Good News: 700-Year-Old Banyan Put on Saline Drips Begins to Revive

Hyderabad: The 700-year-old banyan tree in Telangana’s Mahabubnagar district, which was on the verge of dying, has started showing positive result.

Pictures of the tree on drips filled with diluted pesticides went viral on social media last month with Twitterati praying for the survival of the tree in Pillalamarri village.

The gigantic tree which is spread across three acres is the second biggest banyan tree in the world. A popular tourist destination, the tree is popularly referred to as "Pillalamarri" or "Peerla Marri" in Telangana.

After one of the trunks of the tree fell down three months ago due to termite attack, the tourist spot was shut down. Following this, the forest officials came up with the ingenious idea to rejuvenate the tree by injecting Chlorpyrifos chemical through a saline bottle similar to a saline drip given to patients in the hospital.

Initially, the root was given treatment, but when it did not revive owning to its huge size, the forest officials and district administration started direct stem treatment.

Pillars were also being built under the tree to prevent weak branches from falling.

After weeks of efforts, the tree is finally reviving, new shoot and leaves have started growing. The administration says that very soon the banyan tree will be open for visitors again.