The Majestic Chinar

When we hear the word Kashmir, the tall trees of chinar, lush green plains and valleys, Shikara, and snow-clad mountains come to our mind. Today, I want to share something about the tall trees of chinar. The Chinar tree is a magnificent, vibrant tree whose leaves change colors to red, yellow, and amber during the autumn season. This tree predominantly grows in the Kashmir region in India. The Chinar trees of India have been an important part of Kashmir for centuries now and have a lot of historical significance. In fact, the oldest Chinar in Kashmir is 600+ years old and is thought to have been planted in 1374. It is located in the Badgam district in Kashmir and stands tall at 14.78 m. The tree not only is a rare sight but is a form of majestic beauty. One of the many tourist attractions in Kashmir, chinar grows to a height of about 25 meters or sometimes, even more, depending upon the growing conditions. Its botanical name is Platanus orientalis and is called ‘Booyn’ or ‘Buen’ in the local language. There is a Chinar in almost every village of Kashmir. The tree is also super popular amongst the locals; they love to sit under its shadow and enjoy the cool breeze. So, whenever you visit Kashmir, never forget to go and sit under the tree of chinar. It is indeed a pride of Kashmir!