6 Biggest and Oldest Banyan trees in India for the Ultimate Nature lover

The Thimmamma Marrimanu of Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh, also sometimes called as the Old Banyan tree is the largest Banyan tree in the world and holds a Guinness record for it too. There is an eerie legend that surrounds this Banyan tree. It is supposed to have grown over the funeral pyre of a woman (Thimmamma) who committed sati(a suicidal ritual) after the death of her husband in the 1400s and since then it's grown in size to cover 4.7 acres!

The Kabirvad Banyan tree is located on a small river island near Bharuch in Gujarat. The locals associate it with the saint Kabir who is supposed to have dwelled here and also have a temple built on his name under the tree. This tree is so old that it finds mentions in records of Alexander's expeditions of the area and so large that it is spread over 4.3 acres.

Next time you are at the Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose botanic gardens in Howrah, don't forget to pay a visit to the Great Banyan tree (although it isn't like you could actually miss out on it, considering its vastness of a 480 metre crown). It is said that the tree is more than 250 years old and has seen quite a lot of history unfold before it. Today it continues to draw in visitors who supposedly pay a visit to the gardens only to visit the tree.

The Giant Banyan tree in Adyar, Chennai happens to be located in the middle of the theosophical society and is yet another one of the really huge banyan trees of the country spread out through 40,000 square feet. There's an interesting fact about this tree and that is that many philosophers such as J.Krishnamurthi and some other prominent people such as Annie Besant and Marie Montessori have all given a whole lot of lectures right under this tree through the ages.

Dodda Aalada Mara, which translates to "Big Banyan tree" is located on the way from Bengaluru to Mysore at 28 kms from Bengaluru. It stands in the village of Kethohalli but due to all the number of visitors that come to take a look at this 400 year old Banyan tree, there are buses that have a stop right next to this tree where tourists can get off and wander around in a park-like compound built around this huge tree that is spread over 3 acres.

The Pillalamarri Banyan tree that belongs to the Mahbubnagar area of Telangana is known for being one of the oldest Banyan trees ever - with an age of more than 800 years. Surely, this tree with its branches spread out over 4 acres has seen a lot of history growing up. There is a deer park that was built around the area and some amusement rides as well as an entertainment for the tourists that visit the place. From November 2018, the tree has been closed to visitors (you can only see it from the outside) for treatment of some of its diseased branches and will very soon be open for the public.