The largest banyan tree is said to be on the island of Ceylon, with 350 large trunks and more than 3,000 small ones. Banyan leaves are heart-shape and always green. Roots are used to make tent poles and cart yokes. 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.