Since ages, the importance of banyan trees (Ficus Benghalensis) has been repeatedly mentioned across texts of almost all religions. How saints meditated under it, counted it was revered as God, and befriended, so much so that they lived under it all their lives. This exemplified how important banyan trees were, and are, for mankind (along with other trees). As times changed, the number of banyan trees has decreased, because it needs a lot of space to exist, which was against the conditions of the (slowly) empowering real estate and of course, the government in league with the land and real estate mafia. One after the other, even the oldest banyan trees were cut and thrown away or burnt to give space to ‘civilisation’.
Today, people complain of low groundwater levels, increasing pollution, increased ailments like asthma. No one ever tries to question why this is happening. We want fancy homes, so we cut trees without any hesitation or worry.
Banyan trees pull and hold the groundwater level, is beneficial for our health and well-being, has spiritual importance for having all five elements completely balanced, so much so that it is said that one can concentrate easily after sitting under it, and above all it supports life.
Our ancestors called it a divine tree, many even called it God. But now it seems like we don’t need real Gods because we have found ways to sooth ‘fake’ ones (our egos).
We (a group of environmentalists) had planted almost 150 banyan trees across Delhi NCR out of which only some 45 survived or rather, were allowed to survive. The rest were not allowed to grow thanks to the government officers who were worried that their deals with builders and developers would be affected if the banyan trees were to grow.
Even after completing the societies, builders and developers don’t care to plant even one banyan tree in their land. All they plant are palm trees which are of not much use to the Earth and are rather expensive because they are in-demand for being low maintenance trees.
If today we decide to fill the Earth with banyan trees we would be able to tackle climate change to quite an extent within the next ten years. But this is possible only when governments realise that they can no longer continue to support real estate mafia against the demand of the people who are trying to conserve trees.