Banyan trees traditionally symbolize longevity and stability. Photo: Express
FAISALABAD:
A century-old banyan tree, considered a living symbol of ancestral heritage, was felled in Ramdiwali village, also known as Arfa Karim Nagar, triggering grief and anger among local residents.
The banyan tree was at the dera (farm latrine) of the late Chaudhry Muhammad Akbar Randhawa and is believed to be around 114 years old.
According to villagers, the late Baba Akbar had said eight years ago that the tree was 109 years old then.
He died five years ago, confirming that the tree lived for more than a century before being cut down and sold this week.
Yasin Masih, a local resident, recalled that elders considered the tree as a legacy of their ancestors, who migrated to the area from Amritsar in eastern Punjab in the late 19th century after canal irrigation from the Jhang branch made the land fertile.
Another account dates colonization back to the British era around 1880.
Villagers said the banyan tree served as a community gathering point where elders rested, shared water and held daily discussions.
Zahid Akbar said some family members sold the historic tree for a “meager” sum of Rs 300,000 despite objections.
Dr Ijaz Tabassam, a retired scientist from Ayub Agricultural Research Institute, said banyan trees are culturally sacred and symbolize longevity, shelter and stability.
Dr Shakeel Yousaf called the act a “murder of local history”, while residents fear that increased land purchases by property developers will erase rural heritage.
