Mango tree planted by Tipu Sultan 250 yrs ago falls; to be turned into artistic site

Suprabha Joshi
November 18, 2017

Bengaluru, Nov 18: “If a Muslim plants a tree or sows seeds, and then a bird, or a person or an animal eats from it, it is regarded as a sadaqah (charitable gift) for him,” said Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) nearly one-and-a-half-thousand-years ago. Inspired by this message, Karnataka’s 18th century legendary ruler Tipu Sultan pioneered the systematic tree planting in and around Bengaluru and Mysuru and laid the foundation for Lalbagh.

Believe it or not! At least some of trees planted by Tipu Sultan around 250 years ago in this region continue to provide shade, fruits and oxygen to people and other creatures even today! One of the mango trees planted by Tipu in Lal Bagh Botanical Garden recently hit the ground ending its two and half century long selfless service. This humongous fallen tree will not be just loaded off the premises but turned into an artistic site.

The decision to conserve the site is due to the tree's historical importance. According to the horticulture department officials, the tree fell around 15 days back. Six aged Eucalyptus trees also fell during the same time period in Lalbagh.

"Tipu Sultan and his father Hyder Ali had planted three mango trees in the garden. Now only one remains near the Glass House," said M R Chandrashekhar, Deputy Director, Gardens, Lalbagh. 

"We are in discussion with artists for restoration ideas. This will be a first for Lal Bagh. Since trees were planted by Tipu and Hyder Ali, they have a historic value, we do not want to clear it (the fallen tree trunk and the site)," he added.

However, A N Yellappa Reddy, Horticulture Department, an expert committee member, said that the proposal was still in nascent stage and needs time to get a detailed picture.

Tree samples are being sent to Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, for carbon dating. This is the first time that such a study will be conducted for a Bengaluru city tree. It is a second such study on trees in Karnataka. The first was a sacred tamarind groove of Nallur in Devanahalli, Bengaluru Rural district.

The wood sample will undergo a chemical analysis for details of the rainfall pattern over the years, the change in carbon content in the atmosphere, fossil fuel details, periods of intense rainfall and its origin point. Details of drought periods and best seasons that Bengaluru had experienced would also be ascertained through the carbon dating study, Reddy explained.

It would take three months to complete the study. It will be a unique study for Lalbagh and for researchers, Reddy said.

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coastaldigest.com web desk
February 1,2020

Shivamogga, Feb 1: A three-year-old girl who fell out of a moving vehicle had a miraculous escape in Agumbe Ghat section in Teerthahalli taluk of Shivamogga district of Karnataka.

The incident took place in the early hours of Friday when 12 members from three different families were returning from a tour of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The girl was reunited with her family after 30 minutes of high drama.

The child, identified as Anavi, is believed to have fallen from the vehicle as it negotiated hairpin bends on the Agumbe Ghat road, 350km from Bengaluru. The child's parents, Binu and Lincy, from NR Pura in Chikkamagaluru district, and other family members reportedly dozed off and did not realize the child had fallen off the vehicle until they covered a distance of about 20km.

One of the family members noticed that child was missing from the seat next to the door. When the driver realized the door latch had given way, they suspected the child could have slipped out of the vehicle.

Then the family started searching along the road and learnt from a forest guard at the Agumbe checkpost that a missing child was found and it had been handed over to Agumbe police station.

An advocate who identified himself as Vinay spotted the girl child as he passed the deserted stretch minutes after the vehicle left and picked her up and handed her over to Agumbe police.

The child sustained minor injuries in the fall. She was provided medical treatment before she was handed over to the parents.

Sources said it wasn't known how the vehicle door opened. One theory is that the girl could have accidentally unlocked the door while clutching the latch in the bumpy ride on the ghat. Police did not file any complaint.

Similar incident

This incident is almost a rerun of a Kerala incident in which a one-year-old baby fell off a moving jeep and was reunited with its mother hours later in September 2019 in Idukki district.

The baby had slipped off the mother's arms while she dozed off in the vehicle. CCTV footage showed the baby, after falling on the road, crawling towards a lit-up area close by, which turned out to be a forest checkpost. Family realised child was missing after 20km.

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News Network
January 9,2020

Bengaluru, Jan 9: Some BJP workers created a ruckus on Wednesday at a college here while seeking support for the amended Citizenship Act by raising slogans like 'Go back to Pakistan' outside the campus on Wednesday, as girl students opposed a pro-CAA banner on the wall of their institution.

A video of the incident went viral on social media.

A group of BJP workers, supporters of local party leader M M Govindaraj, had put up a poster "India Supports CAA" on the wall of Jyothi Nivas College near Koramangala.

This was opposed by girl students, who said they would not allow any such poster to be put up on the college property.

The BJP workers then tried to shout down the students.

"You are not concerned about citizenship, you are concerned about yourself. You should be concerned about India first. You are not an Indian then," a BJP worker is heard screaming at the girls in the video.

They also questioned the students if they had valid reasons to oppose the Citizenship Amendment Act and sought to know whether they wanted an argument or a debate.

The BJP workers purportedly told the girls that they were only the students of the college and not the owner.

"What's your problem madam with the CAA? Are you the owner of the college?" they asked.

Amid the heated argument, the BJP workers resorted to sloganeering like 'We want CAA' and "Go back to Pakistan', as seen in another video shot by the students.

BTM Layout Congress MLA Ramalinga Reddy visited the college on Thursday after learning about the incident and spoke to its management.

Later, he told reporters that the campus should not be allowed for any political activities.

"Any signature campaign whether in favor or against it (CAA) should be done outside the campus," Reddy said.

He cautioned the pro-CAA protesters he will not let any violent incidents like the one at Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi happen at the city college.

Reddy's daughter Sowmya Reddy, who is the Jayanagar MLA, tweeted, "A few videos & photos of outside #JyotiNivascollege are being circulated on social media."

"MLA Ramalinga Reddy & I have spoken to cops and the Prinicipal about this incident. Spoke to DCP South East Bengaluru and she said that Koramangala cops went there immediately & they are picketing even now," she added.

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News Network
July 20,2020

Bengaluru, Jul 20: Karnataka Minister for Primary and Higher Education S Suresh Kumar today said that the results of the Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) Examinations, held amidst Corona threat, will be announced in the first week of August.

Speaking to newsmen on Monday after visiting the evaluation centres in the City, said that the work is in full swing and it was proposed to announce the results by end of first week next month.

He said that the evaluation of the answer sheets are set to take another 10-12 days. Currently, evaluations of the answer sheets are taking place at 220 centres in the State.

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