Kasturba Gandhi Marg’s trees

This also seems to be a tomb in this metropolis of graves. At Kasturba Gandhi Marg, a tree collapsed a while back. The trunk’s stump is all that is left. A circle of unpainted bricks surrounds the tree’s remnants, giving the location the appearance of a memorial (see photo). As though these ruins were sacred and shouldn’t be stepped on by a careless bystander.

Which tree was that?

A brief search produced a list of all the trees that line this side of the road. The survey starts from the starting point of the KG Marg, across the radial from the N-block inner circle of Connaught Place, and it concludes at British Council. The distance may be covered on foot in under ten minutes. It takes more time to record the trees. even better comprehension of their ingrained ties to pavement civilization.

Peepal trees are the first three trees.

Then a neem. It houses a pigeon colony that supports a woman’s livelihood. On the confronting road divider, Chanda is seated. She distributes bird food to onlookers, who then give the grains to the pigeons that visit the neem tree and road divider. These kabutars frequently land at Chanda’s amiable head.)

A peepal and a bargad are next; a banner reading “Pollution Checking Center” is placed across the bargad’s severely wrinkled trunk.

Then a group of three peepals that reminds of Chekhov’s “The Three Sisters” appeared.

Then a neem. It covers the stand of fruit vendor Phoolwati, who has phool, or flowers, tattoos on her palms.

Then a big peepal, then a little peepal.

The reported “tomb” was followed by two strange trees. (Some onlookers are approached. They shrug their guilt off as they stare up at the two trees.)

Following that is a bargad, where hawker Khurshid Alam used to sell masks during the pandemic. He has vanished from view.

Then comes a huge bargain. Along with two samosa kiosks run by Rajesh Kumar and Vibhishan, it also houses a mailbox. Rajesh, who is always helpful, recognizes those two enigmatic trees as jungle jalebi. The dead tree inside the brick circle, he says, “was also a jungle jalebi.” Rajesh had a hard time explaining why the tree is named after a dessert. “In my village in Ayodhya, everyone calls it by this name.”

Then a neem. Rahul’s shoe repair stall is housed there.

Next, another neem. This one serves as the cover for Pinky Gupta’s and Radhe’s cigarette stand.

Four neem trees, five peepal trees, and Pappu Chaat Bhandar, a stall serving delicious aloo chaat, are among the trees up ahead.

Two additional peepals are next, then two more, and finally a keekar, which houses Brij Kishore Gupta’s fruit juice stand.

Next, there are two peepals, a bargad, and a gular that is currently producing fruit but has tiny holes crisscrossing its leaves.

The final tree is now. The British Council is to the bargad’s left. It looks extremely sacred due to its large trunk and extensive aerial root system. You abruptly bowed your head and made an impromptu prayer to the bargad.

Source- Hindustan times
Link- https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/delhi-news/delhiwale-an-unusual-tomb-101693775109114.html