Massachusetts spy and Worcester advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1823-1825, 1825-03-30
INDIA.
From Col. FORESTS Tour.


or banyan-tree is described, which in ex-
tent, variety of form, and grand aud
highly picturesque groups Of mighty
stems and pendant rope-like columns,
Tar exceeds any tree of the kind in this
part oflndia. 1t is situated close upon the
banks of the Gogra, & at short distance
from lis point of junction with the Gam
ges, and viewed from distance, has the
appearance of a vast tope, or grove. It
rises to most gigantic height, and it's
large limbs stretch out to a great length
in every direction, supported by their
columnal shafts in graceful clusters,
which they send downwards to the earth
for this purpose.
SAT the time / visited and examined
this wonderful production of nature,
some natives who had been cutting wood
in the neighborhcod, happened to pass
under it, andseeing me attentiveIy exam
ming its various parts, accosted me, and
expressed some surprise at my admira-
ton of its wonderful structure. We
entered into conversation, and in the
course Of it, | learned the history Of
this great natural wonder, which is
religiously and implicitly credited by the
inhabitants ofthe surrounding districts.
"About one thousand years ago, they
very gravely told me, there lived on
this spot very religious and holy Brah-
minee woman, famed for the austerity
and sanctity of her life: her name was
Gunga Purrain: she lived to a very
great age, and did moi die, but the earth
opening swallowed her up, and on the
spot where she disappeared, this tree in
one night sprang up. In the centre of
this grove, formed of one tree, is now a
large open space and where the orig
inal trunk stood, there is a small build
ing, consisting of four low mud walls
only, eight or ten feet square, without
a roof; enclosed in which is small rude
kind of mound, or altar of earth, over
which some flowers we're strewed when
| saw it. The original trunk has per-
ished, no doubt, by gradual decay; but
IFS children, its descendants, encircIe
the spot on which their parent stood.
and clasped in each others embraces.
joined and united as one family, form a
perfect circle, a magnificent screen.
consisting of lofty white and shining
columns, crowned with masses of The
richest and most luxuriant foliage. Rich
festoons of the same hang in every vari-
ed and graceful form, interspersed a.
midst these natural pillars; while be-
meath long galleries and noble arcades
extend in all directions, and form deem
and shady recesses, grand porticoes, and
large and lofty halls, like the pictured
palaces of Fairy-Land. The circum-
ference of this mighty tree, round the
outer stems, is four hundred yards, and
il is calculated that ten thousand men
can repose beneath its shelter.
"Tbere is another of these trees in
the province Of Stirling, equal in bulk
TO the one above mentioned; but it is
less ancient, and being quite perfect, and
without any decayed parts, does not
produce by any means SO grand and
varied picture as this at Mangee."
Our classical readers will remember
the marvellous accounts of this tree. the
Ficus Indicus, found in Greek and Ro-
man authors F; and, like many other
marvellous accounts, more doubted by
the ignorant and sceptical than they
ought to have been.-Pliny describes
the tree, and reports from report that II
/ throws its shade over ooaca nc -
stadia (more than 1900 feet J that the
stem, in some parts, is go PAGES thick,
and that the leaves are as large as the Pei.
ia or Thracian shield. Theophrastus al
so gives clear and accurate account of
the banyan; but such of our readers az
are DESTROYS of farther information re-
specting it, may be referred to an excel
lent paper by DR.. Noehden, in the first
Number ofthe Transactions of the Roy.
al Asiatic Society.