TheBanyanTree: Dreaming a Place...Part One

[Dee Churchill]

Some of us got to talking about the fact that the mighty Banyan Tree has an
anniversary coming up very shortly ... somewhere around March 3rd I think,
but don't quote me. Anyway, I got to poking around in some old writing files
and found a three-piece set full of wild speculation about this gathering
place. As near as I can recall, I never sent this in. *Something* went in
but I'm durned if I can remember what. 
 
Dateline: March 2, 2000
 
There's something magical about a name like The Banyan Tree, something that
puts the imagination into overdrive. Botanically challenged as I am, a
certain amount of online research was in order...just to get the mind
pictures reasonably accurate. Compton's online encyclopedia had this to
offer...

"BANYAN TREE

The remarkable banyan tree of tropical Africa and the Indian peninsula sends
down from its branches great numbers of shoots, which take root and become
new trunks. A single tree thus may spread over a large area. A specimen in
the Calcutta botanical garden is more than 100 years old. It has a main
trunk 13 feet (4 meters) in diameter, 230 trunks as large as oak trees, and
more than 3,000 smaller ones."

Folks, that spells out one fantastic grove-like structure! Can you just
picture all the arching tunnels and paths that will eventually evolve around
the "mother" trunk? All the interesting nooks and crannies...rooms, if you
will...that would be formed by the continuous outward march of the original
tree? Such a grove can spread out over several acres...another online
reference mentioned a legend that claimed Alexander the Great was able to
shelter his army of 7,000 men in the vast perimeters of a banyan tree!

"The banyan often grows to a height of over 70 feet (21 meters) and lives
through many ages. Its original trunk may decay, leaving the younger ones to
support the tree. It has large heart-shaped leaves and small blossoms
followed by cherrylike scarlet fruit which furnishes food for birds and
monkeys. The scientific name is Ficus benghalensis."

Now that presents an interesting vision...suppose our Banyan Tree is one of
the ancient ones. And suppose that original trunk has long since decayed
away into the soil. Picture this...a clearing in the very center of the
banyan tree grove, surrounded by all the newer trunks and limbs and vines
and leaves. Picture all of us Banyan Tree dwellers gathered around that
clearing, some on the ground, some draped over limbs or sprawled on
treehouse platforms, or swinging gently in hammocks...sunlight fills the
clearing by day...the glow of the full moon illuminates it at night.

What a place for story telling! A natural amphitheater with perfect
acoustics. One Banyanite could stand center-stage and tell his tale. An
answering tale could echo out from that branch over there...several limbs up
from the ground. A poem could float down from the tree house perched on that
side...and a song might fill the air from the very top of the uppermost
branches.

Since this is a virtual place, each of us can dream our own versions of
it...and each version will be equally true. Wait until you see my dream bar!
I'll send you invitations to the Grand Opening by writing notes on the
heart-shaped leaves and having them delivered by the colorful wild parrots
that live in the tree with us. Once you've read the note, you should let the
parrot eat the leaf. They need their greens.

Hugs from Dee...