VILLUPURAM: Owing to heavy rains in Villupuram on Sunday, Kazhuperumpakkam village lost its oldest and tallest resident, a two-century-old banyan tree. It left hundreds of bats who lived on its branches, without a home.
While the tree that spans 10% of the village was uprooted on Monday, no bats were injured. Having stood there for centuries, the banyan tree has long been a symbol of pleasant emotions and memories of villagers. As it has also been home to the village’s winged creatures, playing musical instruments and bursting crackers during festivals were banned for over a century. The bats, one feet tall, would attract researchers, journalists and holidaying families.
Recalling the heavy showers, a 17-year-old resident, V Jayaraman said, “Hearing the noise, we came out and found the fallen tree on the main road and the cut electricity line. “Meanwhile, the bats had moved to a nearby tamarind tree the previous night,” he added.
Another resident, A Ramalingam said, “These bats attracted media coverage and ecology students, for research purposes. Even during the Nipah virus spread, villagers were not afraid of bats and later the health department confirmed no spread of virus.
A senior forest department official said usually, bats reside in green trees. “If a tree is uprooted, they move to another tree, which they frequented earlier,” he said. But locals are yet to process their grief and hope the aerial roots of will grow in coming years and become a shelter for the bats again.