By Rajni Pandey | January 27, 2025
Each Chinar tree now has a unique geo-tagged number, like an Aadhar card, to monitor its location, age, and health for conservation purposes.
Metal tags with QR codes provide detailed information about the tree, including its height, age, and health, making it easy for locals and tourists to connect with these icons.
Kashmir, once home to 40,000 Chinars, now faces dwindling numbers due to urbanization, road expansion, and illegal felling, prompting this conservation effort.
Chinars in Jammu’s Chenab and Pir Panjal Valleys are also part of the initiative, expanding the preservation efforts beyond the Kashmir Valley.
Introduced by Persian Sufi saints, Chinars are revered in Kashmiri folklore, art, and religion. They feature prominently in temples, shrines, and historic Mughal gardens.
The Ganderbal district hosts the world’s third-largest Chinar, with a girth of 74 feet. A Chinar atlas is being created to document the largest and oldest trees.
Chinars serve as havens for birds like crows and kites while playing a vital role in absorbing carbon and protecting Kashmir’s fragile ecosystem.
The 700-year-old Chinar in Budgam, planted by Sufi saint Syed Qasim Shah, stands as a testament to the tree’s resilience and historic importance.
From Mughal gardens to Chinar groves, these majestic trees have been featured in countless Bollywood films, showcasing their timeless beauty on the big screen.