m sharing my #TreeLove with the #ThursdayTreeLove blog hop, a photo feature hosted by Parul Thakur
Also linking with #WW 
This is my Love Your planet “Earth” post
Check out more trees for my Treelove.
A grand old tree!
Thanks for stopping by
This is beautiful and over 100 years old. So amazing. I have had a chance to see this tree and though I don’t have pictures, your post brought back memories Pragun. Thank you for sharing this tree. It is sure a landmark in Pondicherry. I hope to see you around on the 14th.
Yes its indeed an ancient tree and marks a beginning of a great organisation and place. My pleasure sharing it with TreeLove
I love banyan trees. They are an ecosystem in themselves, teeming with life.
This one looks wonderful, and can imagine how old must it be.
Would love to go see it in person some day.
Thanks for joining us last week, Pragun. Our new linky is live too. Hope in :
https://natashamusing.com/2019/11/baobab-tree-tree-of-life-wordlesswednesday/
Yes this tree is beginning of a great center and lovely place too.
My pleasure to join WW and would certainly join in coming weeks too.
That majestic tree is good as the focal point.
Yes indeed, it is beginning of a great center.