Koyilandy bereaves the big banyan tree

KOZHIKODE: The quite gentle fall was befit to the status it has in the minds and memories of the people of Koyilandy. The big banyan tree on NH-66 in Koyilandy was uprooted on Saturday morning like slowly fading away from life.  As the fall was slow and gentle, people had enough time to run aside, thus hurting nobody. The only minor casualty was the branches injured the driver and three other passengers of a moving bus. 

Nobody knew how old the banyan tree was but it was there for times immemorial for everyone. “It was there since I was a kid. The banyan tree was an identity of Koyilandy town. People used to say that we can meet at “Aalinte Aduthu” (Aal is the Malayalam of Banyan tree),” said 84-year old Khader, who runs a petty shop in Koyilandy.  “It was a shade in the very heart of the town. Around 25 years back, there was an attempt to cut it down as part of development. But green activists opposed the move and public protest gained momentum forcing to drop the plan,” recalls Pavithran Melur, local reporter of a vernacular daily. Scores of people thronged the town after coming to know of the incident on social media. 

Half a dozen of fruit sellers lost their selling point as it was under the tree they were doing business for so many years. “It was totally unexpected. We don’t know where to go now,” says Haneefa, who sells fruits. Koyilandy Municipality chairman Adv K. Sathan said that the banyan tree was one of the epitomes of the town. “Now the place devoid of the tree makes us realise its contribution for decades. The municipality has decided to plant banyan and other trees in apt locations as part of making the town green,” he assured.