Bark and hanging roots furnish coarse fiber for rope making. Villages sometimes form around the edges of a banyan tree, so the tree becomes an important part of daily life. Many activities occur beneath a banyan's branches. People display produce, baskets, pottery and other products for sale. Others relax in the shade, converse or hold meetings.
Children play in the tree, maybe swinging on the unrooted vines, or playing in the shady area below.
Sometimes a school will actually hold classes under the tree, or maybe a small theater will set up for playlets or dancing. Birds nest in the leafy tree tops. In some parts of the world, monkeys swing and chase through the trees, getting an aerobic workout. Other animals enjoy the tree as well. COM missionaries have talked and written about the banyan trees in their lives.