Lord Buddha attained nirvana under the Bodhi, a not-too-distant cousin of the banyan. In its shade in Shantiniketan, Rabindranath Tagore was moved to poetry. From enlightenment to inspiration to mundane village panchayats and tiny temples, the Indian banyan (Ficus benghalensis) has towered over them all, an enduring symbol of the hardiness and hospitality of the subcontinent.
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