The ‘Adyar’ banyan tree in the gardens of the Theosophical Society, Chennai, a famous tourist spot, could at one time accommodate about 10,000 people in its shade, for discourses, the author narrates.

“Sometime in the 1980s, it fell victim to a cloudburst and all efforts at revitalising its main trunk proved futile. Still, its branches are supported by their own prop roots which pass for so many independent trees.”

The banyan tree, seen all over the country, has references to it in the Rig Veda and the writings of ancient Roman scholar Pliny (62-113 AD), informs Rao.

“The name ‘banyan’ was given to the tree by the early English visitors to India. They saw Banias (traders) of the locality assemble in the shade of this tree to conduct a sort of stock-exchange…”

Cool read.

Acquiring the lands at Vikhroli was a rather tortuous process, narrates B.K. Karanjia in the first volume of ‘Godrej: A Hundred Years 1897-1997’ (Viking).

“The lands were originally purchased through the Court Receiver in the late forties, passed by the High Court order of April 15, 1943.”