Over the course of the Big Tree Quest, Vata Foundation has documented 19 significant trees across Maharashtra, ranging from historic banyans and tamarinds to rare baobabs and tree groups. These trees are spread across urban pockets and rural stretches, some hiding in plain sight, others tucked into temple courtyards or royal dynastic grounds.
Age: ~100 years
Type: Ficus Benghalensis (Banyan)
Highlight: The tree is one of the most revered in Devrukh’s collective forest.
Beneath the wide Konkan skies, Devrukh’s verdant landscape is dotted with immense, old trees that have fueled local legends for generations. While none hold a formal price or official title, whispers of a “100 crore tree” evoke a blend of awe and pride. This tree is a symbol of the priceless green heritage of the region. Wanderers and villagers alike may gather under the sweeping boughs of ancient mango, banyan or peepal, sharing tales of rare trees that have stood watch through floods, droughts, and festivals. In truth, it is Devrukh’s collective forest. Its living lungs and leafy sentinels portray real fortune and are cherished for their beauty, shade and memory.
Age: ~400 years
Type: Ficus Benghalensis (Banyan)
Highlight: When highway construction led to 40% of the tree being cut, villagers organized a dharna that caught the attention of leaders like Aditya Thackeray.
Beside the Yellamma Temple in Bhose village, a 400-year-old banyan tree spreads its timeless shade along the Sangli-Nashik highway. When highway construction led to 40% of it being cut, villagers organized a dharna that caught the attention of leaders like Aditya Thackeray. The community’s efforts to save the tree prompted intervention at the state level, sparing this natural monument. Today, it continues to shelter those who gather beneath its branches, serving not only as a spiritual space but as a symbol of people-powered conservation.
Age: ~450 years
Type: Adansonia Digitata (African Baobab)
Highlight: The tree was planted by Portuguese settlers in the 16th century.
At the edge of bustling Bandra, Mumbai’s oldest baobab rises above fruit stalls and busy lanes, a silent witness to more than 450 years of the city’s pulse. Planted by Portuguese settlers in the 16th century, this colossal sight stands outside Bhabha Hospital, its smooth, grey trunk dwarfing the passersby and vendors who linger in its broad shade. Generations of locals have traded, sheltered and gathered under its boughs, even as Mumbai transformed from marshy village to megacity. Today, this baobab is more than just a tree. It’s a ‘green monument,’ a living chapter of the city’s story whose resilience and sheer size continue to awe visitors and residents alike.
Age: ~450 years
Type: Adansonia Digitata (African Baobab)
Highlight: One of the oldest trees in the University of Pune, the tree stores water for harsh periods.
Standing tall amidst the modern bustle of Pune, the baobab trees, sometimes called the “upside-down trees” for their root-like crowns, add a touch of ancient wonder to the city. The baobab beside the University of Pune’s main building is especially beloved, drawing the curious and botanically inclined. Its swollen trunk stores water for harsh times, while its smooth bark and unusual silhouette spark stories and awe among students, city-dwellers, and nature lovers. Over decades, these African natives have quietly woven themselves into Pune’s natural and cultural tapestry, serving as both living monuments and gathering spots for generations.
Age: ~150 years
Type: Erythrina Variegata (Indian Coral)
Highlight: The tree is visible from as far as Colaba.
Perched on Malabar Hill near Echo Point, Mumbai’s legendary Cora Cora Tree is often identified as a magnificent Indian Coral Tree. This natural marvel commands sweeping views across the bay, visible from as far as Colaba. Known for its vibrant, coral-red blossoms that light up the landscape each spring, this tree’s gnarled limbs and formidable size have made it the city’s arboreal celebrity. Locals and visitors alike are enchanted by its spectacle. This tree is a living beacon that has withstood the tests of city expansion, monsoons and changing times, reminding all who see it of nature’s artistry and resilience.
Age: ~200 years
Type: Tamarindus Indica (Tamarind)
Highlight: The tree provided shade and fruit to those passing through the forests for centuries.
Among the dense teak forests and bamboo groves of Tippeshwar Sanctuary, the Maregaon tamarind tree emerges as an unexpected landmark, a storied relic with roots deep in the rich black soil. Revered for its impressive girth and age, this tree likely provided shade and fruit to those passing through the forests for centuries. For many, its massive trunk and broad green crown serve as a reminder of the region’s ecological wealth, bridging the wild world of tigers and birds to the human history of Maregaon. The tamarind’s presence here is a quiet celebration of endurance and diversity in a rapidly changing environment.
Age: ~150 years
Type: Ficus Benghalensis (Banyan)
Highlight: The tree is believed to be the very spot where Lord Rama made his home during years of exile.
The Nashik Banyan trees of Panchvati are more than just botanical marvels. They are the city’s spiritual sentinels. Believed to be the very spot where Lord Rama made his home during years of exile, these five banyans have become a sanctuary for the faithful and curious alike. Their sprawling branches create a timeless canopy, echoing with the chants of devotees and the stories of ancient sages. For generations, these sacred trees have been the soulful focal point of pilgrimages, rituals and festivals, making them a living link between mythology, culture and community pride.
Age: ~300 years
Type: Plumeria Rubra (Temple Frangipani)
Highlight: One of the oldest trees in Pune, likely predating the 1749 Peshwa-era temple complex.
High atop Parvati Hill, in the tranquil garden between the Devdeveshwar Temple and the revered Peshwa Museum, grows the storied Chapha tree. A marvel said to predate even the temple itself. Thought to be more than three centuries old and among the city’s very oldest trees, its presence tells a tale of cross-continental journeys and cultural fusion. Portuguese sailors first brought White Frangipani to India, and here it rooted, quietly outlasting empires and rulers. Today, the tree stands graceful and tall, its fragrant white flowers scattered like blessings on the pathways of pilgrims and history-seekers. Permission from temple authorities is needed to visit, making an audience with this living relic all the more special.
Age: ~150 years
Type: Ficus Religiosa (Peepal)
Highlight: The tree endured more monsoons and dry spells than any other.
Amidst the sun-dappled fields and quiet lanes of Pandarkhawada, a venerable Peepal tree has watched over generations for more than a century and a half. Its broad, heart-shaped leaves whisper stories in the wind, and villagers often gather beneath its cooling shade to share news or pause for morning prayers. Though overlooked by most travelers, for locals this ancient Peepal is a silent guardian. Its strength is rooted not just in soil but in memory and tradition. It has endured more monsoons and dry spells than any resident and stands today as both a natural monument and spiritual refuge.
Age: ~100 years
Type: Ficus Religiosa (Peepal)
Highlight: Stories, prayers and life events have quietly unfolded beneath in the tree’s shade.
A venerable Peepal tree graces the banks of Ram Thirth Talaw in Chiplun, its broad canopy providing shade to pilgrims and wanderers alike. Though it may not wear an official heritage tag, the tree stands as a living symbol of continuity, where stories, prayers and life events have quietly unfolded beneath its heart-shaped leaves. For the people of Chiplun, this Peepal is a silent witness to countless dawn rituals, a shrine where generations pause to offer respect for health, harmony, and blessings. Its roots anchor not just the soil but the spiritual rhythms of the land.
Age: ~400 years
Type: Ficus Benghalensis (Rain Tree)
Highlight: The tree’s aerial roots are said to mirror the Jatas of Lord Shiva.
High on the coastal cliffs within the Ratnadurga Fort lies Shri Devi Bhagwati Mandir, a revered temple steeped in history. Beside its ancient stonework, a 400-year-old banyan tree stands the test of time. Its aerial roots are said to mirror the Jatas of Lord Shiva. The tree offers shade to pilgrims and a sense of timeless calm to visitors. The tree is embraced by the temple’s spiritual energy and coastal heritage, while its presence is felt in silence. Now recognized by the Vata Foundation as a heritage tree, it stands as a sacred emblem of faith, resilience and the coastal culture of Ratnagiri.
Age: ~100 years
Type: Albizia Saman (Rain Tree)
Highlight: The Vata Foundation has volunteered to translocate the tree and save it, if the NHAI grants approval.
Towering silently along a busy roadside in Sangameshwar stands a massive rain tree, an ecological anchor and home to hundreds of birds. Its expansive canopy has shaded countless travelers and echoed with the daily chorus of roosting flocks. Now threatened by a flyover project, the tree is days away from being lost. The Vata Foundation has volunteered to translocate and save it, if the NHAI grants approval. This rain tree, once unnoticed in its quiet duty, is now at the center of a growing call for conservation.
Age: ~400 years
Type: Ficus Carica (Fig)
Highlight: Unlisted in official records, locals believe the tree is watched over generations of prayer and pilgrimage.
Tucked beside the ancient stones of Kolhapur’s Laxmi Devi Temple stands a 400-year-old sacred fig tree, its age unwritten yet its presence deeply felt. Locals believe it’s watched over generations of prayer and pilgrimage. Unlisted in official records, the tree remains a quiet cornerstone of spiritual life where sacred threads meet rustling leaves, and everyday faith finds living roots. It’s not just a tree. It’s part of Kolhapur’s spiritual pulse.
Age: ~100 years
Type: Terminalia Bellirica (Beleric)
Highlight: The tree grooves were spared from the axe for generations by the village’s reverence.
In the lush, rain-soaked hills of Chiplun in Konkan, ancient trees stand sentinel within Devrai, sacred groves that dot the landscape like emerald islands. These venerable trees, spared from the axe for generations by the village’s reverence, soar above the forest floor, their canopies sheltering diverse fauna. Locals see them as the guardians of both spirit and stream: their roots holding the earth together, their presence believed to call the rains and replenish the water table. Here, the forest is not just wilderness. It is ancestry, a living temple where faith and ecology entwine in quiet resilience.
Age: ~200 years
Type: Mangifera Indica (Mango)
Highlight: Shri Swami Samarth once meditated beneath the tree’s canopy.
Nestled within the grounds of Siddeshwar Temple in Akkalkot stands a 200-year-old mango tree, believed to have been planted during the early years of the shrine’s sanctification. Towering above the temple courtyard, its branches stretch wide, offering shade to pilgrims and visitors alike. It is said that Shri Swami Samarth once meditated beneath its canopy, infusing it with spiritual reverence. Still bearing fruit and untouched by time, the tree continues to be a quiet witness to prayer, devotion and the temple’s enduring legacy as a space where nature and faith intertwine.
Age: ~300 years
Type: Bombax Ceiba (Silk Cotton
Highlight: The tree is steeped in symbolism with lord Vishnu, representing fertility, protection and divine resilience.
In the serene village of Shirsangi in Kolhapur district, a towering silk-cotton tree with its delicate blossoms and monumental trunk. A seasonal spectacle in early spring, the tree offers not only visual delight but also ecological value. The tree is steeped in symbolism with lord Vishnu, representing fertility, protection and divine resilience. The Vata Foundation recognizes this natural marvel as part of Maharashtra’s living heritage, safeguarding its place in local ecology and tradition.
Age: ~400 years
Type: Ficus Benghalensis (Banyan)
Highlight: One of the largest trees in India, it spreads its arms across more than 3 acres.
Tucked away in the quiet village of Pemgiri near Sangamner, the Pemgiri Banyan spreads its arms across more than 3 acres, making it the undisputed giant of Maharashtra’s tree heritage. This remarkable tree is not just one of the largest in India. It’s a world of its own, with countless trunks and aerial roots forming a labyrinth of green. Locals regard the banyan as both a monument and marvel, a place where children play, pilgrims pray, and the community finds respite from the sun. At its heart lies a small temple, and nearby, age-old traditions continue under its ever-growing shade, reminding every visitor of the centuries of life and history its branches have quietly sheltered.
Age: ~150 years
Type: Ficus Carica (Fig)
Highlight: The tree is believed to shelter Sant Tukaram Maharaj during his final moments before attaining samadhi.
In the temple town of Dehu, near Pune, devotees gather each year under an old, revered fig tree, believed to shelter Sant Tukaram Maharaj during his final moments before attaining samadhi. According to tradition, it was in the shade of this very tree that Tukaram Maharaj recited the name of Vithoba and bid farewell, surrounded by villagers and his family. During the annual Tukaram Beej festival, devotees come in throngs to offer prayers at the base of this tree. It is believed by many that on this auspicious day, the tree itself moves infinitesimally, a mystical sign of divine presence. Marked by reverence, stories and annual gatherings, this tree is a spiritual heritage landmark, woven deep into the fabric of Pune’s devotional landscape.
Age: ~190 years
Type: Ficus Religiosa (Peepal)
Highlight: Umaji Naik was hanged to the tree in 1832, his martyrdom intended to frighten but instead inspire generations.
In the bustling heart of Pune’s Shukrawar Peth stands a peepal tree with a story etched into every limb, a story of rebellion, sorrow, and everlasting courage. It was here, in the shadow of Mamledar Kacheri, that Umaji Naik was hanged in 1832, his martyrdom intended to frighten but instead inspire generations. A Marathi signboard tells his tale; each year, on his death anniversary, mourners and admirers gather at the small memorial at its roots, the air thick with incense and reverence. The old prison nearby may serve mundane uses today, but the peepal tree continues to be a living witness. This natural giant is revered, remembered, never forgotten.