A tree of death?

The photograph above is that of one of the oldest trees in Olavipe. It is a huge mango tree on our estate which I had featured in MANGO TREE Vs. COCONUT TREE - Elbowing in the sky.

One of the details which is not clear in the picture is that the tree has no low branches. It used to have once upon a time, but not any longer. Therein lies a story. Long after the tree stopped yielding it still served a noble purpose.

The practice in Olavipe till recently was that we provided pyre wood for cremating the bodies of our Hindu employees when they die. This is one of the trees earmarked for that use.

Looking at the stubs of the branches that have been cut off, some of the elders can recall for whose cremation the wood was utilized. That brings back memories of the people who have passed on.

What would happen to the tree now? The remaining branches are too high and that makes cutting them down difficult. The wood of mango trees is not considered good for house construction or for making furniture though some people do use them. This tree is unlikely to get uprooted for decades to come because of its buttress roots. See the photo below:

But at sometime a tree has to go, vacating the space it had occupied to permit new growth. That is the way of life. In Kerala there is the legend of Perumthachan, the master craftsman and builder who would prayerfully seek permission from an old tree before cutting it down. Japan has the story of Orosu, a touching narration of the love affair between a girl and a tree. You can read it at:

http://www.spiritoftrees.org/folktales/stallings/orosu.html#top

This mango tree too has to go. But in death it would still serve a purpose. The idea is to fell it and donate the suitable parts to a storage facility from where people can draw hard to get pyre wood for cremation.

Ends.

Photos by me. Copyright reserved. Click on them for enlarged view.

Also see:

Cremation woes