The Great Banyan Tree in the Indian Botanic Garden, Kolkata is the widest tree globally. The canopy area of this tree is 14,500 square metres, approximately 4.67 acres. It is as wide as a large cricket stadium.
This tree is also registered in the Guinness Book of World Records. Since 1993, Mr. Gautam has taken the responsibility of looking after this great tree. Acharya Jagadish Chandra Indian Botanic Garden was established in 1787.
The most wonderful fact is that the age of this Banyan Tree is more than 250 years. In 1959 a survey was conducted according to which it had total 89 prop roots and canopy circumference was 240 mts. But as the time passed, this banyan tree became the great banyan tree.
Today this tree has 3,772 prop roots and 486 mts of canopy circumference. In the past because of two major cyclones, a trunk of the banyan tree got infected. It had to be amputated so that the infection does not spread to the rest of the tree.
Now an ecosystem has been formed over there which consists of different types of flora and fauna. More than 85 species of birds are found here. The government of Indian also released a postage stamp with the picture of Banyan tree on it. It is also the emblem of the Botanical Survey of India.
It is a wonder of the beautiful mother nature. Tourists from all over the world visit Kolkata to see this creation of our magnificent earth. Its beauty is majestic and serene.