Bengaluru, the banyan tree that never stops growing

Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya, during The Bengaluru Debates: Can the Greater Bengaluru Governance Act Deliver for Bengaluru? event in Bengaluru. | Photo Credit: ALLEN EGENUSE J On the outskirts of Bengaluru stands the Dodda Aalada Mara, a beautiful banyan tree that is over 400 years old. Covering an area of nearly three acres, this is a unique tree in which the branches grow roots which will become new trunks. These trunks then grow more branches. The tree is constantly growing and expanding but always stays with deep roots, where it once sprouted.To me, this feels like a beautiful description of Bengaluru itself. Published - November 12, 2026 01:01 pm IST