PIB TrackerA 700-year-old banyan in Munger is India's oldest accurately dated banyan tree
Scientists used radiocarbon dating to establish that a banyan (Ficus benghalensis) in Munger, Bihar, is around 700 years old — the oldest accurately dated banyan in India — after developing a new method for tropical trees that lack countable annual growth rings.
What happened
- A banyan tree (Ficus benghalensis) in Munger, Bihar, estimated to be around 700 years old, has been identified as India's oldest accurately dated banyan using radiocarbon dating.
- The method relies on scientific evidence rather than folklore, local stories or historical records, which had traditionally been used to guess such trees' ages.
- Because most tropical broadleaf trees lack distinct annual growth rings, conventional dendrochronology (tree-ring dating) could not be applied, so high-precision radiocarbon dating was used.
- Dr. Trina Bose of the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences (BSIP), Lucknow — an autonomous institute under the Department of Science and Technology (DST) — was invited by the Bihar Forest Department and developed a new age-determination approach.
- Her team included Dr. Mayank Shekhar and Dr. Akhilesh K. Yadava, giving India a scientifically validated protocol for dating its ancient, culturally significant trees.
For Prelims
- Ficus benghalensis: The banyan, India's National Tree; it spreads via aerial 'prop' roots that become new trunks, letting a single tree cover a vast area.
- Radiocarbon (carbon-14) dating: A method that estimates age from the decay of carbon-14 (half-life about 5,730 years) in once-living material — used here to date the tree scientifically.
- Dendrochronology: Tree-ring dating, which counts annual growth rings; it works poorly for most tropical broadleaf trees that do not form distinct annual rings.
- Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences (BSIP): A Lucknow-based autonomous institute under the DST, specialising in palaeobotany and palaeosciences; named after botanist Birbal Sahni.
- Famous banyans: The Great Banyan at the Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Indian Botanic Garden, Howrah, and Thimmamma Marrimanu in Andhra Pradesh (one of the world's largest canopies).
- Keystone role: Banyans (figs) are keystone species, feeding many birds and animals and supporting biodiversity across seasons.
- Don't confuse: 'Oldest accurately dated' means scientifically verified, not necessarily the single oldest banyan; and radiocarbon dating differs from ring-counting dendrochronology.
For UPSC: Use this as a crisp example of science replacing folklore in conservation — a validated protocol for dating ancient tropical trees, aiding heritage-tree protection and biodiversity conservation. Revise static hooks: Ficus benghalensis as the National Tree, radiocarbon vs dendrochronology, the DST and its autonomous institutes (like BSIP), and banyans/figs as keystone species.
What it is NOT: This is about scientifically dating an existing ancient tree, not discovering a new species or the single oldest tree on Earth. 'Oldest accurately dated banyan' refers to verified dating; older undated banyans may exist. Radiocarbon dating gives an estimate with a margin, not an exact year.
For Mains
Syllabus: GS3.14 · GS1.1 · Linkage L3
Anchor
Applying science to conservation and natural heritage — a rigorous, replicable method to date ancient trees, strengthening the case for protecting heritage trees and biodiversity.
Substantiation (data)
A ~700-year-old banyan in Munger, Bihar, radiocarbon-dated as India's oldest accurately dated banyan by a BSIP (DST) team led by Dr. Trina Bose, after developing a new method for ring-less tropical trees.
Exemplification
A concrete instance of high-precision dating overcoming the limits of dendrochronology in the tropics, and of scientific institutions (BSIP/DST) supporting state forest departments.
Problematisation
Ancient and heritage trees face threats from urbanisation, road-widening and neglect; without scientific dating and legal protection, their ecological and cultural value is easily lost.
Way-forward
Scale the dating protocol nationally, formalise 'heritage tree' protection, integrate ancient trees into biodiversity and green-cover strategies, and document keystone figs for conservation.
Position
Government/scientific stance: evidence-based methods should underpin the recognition and protection of India's natural and cultural heritage.
Deploys into: Biodiversity & conservation of natural heritage (GS3.14 conservation & pollution) · art, culture & natural heritage — the banyan's cultural significance and heritage-tree protection (GS1.1 art & culture) · scientific method in conservation (radiocarbon dating, DST institutions).
Ministry of Science & Technology · 2026-07-03 · PRID 2280710 · PIB source ↗