Thimmamma Marrimanu

The World's Largest Banyan Tree - Thimmamma Marrimanu

Coordinates: 14°1′40.80″N 78°19′30.37″E / 14.0280000°N 78.3251028°E / 14.0280000; 78.3251028 Thimmamma Marrimanu is the name of a Banyan tree – marri means banyan and manu means tree in Telugu – in Anantapur district, located about 25 km from town Kadiri in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India.[1][2] Its branches spread over 7 acres,[3][4] with a canopy of 19,107 square metres and recorded as the biggest tree in the Guinness Book of World Records in 1989.[5][6][7] A small temple dedicated to Thimmamma lies under the tree. An account of this lady in Telugu kept at the shrine reveals that she was the daughter of a Setti Balija couple Sennakka Venkatappa and Mangamma, born in AD 1394. She was married to a Bala Veerayya who died in 1434, and Thimmamma committed Sati. The banyan tree is believed to have sprouted at the place where she ascended the funeral pyre.[8] The people of this area strongly believe that if a childless couple worship 'Thimmamma' they will have a child the very next year. A big jatara is conducted here on the day of Shivaratri festival when thousands of people flock here to worship 'Thimmamma' on this occasion.[9]

History

The tree was named after a righteous lady Thimmamma, who served her ailing husband devotedly.[10] She later sacrificed herself on her husband's pyre. It is believed that the pole in north-east direction of pyre grew into this tree.

This big tree was first noticed and was revealed to the world by Regret Iyer (Sathyanarayana Iyer), freelance journalist & photographer from Bangalore, Karnataka, India. Later he made all efforts to see this large tree canopy enter the Guinness Book of World Records. His name has been included in the Book of World Records in this regard.

See also

References

  1. ↑ C. Sudhakar; R. Suguna Kumari (2008). Women and forestry. The Associated Publishers. ISBN 978-81-8429-081-3. Retrieved 5 June 2012.
  2. ↑ Lavanya Vemsani (31 October 2006). Hindu and Jain mythology of Balarāma: change and continuity in an early Indian cult. Edwin Mellen Press. ISBN 978-0-7734-5723-2. Retrieved 5 June 2012.
  3. ↑ http://www.backpacker-backgammon.com/news_banyan_trees.html
  4. ↑ http://www.anantapur.com/travel/thimmamma.html
  5. ↑ Peter Matthews; Michelle Dunkley McCarthy; Mark (CON) Young (October 1993). The Guinness Book of Records 1994. Facts on File. ISBN 978-0-8160-2645-6. Retrieved 5 June 2012.
  6. ↑ India today. Living Media India Pvt. Ltd. 1992. p. 53. Retrieved 5 June 2012.
  7. ↑ SAYEED, VIKHAR AHMED. "Arboreal wonder". Frontline (magazine). Retrieved 5 June 2012.
  8. ↑ "Thimmamma Marri Maanu".
  9. ↑ Various. Tourist Guide to Andhra Pradesh. Sura Books. pp. 44–. ISBN 978-81-7478-176-5. Retrieved 5 June 2012.
  10. ↑ Various (2005). Tourist Guide to South India. Sura Books. pp. 295–. ISBN 978-81-7478-175-8. Retrieved 5 June 2012.

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