New lease of life for banyan tree at Jyotisar

There is good news for visitors to Jyotisar a landmark of Kurukshetra city that is associated with the Mahabharata

Updated At : 06:36 AM Jun 30, 2018 IST

A visitor looks at seemingly healthy prop roots of the banyan tree at Jyotisar in Kururkshetra.

Vishal Joshi

There is good news for visitors to Jyotisar, a landmark of Kurukshetra city that is associated with the Mahabharata. The prop roots of the ancient banyan tree (it is believed that Lord Krishna delivered the sermon of Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna under it during the Mahabharata) have started gaining strength and growing.

Experts say there is no serious threat to the longevity of the tree as its restoration programme has started yielding desired results. The Kurukshetra Development Board (KDB) had engaged Dehradun-based Forest Research Institute (FRI) to study the health of the tree and suggest remedial measures.

NSK Harsh, plant pathologist, who retired from the FRI last year, had led a team of researchers to ensure better health of the tree. He is also credited with conserving Mahabodhi, the 2,600-year-old tree in Bihar under which the Buddha is said to have attained enlightenment.

Harsh, who lives in Dehradun, says the legendary tree did not have any fungal or bacterial infection. A marble platform built around the tree was hampering its water-absorption capacity. The banyan tree at Jyotisar should continue getting balanced water, air and manure along with insecticide and nutrients, he adds.

Pooja Chanwaria, CEO of the KDB, says the tree preservation work will continue under experts’ guidance.

Madan Mohan Chhabra, honorary secretary of the KDB, says the prop roots, which grow from branches to the ground and give the tree extra support, had no space to expand because of the marble structure. “The marble flooring and the net built around the tree have been removed. It is now getting new energy. The tree is now getting more air and water to its roots and this has helped it gain strength and natural growth,” he adds.

On the advice of the FRI, the KDB had erected a safety grill around the tree to ensure visitors did not tie sacred threads or bells to it. However, it recently decided to replace the iron grill with planters to give an aesthetic look to one of most visited sites in the holy city.

“Jyotisar is the heart of Kurukshetra; the land of Bhagavad Gita. We have engaged a designer to give a new look to this sacred place. Also, the site is being equipped with various amenities and other features to attract more visitors,” says Chhabra.