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Cities and Canopies: Trees in Indian Cities
Native and imported, sacred and ordinary, culinary and floral, favourites of various kings and commoners over the centuries, trees are the most visible signs of nature in cities, fundamentally shaping their identities. Trees are storehouses of the complex origins and histories of city growth, coming as they do from different parts of the world, brought in by various local and colonial rulers.
From the tree planted by Sarojini Naidu at Dehradun's clock tower to those planted by Sher Shah Suri and Jahangir on Grand Trunk Road, trees in India have served, above all, as memory keepers. They are our roots: their trunks our pillars, their bark our texture, and their branches our shade. Trees are nature's own museums.
Drawing on extensive research, Cities and Canopies is a book about both the specific and the general aspects of these gentle life-giving creatures.
From the tree planted by Sarojini Naidu at Dehradun's clock tower to those planted by Sher Shah Suri and Jahangir on Grand Trunk Road, trees in India have served, above all, as memory keepers. They are our roots: their trunks our pillars, their bark our texture, and their branches our shade. Trees are nature's own museums.
Drawing on extensive research, Cities and Canopies is a book about both the specific and the general aspects of these gentle life-giving creatures.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published May 15, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
June 4, 2019
This book introduces you to the world of trees found in the Indian landscape. It is a treasure trove of historical, mythological and factual information on commonly found trees. There are also assorted recipes and cooking instructions included. Some of the trees that we see daily and presume to be Indian like the Coconut tree, Tamarind and Eucalyptus have migrated to this country from places as diverse as Malaysia, Africa and Australia. Trees are classified into native , exotic and invasive . I came across this shrub called Mesquite in the book . I did a youtube search on Mesquite and found that this was the same tree found outside our housing colony on my way to school during my early school days. This is a common shrub in rural Andhra and Tamil nadu but is native to Mexico. It migrated from Mexico to Australia where it ate up a lot of space and was termed as an invasive species. Someone brought it to India.
The book describes the role of our rajahs, Mughals and the British in shaping Indian horticulture. It is a good summer read, preferably read under the shade of a large mango tree or a peepul tree.
The book describes the role of our rajahs, Mughals and the British in shaping Indian horticulture. It is a good summer read, preferably read under the shade of a large mango tree or a peepul tree.
September 20, 2021
“Our ancient cities were built around nature, by improving it. Today, the wealthier we get, the more we move into settings that are disconnected from nature” says Harini Nagendra, one of the authors of the book. The book is a combination of recipes, poetry, folk tales, and history and tells about the healing qualities of the trees which are mostly found in the city. We meet the birds and the small animals that make these trees their home. The books took me down the memory lane as I learned many facts about the trees I’ve grown up watching and a few times climbing. The view of the authors treating the trees mostly as an object of decoration or something that can be useful to human in different forms really does not show their appreciation for the trees. Also, by leaving out the religious facts and adding a few more scientific ones would have made this book more interesting to a person like me. The illustrations by Alisha Dutt Islam are quite remarkable.
October 23, 2020
A fun and informative book with details of not just the trees of Indian cities but with lots of childhood memories, historic events, poems and recipes interleaved! Reading this book feels like talking with fellow nature loving friends. Although it is an easy read, it is well researched and has been written by authors who are expert ecologists and researchers in this area. I throughly enjoyed reading this book and came to know of many interesting facts which I wasn’t aware of.
Some of the most common trees like banyan, peepul, tamarind, palm among others are covered. Apart from the usual facts, there are references to different events which happened in context of trees, references of some of these trees which can be found in our scriptures, how they have evolved over time to become part of the system, poems written by some famous poets around trees and also fun dishes which can be made using parts of these trees.
Along with trees, overall ecosystem around the trees is also discussed. From birds and insects which reside on trees, the effect of trees on environment, how tree plantations and grooves were protected by the commons in the past, movements to save trees, positive effects of having trees around to medicinal properties of parts of trees, everything is are covered.
This book also took me down the memory lane. While reading the authors’ stories of games played around trees I was reminded of the great times I had with friends around trees. From climbing trees and riding it as ships, playing hide and seek among trees, collecting raw mangos and guavas, collecting caps of eucalyptus flowers and many more memories.
This broad perspective with respect to trees makes us aware and ponder on trees around us. It highlights how important and urgent it is to have trees specially in the concrete jungles of cities. I’ll definitely be more cognizant of trees in my future walks. Almost everyone likes trees, but this book can rekindle our love for trees and a green surrounding in general! Hoping for a second part of this book covering more trees (specially mango tree) and more stories and events around trees!
Some of the most common trees like banyan, peepul, tamarind, palm among others are covered. Apart from the usual facts, there are references to different events which happened in context of trees, references of some of these trees which can be found in our scriptures, how they have evolved over time to become part of the system, poems written by some famous poets around trees and also fun dishes which can be made using parts of these trees.
Along with trees, overall ecosystem around the trees is also discussed. From birds and insects which reside on trees, the effect of trees on environment, how tree plantations and grooves were protected by the commons in the past, movements to save trees, positive effects of having trees around to medicinal properties of parts of trees, everything is are covered.
This book also took me down the memory lane. While reading the authors’ stories of games played around trees I was reminded of the great times I had with friends around trees. From climbing trees and riding it as ships, playing hide and seek among trees, collecting raw mangos and guavas, collecting caps of eucalyptus flowers and many more memories.
This broad perspective with respect to trees makes us aware and ponder on trees around us. It highlights how important and urgent it is to have trees specially in the concrete jungles of cities. I’ll definitely be more cognizant of trees in my future walks. Almost everyone likes trees, but this book can rekindle our love for trees and a green surrounding in general! Hoping for a second part of this book covering more trees (specially mango tree) and more stories and events around trees!
March 8, 2021
I'd say this book is now one of my favourite non-fiction books that I would love to revisit from time to time. It is an easy and fun read, and I loved the writing style that takes readers beyond dry botany facts and instead, shares information with the aid of stories and anecdotes interspersed with recipes, poetry and do-it- yourself tips involving trees. I learnt so much about common trees in our cities that I did not know about, and about the multi-faceted relationships between trees and cities that we often don't pause to think about. I've always loved trees and going on nature trails, and this book was a perfect fit for me. My only complaint about the book is that I wanted more of it! I am sure that even those not really interested in the subject matter will enjoy the book, learn something from it and won't look at plants the same way again.
January 11, 2020
Cities and Canopies brings nature to the spotlight, and trees in India. It's a non fiction book, but it's does not read like a text book. There are few recipes, interesting observations like shapes of seeds, old poems, importance of the tree, history, some interesting usage of the tree parts etc. I found it informative, and the illustrations to add to the beauty. Non-fiction is not a genre I dive into that often, but this is a book I would dive into once again! :)
November 7, 2020
"Cities and Canopies" deals with a very unusual subject - The trees around us in India. As one really interested in this subject, I found it very informative. The authors have supported their writing with a lot of scientific study. They have also included ancient stories and references which make it very interesting They also mention tres from around the world. They have included details of birds and insects which find a home in trees.
The book is very readable in parts, sometimes it tends to meander and lose itself as a research paper. My greatest grouse is the absence of pictures. A book about trees with no pictures of trees? Unpardonable!
The book is very readable in parts, sometimes it tends to meander and lose itself as a research paper. My greatest grouse is the absence of pictures. A book about trees with no pictures of trees? Unpardonable!
March 29, 2021
This book is about trees commonly found in Indian cities and how they have and continue to impact aspects of the ecology and society. It reads like a fact book sprinkled with some myths, recipes and stories. Each chapter reads like an independent essay.
It is a very informative book however I felt like the stories within each could have been more compelling. It would also have been an easier read if there were pictures or illustrations along with the tree descriptions.
It is a very informative book however I felt like the stories within each could have been more compelling. It would also have been an easier read if there were pictures or illustrations along with the tree descriptions.
May 24, 2023
This is a great book to get introduced to the world of trees and their ecosystem services. Especially useful because of the local context, you can gain greater appreciation for the trees around you if you are in India.
August 2, 2024
An extremely important book.
September 10, 2020
The authors of ‘Cities and Canopies - Trees in Indian Cities’, Harini Nagendra and Seema Mundoli, describe their book as “an idiosyncratic account, featuring some of our favourites”. I found it engaging, a charming gentle read. It felt like the writers were having a pleasant conversation with me. That’s deceptive though, for this is a well-researched book written by experts who clearly love what they do – which is to make it all simple and fun for lay people like me.
Thimmamma Marrimmanu is a 600-year-old Banyan tree spread over 19,000 square metres in Andhra Pradesh and believed to be the largest in the world. The ubiquitous tamarind and coconut trees are not native to India but imports from foreign lands that have naturalised over centuries. The Peepal and the Banyan, both considered sacred, are cousins. These beauties also grow as epiphytes on other trees, and (the horrors!) can surround and strangle their host tree. The book has many such fascinating facts about trees I see every day. I loved that the wide canopied Raintree is called “Thoongumoonji maram” (sleepy-face tree) in Tamil because its leaves droop and face sideways at night. I never knew that the gorgeous Golden Amaltas, which have for years adorned our “Vishu Kanni” (Tamil/Kerala new year), are clever pollination strategists that trick bees into carrying way more pollen on their backs than they know!
The book nudged me to do fun things. Reading about the Jamun tree, I promptly bought Jamuns to eat. These days during morning walks I peer up into the canopy of the large Peepal tree looking for figs or sometimes stop to gaze at the ‘Katte’, the raised platform built around it, imagining rural folks sitting there in the shade enjoying a leisurely chat. The book tells you about locations where a Baobab or Mulberry or Banyan stands as a marker of historical events and heritage. Poetry, quotes from mythology and scriptures, history, riddles, games and recipes, descriptions of quaint customs (Peepal being married to the Neem), recounting hilarious experiments like the one to test if neem seeds from chicken droppings germinated well, but then the chickens ‘turned up their beaks in scorn!”– all these make the book a delightful read.
The arrangement of content adds to the reading pleasure. Chapters alternate between narrations about particular trees and narratives on related themes. The themes range from biodiversity harboured by urban trees to the native vs exotic debates to trees communicating with each other and much more. Sketches, aesthetic and elegant, mark the beginning of every chapter. I managed to get a bunch of these that were printed as postcards, which I now use as bookmarks. “All creatures great and small”, “Drumroll for the drumstick”, “An inordinate fondness for trees” ………. these (and others) are imaginatively coined chapter titles.
The affectionate, even indulgent, tone of the book underpins the authors’ passionate commitment to the conservation of trees which is critical to halt the extraordinary pressure on the ecology today.
A book to treasure!
Thimmamma Marrimmanu is a 600-year-old Banyan tree spread over 19,000 square metres in Andhra Pradesh and believed to be the largest in the world. The ubiquitous tamarind and coconut trees are not native to India but imports from foreign lands that have naturalised over centuries. The Peepal and the Banyan, both considered sacred, are cousins. These beauties also grow as epiphytes on other trees, and (the horrors!) can surround and strangle their host tree. The book has many such fascinating facts about trees I see every day. I loved that the wide canopied Raintree is called “Thoongumoonji maram” (sleepy-face tree) in Tamil because its leaves droop and face sideways at night. I never knew that the gorgeous Golden Amaltas, which have for years adorned our “Vishu Kanni” (Tamil/Kerala new year), are clever pollination strategists that trick bees into carrying way more pollen on their backs than they know!
The book nudged me to do fun things. Reading about the Jamun tree, I promptly bought Jamuns to eat. These days during morning walks I peer up into the canopy of the large Peepal tree looking for figs or sometimes stop to gaze at the ‘Katte’, the raised platform built around it, imagining rural folks sitting there in the shade enjoying a leisurely chat. The book tells you about locations where a Baobab or Mulberry or Banyan stands as a marker of historical events and heritage. Poetry, quotes from mythology and scriptures, history, riddles, games and recipes, descriptions of quaint customs (Peepal being married to the Neem), recounting hilarious experiments like the one to test if neem seeds from chicken droppings germinated well, but then the chickens ‘turned up their beaks in scorn!”– all these make the book a delightful read.
The arrangement of content adds to the reading pleasure. Chapters alternate between narrations about particular trees and narratives on related themes. The themes range from biodiversity harboured by urban trees to the native vs exotic debates to trees communicating with each other and much more. Sketches, aesthetic and elegant, mark the beginning of every chapter. I managed to get a bunch of these that were printed as postcards, which I now use as bookmarks. “All creatures great and small”, “Drumroll for the drumstick”, “An inordinate fondness for trees” ………. these (and others) are imaginatively coined chapter titles.
The affectionate, even indulgent, tone of the book underpins the authors’ passionate commitment to the conservation of trees which is critical to halt the extraordinary pressure on the ecology today.
A book to treasure!
July 9, 2019
Cities and Canopies is a beautiful, short book with lovely anecdotes and nuggets about trees, their values, and their central place in Indian cities and cultures.
The chapters on specific trees were lovely to read and I learnt so much despite having studied botany. How amaltas (laburnum) flowers use exquisite acrobatics to pollinate, how pregnant wasps tunnel their way into unripe banyan fruits often breaking their wings on the way, how the name tamarind comes from tamar-i-hind (date of India).
Written by two nature lovers, the book is a quick read but can be savoured long afterwards... Every time you see a tree in an Indian city, bits of the book will come to you.
The chapters on specific trees were lovely to read and I learnt so much despite having studied botany. How amaltas (laburnum) flowers use exquisite acrobatics to pollinate, how pregnant wasps tunnel their way into unripe banyan fruits often breaking their wings on the way, how the name tamarind comes from tamar-i-hind (date of India).
Written by two nature lovers, the book is a quick read but can be savoured long afterwards... Every time you see a tree in an Indian city, bits of the book will come to you.
July 3, 2019
This is such a delightful book that I didn't wish it to end. I wish Harini had written about other common trees of India too since there are so many of them. Maybe we could get a second part? ;) But, that's just my inner thick-book-lover speaking. Not that I'm complaining, it is a great book! It's beautifully written and well-researched, with equal measures of scientific, religious, cultural and mythological significance of certain trees. I loved this book a lot and I wish more Indian authors wrote about the natural history of India.
September 4, 2019
A lovely lovely book and perhaps a pioneering one in India. Although there are tons of nature books , most are based on locales/ecosystems far removed from our own. So this book was a pleasant surprise.
The cover art of a banyan tree complete with it's attractive red fruit, enticed me in. Banyan being my favorite tree, I absolutely had to read this book! I thought I knew a fair bit about Indian trees, but happily enough, I got to learn loads of new things such as -
> Tamarind tree is not native to India!!!!
> Neither is the coconut!!!!!!!!!
> The red bead-like seed that adorns many a sidewalk in India belongs to the red sandalwood!
> The flowers of the Amaltas can be cooked into Pakoras!
> The tree, out of whose pods we used to make balls as children is called the Rain tree! We used to call it the cork tree.
Along with all this, there are loads of recipes, game and craft ideas and more.
I would recommend this book especially to city children and parents - as a project / activity book for the summer holidays!
The one grouse I have about the book is that it sometimes seems shy of having an opinion. For instance, it says that many people do not like having trees in cities, or that certain trees like Jamun are not preferred by many people. However I'd have expected the book to be 100% pro-trees. It seems like they are, just sort of shy of voicing it out.
Also some gender roles are stereotyped. Women foraging for fruits/produce from trees while men chilling/talking under trees. I understand that it may be the status quo in villages, it just annoyed me how those few things were described.
The cover art of a banyan tree complete with it's attractive red fruit, enticed me in. Banyan being my favorite tree, I absolutely had to read this book! I thought I knew a fair bit about Indian trees, but happily enough, I got to learn loads of new things such as -
> Tamarind tree is not native to India!!!!
> Neither is the coconut!!!!!!!!!
> The red bead-like seed that adorns many a sidewalk in India belongs to the red sandalwood!
> The flowers of the Amaltas can be cooked into Pakoras!
> The tree, out of whose pods we used to make balls as children is called the Rain tree! We used to call it the cork tree.
Along with all this, there are loads of recipes, game and craft ideas and more.
I would recommend this book especially to city children and parents - as a project / activity book for the summer holidays!
The one grouse I have about the book is that it sometimes seems shy of having an opinion. For instance, it says that many people do not like having trees in cities, or that certain trees like Jamun are not preferred by many people. However I'd have expected the book to be 100% pro-trees. It seems like they are, just sort of shy of voicing it out.
Also some gender roles are stereotyped. Women foraging for fruits/produce from trees while men chilling/talking under trees. I understand that it may be the status quo in villages, it just annoyed me how those few things were described.
August 21, 2023
Someone once asked me what I see in a tree, and I replied, "History." Trees have always fascinated me. They’ve stood their ground and watched kingdoms rise and fall, governments win and lose, and people live and die while observing in silence. They're genuinely time travelers, just very quiet ones.
“Cities and Canopies" by Harini Nagendra and Seema Mundoli is an ode to Indian trees. Not only do Harini and Seema provide information about the history behind certain trees like the Coconut, Neem, Banyan, and Tamarind, but they also explain their cultural significance and medicinal value, while delving into how deeply rooted they are in traditional customs.
Harini and Seema also share tree idioms and proverbs in several Indian languages including Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada, Marathi, and Konkani. It was also wonderful to read about how kings and rulers have contributed to the planting of so many trees, the fruits and leaves of which have found their way into our cuisines, language and lives. My only complaint is that I wish the writers had covered the Ashoka and Jackfruit trees. But hey, maybe they will in Part 2. Fingers crossed for a second installment of "Cities and Canopies." 4/5 ✨
“Cities and Canopies" by Harini Nagendra and Seema Mundoli is an ode to Indian trees. Not only do Harini and Seema provide information about the history behind certain trees like the Coconut, Neem, Banyan, and Tamarind, but they also explain their cultural significance and medicinal value, while delving into how deeply rooted they are in traditional customs.
Harini and Seema also share tree idioms and proverbs in several Indian languages including Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada, Marathi, and Konkani. It was also wonderful to read about how kings and rulers have contributed to the planting of so many trees, the fruits and leaves of which have found their way into our cuisines, language and lives. My only complaint is that I wish the writers had covered the Ashoka and Jackfruit trees. But hey, maybe they will in Part 2. Fingers crossed for a second installment of "Cities and Canopies." 4/5 ✨
January 12, 2023
I would say 3.5 stars.
I was in the Blr Lit Fest in Dec 2022 listening to Harini Nagendra talk about her book The Bangalore Detectives Club. I meant to pick it up but saw this non fiction authored by her. As a treehugger, it was only natural that I was drawn to it.
Seasoned with trivia and myths, this is a non fiction that doesn't weigh you down. It is easy, simple, relatable and straight from the heart. A lot of the interesting stories that we have heard our grandma tell us strums back as we leaf through this short book.
I enjoyed the chapters on Drumstick, Neem, Gulmohar, Banyan. Mind you, the book also has its fair share of recipes and home remedies. So, why only three stars? Some of the facts were repetitive and the chapters about keeping trees safe could have been more interesting.
All in all, I enjoyed this short book on trees. This also is my first book for the year and I am so glad that I started out with a non fiction about the green friends.
This book is worth a shot. Go on. Dig in.
I was in the Blr Lit Fest in Dec 2022 listening to Harini Nagendra talk about her book The Bangalore Detectives Club. I meant to pick it up but saw this non fiction authored by her. As a treehugger, it was only natural that I was drawn to it.
Seasoned with trivia and myths, this is a non fiction that doesn't weigh you down. It is easy, simple, relatable and straight from the heart. A lot of the interesting stories that we have heard our grandma tell us strums back as we leaf through this short book.
I enjoyed the chapters on Drumstick, Neem, Gulmohar, Banyan. Mind you, the book also has its fair share of recipes and home remedies. So, why only three stars? Some of the facts were repetitive and the chapters about keeping trees safe could have been more interesting.
All in all, I enjoyed this short book on trees. This also is my first book for the year and I am so glad that I started out with a non fiction about the green friends.
This book is worth a shot. Go on. Dig in.
July 7, 2019
There are some books that you come across and don’t ever want them to end. This is one such book which a travelogue of Indian trees that lets you live in their soul, dive deep into their soul and enjoy uncommon tales of some common trees of India!
A treasure and must keep for any tree and nature lover. One of the most interesting non fiction ever written. Wish there is a sequel releasing soon!
A treasure and must keep for any tree and nature lover. One of the most interesting non fiction ever written. Wish there is a sequel releasing soon!
November 9, 2019
A simple, pleasant read on various trees that we come across on a daily basis - decreasingly so - in our day to day lives, but pay very little attention to.
If you love trees, you will love this book. Period.
If you love trees, you will love this book. Period.
January 21, 2020
This book should be one of the eye openers to this generation... Which have lost the beauty and simplicity of trees around them... If you really take the time to appreciate the content then you'll realise the full intent of the book and the importance of canopies... Great read...
August 4, 2024
Lovely book, wish it had color photographs alongside the sketches.
April 3, 2022
You would start analyzing your surroundings a little differently. A tingle to learn the history behind that big childhood mango tree has been sparkled. A great book for tree lovers and novice enthusiasts.
February 28, 2020
This is a nonfiction book , but does not read as a text book the writers have done an extensive research and written this book with basic love for trees the green treasure. It gives us the insight into tress of India, some which are local and some that have migrated here to India i was surprised to know that trees we grew up with are not of Indian soil like Coconut, Tamarind,Eucalyptus, we are so used to these trees its unbelievable that they were brought to India. There is a lot you can learn, with some folk tales , medicinal values few recipes,games . Its written by two Nature Lovers and every time you see a tree in the Indian skyline this books bits and pieces will pop up in your mind. Though i read it on the Kindle edition what cuaght my attention is the cover page, the illustration are alluring with the banyan tree and its tiny red fruits. Banyan tree is also one of my favourite tree. I found the book written in simply language and informative, though non-fiction is not my genre i will dive back to this book whenever my thoughts turn to nature.
September 22, 2019
Delightful book about trees in Indian cities that is marked by a few frustrations, making it a slow read:
* Trees are sometimes introduced by their scientific name and sometimes by common name. For instance, what is a "rain tree"? Any large tree from a rain forest, or a specific tree that is known by this generic name?
* No illustrations of what the flowers and leaves look like. I had to Google them, which was sometimes tricky when only the common name was used.
* Descriptions switch from folklore to science without warning. That means I can't quote from this book without looking up the reference first.
But these quibbles aside, this was truly delightful. I've marked out several of the famous trees referred to in this book, for visiting in person whenever I'm in those neighbourhoods.
* Trees are sometimes introduced by their scientific name and sometimes by common name. For instance, what is a "rain tree"? Any large tree from a rain forest, or a specific tree that is known by this generic name?
* No illustrations of what the flowers and leaves look like. I had to Google them, which was sometimes tricky when only the common name was used.
* Descriptions switch from folklore to science without warning. That means I can't quote from this book without looking up the reference first.
But these quibbles aside, this was truly delightful. I've marked out several of the famous trees referred to in this book, for visiting in person whenever I'm in those neighbourhoods.
November 23, 2023
I got this while in Delhi, hoping for a fun intro to the flora of India (and happy that it was written by two women!). I did not find it very engaging or informative, however. There were no sketches or photos to help identify the trees they wrote about, and the chapters were simply strung-together anecdotes with no thread to hold them together.
March 14, 2023
Winner of Publishing Next’s Printed Book of the Year Award and featuring on the Green Literature Festival Honour List.
I was not very botanically sound when I first came to Bangalore. Bombay does have trees, but Bangalore's canopies and dense vegetation is not as frequent in Bombay. Plus Bombay had me bustling a lot, with trauma up the neck, no respite in sight. So nature had no time allocated. But Bangalore made me a person I never thought I would be. I am more at home here than I ever was 32 years of my life. And hence, nature now seems like a personal cause. As personal as feminism. The vastness of it is beyond my grasp though. No matter the books I read, the names I remember, the seeds I plant, the cuttings I steal, the plants I grow, the insects I protect, the flowers I preserve.
I heard of Cities and Canopies first when Sunila tai recommended it, either in one of her posts, or in a comment on mine. The cover illustration struck a chord. It is gorgeous. I had to immediately buy it. It was lying on my shelf unattended for a long time until last week I decided to read the first chapter at least. And I have since read certain chapters multiple times, have marked and noted several passages, have listed down names of trees/fruits/barks/flowers/insects/animals to google, have jotted pointers on which trees and leaves and flowers can be used for art, have been absolutely awed at the depth of history some trees might have witnessed, and have marked the trees I would like to go check out & perhaps hug.
Extensively researched, lucidly written despite the enormity of the topic, this book offers essays on various trees found in India, their significance, medicinal uses, evolutionary aspects, pollination, history and their culinary uses. It has stunning illustrations and some chapters end with mouth-watering recipes. Some of the trees mentioned exhaustively are Banyan, Jamun, Palms, Firangipanis, Tamarind, Mangoes, Drumstick, Silk Cotton, Amaltas, Neem, Peepul, Eucalyptus. The essays also include the religious significance of trees, the evolution the trees have underwent as per the pest, soil, weather situations. There is a brief discussion on the communication between trees through pheromones and fungal networks including their communication with animals. The book also touches the subject of exotic, invasive and naturalized trees/plants and their individual understanding and pros and cons. It also offers a glimpse of the various kings, queens, politicians, invaders, writers who planted trees, built folklores around it, built entire festivals around the trees.
Also as is apparent there is a discussion on urbanization and the need for trees to sustain humanity in the long run, and a plea to people to start talking about it soon before we leave only dust for our children. In that the book offers a place to begin.
I personally have several chapters to re-read. There is just so much to remember in this world, sometimes I really wish I had an eidetic memory like Shelly Cooper. But Sarath says such memory will be death of people with trauma, which is a fair point. In a nutshell, you begin with this book and then go on to read more detailed pieces of each tree, do your own research, look around you with a renewed awe and hope that at least in your own small ways you leave world a slightly better place than you found.
I was not very botanically sound when I first came to Bangalore. Bombay does have trees, but Bangalore's canopies and dense vegetation is not as frequent in Bombay. Plus Bombay had me bustling a lot, with trauma up the neck, no respite in sight. So nature had no time allocated. But Bangalore made me a person I never thought I would be. I am more at home here than I ever was 32 years of my life. And hence, nature now seems like a personal cause. As personal as feminism. The vastness of it is beyond my grasp though. No matter the books I read, the names I remember, the seeds I plant, the cuttings I steal, the plants I grow, the insects I protect, the flowers I preserve.
I heard of Cities and Canopies first when Sunila tai recommended it, either in one of her posts, or in a comment on mine. The cover illustration struck a chord. It is gorgeous. I had to immediately buy it. It was lying on my shelf unattended for a long time until last week I decided to read the first chapter at least. And I have since read certain chapters multiple times, have marked and noted several passages, have listed down names of trees/fruits/barks/flowers/insects/animals to google, have jotted pointers on which trees and leaves and flowers can be used for art, have been absolutely awed at the depth of history some trees might have witnessed, and have marked the trees I would like to go check out & perhaps hug.
Extensively researched, lucidly written despite the enormity of the topic, this book offers essays on various trees found in India, their significance, medicinal uses, evolutionary aspects, pollination, history and their culinary uses. It has stunning illustrations and some chapters end with mouth-watering recipes. Some of the trees mentioned exhaustively are Banyan, Jamun, Palms, Firangipanis, Tamarind, Mangoes, Drumstick, Silk Cotton, Amaltas, Neem, Peepul, Eucalyptus. The essays also include the religious significance of trees, the evolution the trees have underwent as per the pest, soil, weather situations. There is a brief discussion on the communication between trees through pheromones and fungal networks including their communication with animals. The book also touches the subject of exotic, invasive and naturalized trees/plants and their individual understanding and pros and cons. It also offers a glimpse of the various kings, queens, politicians, invaders, writers who planted trees, built folklores around it, built entire festivals around the trees.
Also as is apparent there is a discussion on urbanization and the need for trees to sustain humanity in the long run, and a plea to people to start talking about it soon before we leave only dust for our children. In that the book offers a place to begin.
I personally have several chapters to re-read. There is just so much to remember in this world, sometimes I really wish I had an eidetic memory like Shelly Cooper. But Sarath says such memory will be death of people with trauma, which is a fair point. In a nutshell, you begin with this book and then go on to read more detailed pieces of each tree, do your own research, look around you with a renewed awe and hope that at least in your own small ways you leave world a slightly better place than you found.
July 7, 2025
Hooter: Know Thy Neighbour(hood Trees), Love Thy Neighbour(hood Trees)
A brave topic and an interesting attempt to explore it- learning about local trees, their cultural significance, medicinal uses, and origin stories. The book captures numerous anecdotes about trees in our neighbourhoods, making for a fun and enlightening read. That said, it occasionally veers into academic territory, and the lack of visuals leaves it feeling somewhat incomplete. Including images of trees and leaves could have made it more interactive- even turning it into an activity to engage broader audiences, which seems to have been the book’s original intent.
Having read Nature in the City, I had set my expectations higher for this one. Still, it has its moments- from banyan trees capturing the imagination of even Ancient Greeks, with Alexander the Great’s army awestruck by their sheer presence, to the iconic banyan trees in almost every Indian city today, silent witnesses to history- if only we could speak their language, or they ours.
Eucalyptus gets notable attention as an exotic alien that has made India its home over the past century. The aesthetic palm tree appears too- courtesy of Silicon Valley vibes, and little else.
Trees like peepuls, neems, jamuns, and drumsticks all make an appearance. Yet at times, the narrative feels like it’s checking boxes rather than delving into the rich background stories each of them holds. I give it a 3- for taking on such a unique and deserving topic in a world where local varieties are fast disappearing in a globalised landscape.
A brave topic and an interesting attempt to explore it- learning about local trees, their cultural significance, medicinal uses, and origin stories. The book captures numerous anecdotes about trees in our neighbourhoods, making for a fun and enlightening read. That said, it occasionally veers into academic territory, and the lack of visuals leaves it feeling somewhat incomplete. Including images of trees and leaves could have made it more interactive- even turning it into an activity to engage broader audiences, which seems to have been the book’s original intent.
Having read Nature in the City, I had set my expectations higher for this one. Still, it has its moments- from banyan trees capturing the imagination of even Ancient Greeks, with Alexander the Great’s army awestruck by their sheer presence, to the iconic banyan trees in almost every Indian city today, silent witnesses to history- if only we could speak their language, or they ours.
Eucalyptus gets notable attention as an exotic alien that has made India its home over the past century. The aesthetic palm tree appears too- courtesy of Silicon Valley vibes, and little else.
Trees like peepuls, neems, jamuns, and drumsticks all make an appearance. Yet at times, the narrative feels like it’s checking boxes rather than delving into the rich background stories each of them holds. I give it a 3- for taking on such a unique and deserving topic in a world where local varieties are fast disappearing in a globalised landscape.
July 30, 2024
I would not have picked up this book, so much out of my usual comfort genres of fictions or non fiction biographies, if not for the fiction + non fiction 2024 reading challenge that I am a part of (https://abookwormsmusing.wordpress.co...) But I am glad I did. This is a great book, which brings back a lot of childhood folk tales, legends, memories all in the runup to talking about trees and nature in the most non-boring way possible. It makes the read interesting and does not feel like a botany textbook. The mix up with recipes, grandmother "little tips" (or nuske as it's called in Hindi) make the read quite interesting! I would encourage more to read, but also keep making notes of the little things they can be used for! I wish I had done that! Maybe I will come back to read it again! As the world moves more and more into concretization in the garb of development, I strongly believe its going to cost us hard and make us realize, albeit too late, the value of trees and greenery especially us city dwellers!
August 19, 2019
Antimicrobial, anticancer, antioxidant seems to be the catchwords of the authors. Almost every tree and plant, according to the authors, have "antimicrobial, anticancer, antioxidant, and having the potential to reduce diabetes and cholesterol levels".
"The drumstick tree is a powerhouse of vitamins, minerals and amino acids. A study by the National Institute of Nutrition in Hyderabad found that it has seven times more vitamin C than oranges, fifteen times more potassium than bananas, ten times more vitamin A than carrots and twenty-five times more iron than spinach. It also has seventeen times more calcium than milk and nine times more protein than curd." A simple google search is enough to find out that none of this is true. It is a rich source of vitamins, minerals etc., but not as much as the authors want us to believe it to be. This kind of puffery ruined an otherwise awesome book.
"The drumstick tree is a powerhouse of vitamins, minerals and amino acids. A study by the National Institute of Nutrition in Hyderabad found that it has seven times more vitamin C than oranges, fifteen times more potassium than bananas, ten times more vitamin A than carrots and twenty-five times more iron than spinach. It also has seventeen times more calcium than milk and nine times more protein than curd." A simple google search is enough to find out that none of this is true. It is a rich source of vitamins, minerals etc., but not as much as the authors want us to believe it to be. This kind of puffery ruined an otherwise awesome book.
July 27, 2020
The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now - Chinese Proverb
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‘Cities and Canopies’ is a great attempt on highlighting some of the prominent trees of India. Trees are multifaceted and one of the greatest gifts of Mother Nature to mankind. This book in itself is a reminder and more importantly to the youth, to understand the importance of cohesive living.
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From palm to peepul, banyan to the neem, you can’t help but reminisce the mischief that was part of our childhood. Do read this book and don’t judge me on using a proverb that is ‘Made in China’! 🌳📚
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#CitiesAndCanopies
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‘Cities and Canopies’ is a great attempt on highlighting some of the prominent trees of India. Trees are multifaceted and one of the greatest gifts of Mother Nature to mankind. This book in itself is a reminder and more importantly to the youth, to understand the importance of cohesive living.
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From palm to peepul, banyan to the neem, you can’t help but reminisce the mischief that was part of our childhood. Do read this book and don’t judge me on using a proverb that is ‘Made in China’! 🌳📚
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#CitiesAndCanopies
April 18, 2022
This will probably be one of the books that I revisit again and again. Loved that the chapters weren't dull and like a lecture but were instead presented as botanical facts interspersed with some mythological stories, information about how they ended up on India, if they weren't native, etc. A couple of chapters also had recipes! Loved the sketches inside the book too :) Fun read if you're into nature/trees/plants/greenery etc.
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