A fresh “imli” (tamarind) sapling has been planted at the site in front of the Akal Takht where a historic tamarind tree was destroyed during Operation Bluestar in 1984.
This marks another attempt to revive the symbolic tree after the previous one failed. After the reconstruction of the Akal Takht building by the Damdami Taksal in 1998, a tamarind sapling was first planted around 2000.
From 2009 to 2013, Dr Narinderpal Singh from the Farmer Advisory Service Centre looked after it. Later, fruit science experts from Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) also attempted to preserve it, but the efforts failed. The plant finally dried up during the winter of 2023.
Attempts to replant a sapling at the same site have continued. Two months ago, under the guidance of PAU experts, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) planted a new sapling at the site.
Bhagwant Singh, manager of Sri Darbar Sahib, said since 2005, the sapling planted earlier became unstable and its condition would deteriorate during the winter. “Despite assistance from the PAU, the plant struggled to adapt to the soil and climate. Though it showed promise between 2017 and 2020, it succumbed to prolonged frost in the winter of 2023,” said the manager.
Source: tribuneindia.com