Thimmamma Marrimanu Explained

Thimmamma Marrimanu
Species:Banyan
Binomial:Ficus benghalensis
Location:Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh, India

Thimmamma Marrimanu (Telugu: తిమ్మమ్మ మర్రిమాను, lit. "Thimmamma's Banyan Tree") is a banyan tree in Anantapur, located about 25 kilometers from Kadiri, Andhra Pradesh, India. It is probably a specimen of Ficus benghalensis. In the Telugu language, "Telugu: marri" denotes "banyan" and "Telugu: manu" denotes "trunk".[1] [2] Its canopy covers 19107sqm,[3] [4] [5] and it was recorded as the largest tree specimen in the world in the Guinness Book of World Records in 1989.[3] [6] [7] The tree is revered by the people of Dharmic religions alike, namely, Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism.

Legend

According to a local myth, the tree is named after Thimmamma, a woman who committed sati (suicide by throwing herself on the funeral pyre of her husband's dead body). The tree is said to have originated from one of the poles used in the funeral pyre.[8]

Religious significance

The great banyan tree is revered by the people of Indian-origin religions such as Hinduism (including Vedic, Shaivism, Dravidian Hinduism), Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism. A small temple dedicated to Thimmamma is beneath the tree. The residents of the region strongly believe that if a childless couple worships Thimmamma they will beget a child in the next year. A large jatara is conducted at Thimmamma on the day of the Shivaratri festival, when thousands flock to the tree to worship it.[9]

Recordation

The tree was first noticed and revealed to the world by Regret Iyer (Sathyanarayana Iyer), a freelance journalist and photographer from Bangalore, Karnataka, India, who made all efforts to have the tree recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records as "World's largest Banyan Tree" in the 1989 edition.[10]

A Telugu-language historical novel Sri Veeraiah Nayakuni charitra (Thimmammamarrimanu kata) (Telugu: శ్రీ వీరయ్య నాయకుని చరిత్ర) was written and published by academic Dr. S. S. Giridhara Prasad Roy, in 1989.[11] [12] He translated and published the same story with the title The Story of Thimmammamarrimanu in 2012.[13] [14] He has written an article Thimmammamarrimanu: A Folk Tale of Anantapuramu District in 2016.[15]

Thimmamma Marrimanu was discussed in the second segment of the BBC series 'The Tree Spirits' (29 August 2017).[16]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Book: C. Sudhakar . R. Suguna Kumari . Women and Forestry . 5 June 2012 . 2008 . The Associated Publishers . 978-81-8429-081-3.
  2. Book: Lavanya Vemsani . Hindu and Jain Mythology of Balarāma: Change and Continuity in an Early Indian Cult . 5 June 2012 . 31 October 2006 . Lewiston, New York. . 978-0-7734-5723-2.
  3. Book: Matthews . Peter . Dunkley McCarthy . Michelle . Young . Mark (CON) . The Guinness Book of Records 1994 . registration . 5 June 2012 . October 1993 . Facts on File . 978-0-8160-2645-6.
  4. Confer Web site: Banyan Trees . Backpacker-backgammon.com . Backpacker-Backgammon . https://web.archive.org/web/20120710100822/http://www.backpacker-backgammon.com/news_banyan_trees.html . 2012-07-10 . 2012-07-10.
  5. Confer Web site: Thimmamma Marrimanu . anantapur.com . 2017-01-04.
  6. Book: India Today . 5 June 2012 . 1992 . Living Media India Pvt. Ltd. . 53.
  7. Web site: Sayeed . Vikhar Ahmed . Arboreal Wonder . . 5 June 2012.
  8. News: 550-year-old banyan tree in Andhra Pradesh enters Guinness Book as largest tree in world . M.A. Mannan . 2013-01-02 . India Today 31 August 1992 .
  9. Book: Various. Tourist Guide to Andhra Pradesh. 5 June 2012. Sura Books. 978-81-7478-176-5. 44 et seq.
  10. Web site: Largest canopy on a living tree .
  11. Book: Bhushan, Ravi . ASIA/PACIFIC-WHO'S WHO - Sri Veeraiah Nayakuni Charitra . Rifacimento International . 3 . India . 504 . en.
  12. Book: Dutt, Kartik Chandra . Who's Who of Indian Writers 1999: A-M v.1 . 1999 . Sahitya Akademi . 1999 . 81-260-0873-3 . End - Century . India . 395 . en.
  13. News: 30 Jan 2012 . Charitra Samskruthiki Sajeeva Saakshaalu Pusthakaalu . Eenadu - Ananthapuramu.
  14. News: N . Jagadeesh . 21 Apr 2013 . Rayalaseema Charitraki Saakshi . Saakshi Fun Day.
  15. Roy . Dr. S. S. Giridhara Prasad . July 2016 . Thimmammamarrimanu: A Folk Tale of Anantapuramu District . Literary Vibes . 5 . 2 . 111 . ISSN 2320 - 6896.
  16. Web site: BBC World Service - Heart and Soul, the Tree Spirits, the Tree Spirits: Thimmamma Marrimanu.

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