'Tree of liberty' honoured in Bombay

The 50th anniversary of an almond tree situated at the city civil court in Bombay was celebrated along with the golden jubilee celebrations of Indian Independence.

Named "the tree of liberty", the almond sapling was planted by the then prime minister of Bombay B G kher on August 15, 1947 to commemorate Independence Day. The civil court was then the secretariat.

The news of the tree of liberty was reported in a newspaper dated August 16, 1947. A team of UNI correspondents and tree experts discovered and identified the historic tree whose history had been forgotten. But reminded of its importance, Chief Minister Manohar Joshi laid flowers before the tree, which was lighted up and which had its roots painted for the occasion.

The tree would be preserved henceforth, Joshi said.