Page 27 - Seniors Today - August 21 Issue

tree from Persia. Known as the Budshah (the Another beautiful and revered place in
Great King) – Zain Ul Abidin was keen to
get Persian literature, arts, cuisine and it is
believed that he introduced Chinars in the
valley. As it happened, the trees flourished in
the Kashmiri climate. It is said that from his
time onwards many gardens were laid with
the Chinars, however one of the most famous
Chinar bagh’s in Kashmir – The Naseem Bagh
on the banks of the Dal was laid out during
Akbar’s reign.
It is said that he was so taken in by these
magnificent trees that he ordered many
thousand trees to be planted there. Many
hundreds still exist and it is the favourite spot
of many. The highlight being the autumn of
course when the tree actually gets its name
from “The Tree of Fire”. The true aficionados
of the valley visit this time mainly and sed
days strolling these gardens. As a child, I have
such vivid memories of going to either the
Naseem bagh (very near the Nageen club the
favourite haunt) or the sprawling gardens of
the Amar Singh Club. Sun peering through
these mighty trees with a unique Ochre hue is
a sight to behold. No wonder it figure notably
in Kashmir’s literature and politics; religion
and romance. Nearly all mosques and temples
have the Chinar and you will find many
people sitting in the shade around deep in
spirituality and thought.
SENIORS TODAY | ISSUE #26 | AUGUST 2021
Kashmir, Hazratbal was initially conceived
as a place of meditation and worship by shah
Jehan who ordered a chinar garden again
on the banks of the Dal. When he visited
this grove he was so delighted with it that
he asked that this would be a spiritual place.
It was only during the reign of Aurangzeb
that a beautiful mosque was constructed
and he ordered brought from the Deccan
the holy relic Moi-e-Muqqadas, which is
widely believed to be the hair of Prophet
Muhammad (PBUH) to be housed at this
most revered shrine. Till date Kashmiris
consider this place to be most revered and
apart from the Friday congregations, people
visit this place in large numbers. This is
the Hazratbal dargah and on a very select
occasions is displayed “deedar” to the public.
The setting of the extensive gardens around
this holy dargah with the Dal lake and
Zabarwan mountains is very soothing and
many visitors claim that they feel spiritual.
The Chinar is often confused with the
Maple, though they belong to totally
different tree species. This beautiful tree
belongs to the Platanaceae family and the
maples belong to the Aceraceae family.
The tree can grow to be about 25 meters
high and as thick as 50 feet at the girth. The
oldest tree in Kashmir is found in southern
Kashmir area of Budgam, some 700 years
old. Commonly known as the Plane, if offers
cool shade offered by the beautiful foliage
and has always served as a resort for sages
& saints, philosophers, thinkers, poets,
historians, orators & travelers across the
world. Some say that the plane trees were
part of the gardens of Academy of Aristotle
(322 BC) and his successors. The ancient
Greco Roman cultivated plane trees in their
elaborate gardens and so became a symbol of
the educated elite.
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