Adayar Banyan Tree : One of world's oldest banyan trees.

2009-05-29T09:41:00.000-07:00

Location: Adyar, Chennai, Tamil Nadu

Area Belongs To: Theosophical Society

Believed: To Be The Largest Banyan Tree In The World

Adyar is very famous for its Banyan tree. The vast area occupied by the Banyan tree belongs to the Theosophical Society, which stretches from a bridge at the banks of Adyar River to the Seashore and the Banyan tree is in the center. Adyar Banyan Tree or the Adayar Bodhi Tree, believed to be around 450 years old, is located on the campus of Theosophical Society at Adyar in Chennai.

Its sprawling branches cover 40,000 sq ft.is one of the largest tree in the world. It measures 238ft from north to south and 250ft from east to west.

The total area exceed 59,500 sq ft. The giant banyan tree, came with property acquired in 1908. Its sprawling branches covered 40,000 square feet of space and were once held up by a 40-foot tall, 30-tonne trunk and thousands of pillar-like roots dropped from the canopy.

The aerial roots of this tree have become well rooted and the entire tree appears like a bunch of several trees.

Under its shade, as many as 3000 people at a time have sat and listened to discourses by the great philosopher J Krishnamurthi, Annie Besant, Maria Montessori and others.

A devastating cyclone uprooted this tree in 1989. To bring back the tree to its original position, huge cranes were brought to the scene. A vast pit was dug and the tree was kept back in its position. But all these efforts went in vain.
When the gale uprooted the giant trunk in 1989, hope was given up for the ancient tree, but it has miraculously survived on a weakened trunk and its drop roots, still attracting thousands of visitors.

The Old Banyan Tree is geographically located at latitude (13.0113 degrees) 13° 0' 40" North of the Equator and longitude (80.2676 degrees) 80° 16' 3" East of the Prime Meridian on the Map of Chennai.

This tree is a unique specimen. There are people who often say that this is the largest Banyan tree in the world. People, who have some doubts about this statement, claim this to be the second largest Banyan tree.

Some say that the largest is in Kolkata (Calcutta). Others say it is in Kashi and in Prayag too.Whatever be the argument this old banyan tree is a real sight to see!

ADAYAR BANYAN TREE

Adayar Banyan Tree : One of world's oldest banyan trees.