Our journey took us onward, over the long suspension Hooghly Bridge and then to the Botanical Gardens. Here I was led to the star attraction of the gardens - the massive banyan tree. A sign prominently displayed its importance, indicating that this tree, with over 2,880 prop roots and area covering 1.5 hectares, is over 250 years old and is in the Guinness Book of World Records. Like the impressive banyan tree in Chennai’s Theosophical Society, its central trunk is no longer present, having been exposed to damaging fungus after two severe cyclones in the mid 1800’s. Despite not having the 15.7 m in diameter main trunk, the banyan tree continues to thrive, offering great shade and a wonderful playground for the langur monkeys.
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