When the Kesharwanis decided to branch out and expand their family home, they came up with a novel way of dealing with an ancient giant fig tree in their garden -- they built the house around it.

Now the thick trunk of the 150-year-old tree is the central feature of their residence, growing through the middle of the building in the city of Jabalpur.

"We are nature lovers and my father insisted that we keep the tree," said Yogesh Kesharwani, whose parent built the house in 1994 with the help of an engineer friend.

"The tree is some 150 years old. We knew it was easy to cut the tree but difficult to grow one like it," he told AFP.

The fig tree, known as peepal in Hindi, is considered sacred by many in India and cutting one down is considered inauspicious.

"We believe that 350 million gods and goddesses reside in one peepal tree. The tree is also mentioned in the Geeta," a Hindu religious text, said Kesharwani.

His wife can pray without having to leave home, sitting before the tree in the mornings.

The family also wanted to send the message that people can put down roots in the middle of nature without destroying anything.

The four-storey building is a local landmark because of its unique facade. Leafy branches jut out from the windows, dwarfing the building and prompting curious looks from passersby.

"When the house was first built, engineering students used to come here to try and understand the unique design," Kesharwani said.

The tree has never caused any practical problems to the family, insisted Kesharwani.

"We don't even realise that the tree exists because it doesn't come in our way. It just stands there silently."

Related Links
All About Human Beings and How We Got To Be Here

Tweet

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

9,000 years ago, a community with modern urban problems
Columbus OH (SPX) Jun 18, 2019
Some 9,000 years ago, residents of one of the world's first large farming communities were also among the first humans to experience some of the perils of modern urban living. Scientists studying the ancient ruins of Catalhoyuk, in modern Turkey, found that its inhabitants - 3,500 to 8,000 people at its peak - experienced overcrowding, infectious diseases, violence and environmental problems. In a paper published June 17, 2019 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, an intern ... read more