A banyan tree has dared to grow where humans dare not tread

Along the Working Boundary between Pakistani Punjab and Indian occupied Jammu, a banyan tree stands as a solitary reminder that no man-made divide can sever the deep ties that bind the two lands.

The unique tree has become a tourist attraction as it is the only point on the boundary where a tree instead of a traditional concrete pillar marks the division of the land.

It has grown enough in circumference and branch length to be in both places.

The interesting story of the tree has been shared by a young vlogger who was touring the area.

“When Partition took place fences were raised and big gates put up, along with a simple demarcation with bricks,” says Mahrosh Khan, in her video log posted on YouTube channel “Bipta”.

“This is the Sucheetgarh area in Sialkot where the road that goes to Jammu has been blockaded by a barrier. To the left and right of the barrier is a continuous line of bricks,” she goes on to explain.

She says that on the one side of the line of bricks is Pakistan and on the other side lies occupied Jammu.

Mahrosh goes on to tell viewers that the tree had been planted on the line of bricks and if one looks closely, the bricks have been swallowed up and are visible inside it, behind its thick trunk.

Before it grew as large as it is today, pillar number 918 stood in place of the tree, but the tree — seemingly disdainful of any divisions drawn up by men on pieces of paper — swallowed it up as it grew.

The jawaans guarding their respective outposts on both sides of the working boundary let the tree grow unhindered and today the tree stands testament that in the eyes of mother nature, the two lands are but one.