Chinar

ADOPT A MONUMENT

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Need To Know About Chinar Platanus orientalis, or the Oriental plane, is a large, deciduous tree of the Platanaceae family, known for its longevity and spreading crown. The species name derives from its historical distribution eastward from the Balkans, where it was recognized in ancient Greek history and literature. Following Greek usage it is called Platane or related names in Europe. It is equally famous in the Iranian-speaking world and from Turkey to India is called Chinar, Chenar or related names. The native range of the Oriental plane is Eurasia from the Balkans to at least as far east as Iran. Some accounts extend its native range to Iberia in the west, and to the Himalaya in the east. As it has been known in cultivation from early times in much of this region, it can be difficult to determine if it is truly indigenous in peripheral areas.

The Oriental plane is found naturally in riverine settings, together with such trees as alder, willow and poplar. However, it is quite capable of surviving in dry soils once it is established.

Like other plane trees, its leaves are borne alternately on the stem, deeply lobed, and palmate or maple-like. It usually has flaking bark, occasionally not flaking and becoming thick and rugged. Flowers and fruit are round and burr-like, borne in clusters of between 2 and 6 on the stem. Considerable variation exists among trees in the wild, and this may be complicated by crossbreeding with planted London planes (Platanus x hispanica), the hybrid of P. orientalis with the American sycamore (Platanus occidentalis).

The tree is capable of being grown in most temperate latitudes, though it benefits greatly from warm summers. As a very large and wide tree with broad, thick leaves that tend to orient horizontally, it is especially prized for the shade and coolness it provides during the hot season.

The leaves and bark is used medicinally. A fabric dye is made from the twigs and roots. The timber, often called lacewood, is figured and valuable for indoor furniture.

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Cultural History From earliest times, P. orientalis is an important tree in Persian gardens, which are built around water and shade. There it is known as the chenar.

In historic Kashmir, the tree was planted near Hindu holy places under names derived from the goddess Bhavani. Later in Muslim times it continued to be a major garden and landscape tree and dominates many historic gardens, now generally called chinar. For example, a famous landmark in Srinagar is an island on Dal Lake where four chinar trees stand, named Char Chinar. As another example, a 638-year-old chinar tree has been found at Chatargam, Chadoora, Badgam district, Kashmir. It was later planted in 1374 AD by an Islamic mystic, Syed-Abul Qasim Shah Hamdani.

Chinar trees are being felled rapidly in Kashmir, although a recent ban has been imposed to curb cutting. Chinar trees are now required to be registered and are considered National Property of the State.

Registered Chinars are painted white at their base. Increased awareness means most old Chinars are protected and looked after; however, some new Chinars must be cut as their growth can cause damage to roads and houses. Most people now view the Chinar as a matter of national pride.

The Tree of Hippocrates, under which Hippocrates — the "Father of Medicine" — taught at Kos, is reputed to have been an Oriental plane. A 500-year-old tree presently there may be on the same site and may have been planted from a succession of cuttings from the original. The Athenian Academy, outside Athens, featured a sacred grove of planes where the students listened to the masters and where among others the Peripatetics practiced philosophy.

Pliny's Natural History records the westward progress of the plane "introduced among us from a foreign clime for nothing but its shade", planted first at the tomb of Diomedes on the island of Tremiti, then imported to Greek Sicily by Dionysius the Elder(c. 432-367 BC), tyrant of Syracuse. He had plane-trees conveyed to the city of Rhegium (Reggio di Calabria), where they were looked upon as the great marvel of his palace, according to Pliny's sources. From there it spread by the first century CE as far as the lands of the Morini in Belgic Gaul. Regardless of why it may have been introduced, the tree had medicinal uses from early times. Pliny details 25 remedies using preparation from the bark, leaves and bulge of plane. Some are still used: it stops bleeding and is used in eye ointment. Pliny prescribes it for burns, bites, stings, frostbite and infections.

Pliny goes on to describe some legendary plane-trees. There was one on the grounds of the Athenian Academy, he says, that had roots 50 feet (15 m) long. Licinius Mucianus, legate of Lycia, held a banquet for 19 in a hollow plane-tree of Lycia, and the emperor Caligula another for 15 plus servants in a tree house (nest) built in the branches of a plane-tree at Velletri. Most small villages in Greece have one or more very old planes in their central square, where the village water spring used to be (water springs are nowadays replaced by water taps from the same spring captured). Many of them are set in cavities, which are often playing and meeting points for children and teenagers, or are cared for, sometimes even illuminated, as tourist attractions.

During the 2010 Commonwealth Games opening ceremony, the aerostat used took the shape of a chinar tree under the 'tree of knowledge' segment of the ceremony. This was followed by representation of different seasons through image projections and different dance styles being performed by hundreds of cultural dancers from all across India.

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Chinars in Kashmir Majesty, thy name is Chinar!

Boune (Kashmiri name) or Chinar with its Botanical name as Platanus orientalis has become part of Kashmiri heritage over last seven centuries rather it is now a symbol of Kashmir and its lush green environs.

Whenever someone talks about a majestic tree the immediate first idea that strikes the mind of a person is that of chinar that has impressed travelers, historians, nature lovers and in fact all and sundry. It is a towering deciduous tree with huge and spread out branches with maple-leaf like leaves which provide shade and underneath it one can enjoy cool breeze even during hot summer. The tree can grow up to 250 feet in height and its girth could be 50-60 feet average. Its charm increases incredibly during autumn as its leaves start changing colors from green to reddish brown and then golden brown before falling.

Chinar is found throughout the valley and several places are known by its name like you have Chinar Bagh , Haft chinar, Sata Bouni and Char Chinari in Srinagar, Phahi Boune in Karnah (where defiant people who would raise their head against the autocratic rule of Maharajas or defy his army's diktat were hanged till death), Chinar Bagh in Bijbehara. One of the oldest Chinar trees in Kashmir with a girth of 75 feet was planted by a Muslim preacher Syed-Abul Qasim Shah Hamdani about 638 years-back at Chatargam, Chadoora, Budgam somewhere in 1374 AD. However another Chinar tree which is believed to be about 400 years old exists in Chinar Bagh at Bijbehara town of South Kashmir.

It has the distinction of inspiring poets to write poems and writers to produce the best of prose under its shade. It has given shelter to travelers in its cavernous trunks and even saved lives of others caught in stormy weather conditions. Hippocrates, the father of Medicine is said to have taught medicine to his students at Kos in Greece where a tree exists even today and is named after him. The poet of the Orient, Allama Iqbal, too has written about the chinar as have many Kashmiri poets.

Chinar, besides being a tree of comfort during hot summers, affords warmth to the poor and needy who use its fallen foliage to produce charcoal for the Kangris. Its wood also finds many uses. However owing to strict watch maintained by some NGOs, media and the implementation of ban on felling chinars, its timber/wood is not available freely in the market. The law enforcement has made it difficult even to fell chinars which are dead and have hollow barks posing a threat to life and property.

Chinar is nature's best gift evolved over centuries that has been bequeathed to us by our ancestors.

From Greece, Balkans, Turkey, Iran the majestic tree has come to us over a period of time which we can't afford to neglect. In fact we can't even think of Kashmir without the chinar as it has become part of our lives, culture, history, geography and heritage. So we must strive to conserve and propagate it further.

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What We Choose!

After a long survey the team selected for ‘Adopt A Monument’chose the oldest chinars in Kashmir and the world. Choosing an old chinar was a distinct idea to evoke the past of Kashmir - a land which is strengthened by the inexhorably spreading roots and shoots of chinars which envelop the valley just like the mighty mountains do. They were chosen because the oldest chinars have undergone the heritage of Kashmir and are themselves an integral part of it. Many people relate to them with their own diversified folk tales and thus act as a representative of each and every chinar in Kashmir. The survey attempted to diminish the controversy the ‘Oldest Chinar’.

Chinar At Padshahi Bagh

Chinar At Chattergam

Age: 400 Years

Age: 638 Years

Base Girth: 73 Feet

Base Girth: 128 Feet

Trunk Girth : 45 feet

Trunk Girth : 53 feet

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Our Team TEACHERS Mr. Showkat Ganai Mr. Asif Iqbal Ms. Sahira Qadir STUDENTS Pragya, Aditi, Zaira, Minam, Deeba, Fadeelah, Mahiya, Uneeb, Shahid, Faouseen, Fahad, Misbah, Madihaa,Tajamul, Tahir, Kapish, Shariq, Simrah, Faizan, Bazilla, Talat, Uzair, Asar, Manan,

THE UNTITLED CHINAR The horizon of three Enroots a majestic tree Chinar, Chinar n Chinar

Suha, Zahida, Noman, Sahil, Tabeen, Marina, Tuiba, Haziq, Noman, Saliq, Faisal, Adnaan

Hand loomed by the nature itself Carved by God So charming, so majestic, and so broad Knows it all from six hundred years, Vast is the culture, the heritage it bears.

From green to yellow and yellow to red Colorful does it remain Till the autumn’s fled Then comes the time when the leaves do glide, On the ground, adorned like a bride.

Alas! Alas! The leaves then cry Under your footsteps they crunch, they sigh.

--Mohammad Manan Khan

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Adopt A Monument is an initiative taken by DPS Society in collaboration with The History Channel to bring out the significance of various monuments in different parts of the country. It also emphasized on the related beliefs and cultures associated with them. To bring forth our contribution, Delhi Public School, Srinagar has also actively participated in the move. It focused on identifying and spreading the word among the masses of Kashmir and the world about almost a dying monument through its successful rediscovery.

D.P. DHAR MEMORIAL TRUST LEARN TO GIVE Phones: 0194 2467286, 2467550 Fax: 0194 2467669 Email: info@dpssrinagar.com Website: www.dpssrinagar.com

Primary Source : Interviews, Spot Survey & Interaction.

Secondary Source: Wikipedia