Pillalamarri: The tale of an 800-year-old banyan tree, one of the oldest in India 

When you go to see a banyan tree, you are immediately drawn to its magnificent presence, isn’t it? If you are a nature enthusiast, you should put Pillalamarri of Telangana on your bucket list. After all, it is one of India’s five oldest banyan trees! The Pillalamarri banyan tree is over 800 years old. However, it might soon not be. Irrespective of the efforts to save this natural wonder, the tree is still under threat and on its deathbed.   

The majestic Pillalamarri 
To describe Pillalamarri as a grand banyan tree would be an understatement. It has these majestic intertwining branches that take your breath away! And it is because of these branches that the tree was named Pillalamarri, meaning cluster of mini banyan trees. The tree is 405-feet long from east to west and 408-feet long from north to south, with a land coverage of over three acres and a crown length of 1,263 feet! The root system is so extensive that it covers the entire area of the compound in a way that identifying the mother tree is a puzzle now. Doesn’t it sound majestic? As beautiful as the tree is, its prime days are over, unfortunately. 

Is the tree dying? 
The sheer grandeur of Pillalamarri draws over 12,000 tourists each year. Its popularity, however, has proven to be fatal. When the Pillalamarri became a tourist attraction, the state government cut down branches to construct concrete sitting areas around the tree. Because of the newly constructed sitting areas, many tourists climbed the branches and carved their names into the bark. Fallen leaves were also burned, causing soil damage. All of these human activities weakened the structure of the tree. In addition to this, a recently constructed dam on a nearby river has cut off the tree’s water supply. You can only imagine how this would have impacted the tree! With weakened branches bending and touching the ground, termite infestation has become a major problem. But fret not, steps are already being taken to safeguard the tree.  

Rescuing Pillalamarri 
The main issue the tree is currently facing is termite infestation. To combat this, officials have devised an innovative solution. Pillalamarri’s tree trunks are being injected with chlorpyrifos, a pesticide. And this is not it; hundreds of saline bottles with chlorpyrifos are also being injected into the tree’s branches. This pesticide is also being sprayed on Pillalamarri’s top roots to kill termites. Additionally, structures are being built to hold up drooping branches, preventing them from touching the ground. Fences and barricades are being constructed to overcome the problem of people abusing the tree. We can only hope that these measures will assist in helping the tree regain its past health and glorious days. 

Other great banyan trees in India 
Pillalamarri is undoubtedly unique, but there are other banyan trees that are equally impressive. For example, The Great Banyan Tree in Howrah, Kolkata, is over 250 years old and covers 3.5 acres of land! The Thimmamma Marrimanu of Andhra Pradesh is 550 years old and considered as the largest banyan tree in the world, with a Guinness World Record to prove it (it won in 1989)! This tree spans over 4.7 acres of area. The Kabirvad Banyan Tree in Gujarat is over 600 years old (spread over 4.3 acres land) and has a religious value. Saint Kabir Das (a mystic poet) is said to have lived under it. The tree also has a temple under it dedicated to the saint. Here you go, three more trees to add to your bucket list!