Tale of the Mother Tree & an old military base

KOCHI: She is old, magnificent, and aptly called the Ammachiyal (Mother Tree). Some say she is 600 years old, others argue that she sprouted a century ago. Even as her antiquity remains a mystery, the sacred fig or peepal tree has, over decades, become an integral part of the lores of Fort Kochi. This Environment Day (June 5), Fort Kochi would revive a tradition of honouring the Ammachiyal, towering by the Parade Ground.

“I grew up playing under the shade of this tree,” exclaims Aby Abraham, a yoga instructor and nature lover. “Since my childhood, I have been seeing the tree which is home to a lot of squirrels and birds. Imagine — this mighty tree grew from a tiny seed!” 

Aby and his friends, including the late founder of Kashi Art Cafe Anoop Scaria, had started the practice of honouring the beloved peepal with a Tree Festival about 25 years ago. “It was Anoop who named it Ammachiyal. In 2004, however, the annual event came to a halt, as we got scattered across the globe,” says Aby. “This year, we are reviving the Tree Festival. ”

K J Sohan, former Kochi mayor and convenor of the Kerala chapter of The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), says the tree might be just 100 years old. Well, it seems only the Parade Ground — earlier known as Barrack Ground — knows Ammachiyal’s exact age. 

“When the Portuguese ruled Kochi, they set up their armoury here,” says Sohan. “About 160 years later, the Dutch set up their military base here. Then came the British.”The Brits named it Parade Ground, says Sohan. “They set up a military training centre here. The remnants of the Armed Forces Institute still exist near the ground. Though the building is not there anymore, you can see a corroded gate,” he adds. “Finally, on August 15 in 1947,the tricolour was hoisted here.”