Kannimara Teak still growing in height and girth

Context

The legendary Kannimara teak of the Parambikulam Tiger Reserve is still growing in height and girth.

Specifications

• Over the last five years, the centuries-old teak has grown by 1.85 metres in height and 9 cm in girth.
• This might be one of the largest and oldest teak trees in the world.

About Kannimara teak

• Worshipped by the tribes of Parambikulam, the Kannimara teak remains a flagship of the tiger reserve offering a spectacular view to visitors.
• For the tribespeople of Parambikulam, it is still a ‘virgin tree’.
• That was why they named it Kannimara (meaning virgin tree).
• The tribal legend has it that the tree had bled when people tried to cut it.
• So they protected it and started worshipping the tree by offering annual pujas.
• The Kannimara tree had won the Union government’s Mahavriksha Puraskar in its first year of introduction in 1994.