The Stand Alone MANGO TREE

I promise myself to write about this mango tree. I told myself that I have just got to take a picture of this luxurious looking tree before it is axed ( sooner than later, perhaps).





So here it is.

The Historical Mango Tree ( magnifera indica)

Because this tree is the enigma of development in Bintulu which started to destroy the original area of " kampung perintah" or the government village. This government quarters area and other institutional buildings stretched from the exixting traffic light as you enter the Bintulu town proper to the existing building where the EPF office is sited today.





Here the government of the day conveniently accomodated the court house with almost all the other government departments annexed e.g. land and Survey department, Agriculture , General Administration etc. And toward the direction of the mango tree were spread out the govrnment officers quarters either in barrack form like the police barrack or in individual units, and the prison which was just opposite the only public football field then.





The mango tree marked the end boundary of the government quarters area to the north. All these are now gone, except for this mango tree.





Who planted this mango tree?





Well in all propability it was planted by the government oficer who stayed in the quarters next to where I was staying between the years 1960-1963.


To the best of my knowledge, it was planted by the late Joseph Samuel ( later YB) when he occupied the government quarters there in and around 1960.





Thus this mango tree must have been 45 years old now.





All physical structures in this area have disappeared except this popular tropical and subtropical plant specimen.





Of course, India is the major producer of mango trees in the world today. Acording to one report, there are to be found 1000 mango clones in one single nusery in India. It is of no mystery then that the scientific name of mango is inspired by the name India as in " indica".





It is left to be seen, whether the present government will give it a decisive swing of the axe...to make way for development.





It is enigmatic... now you see, now you don't.





This historical tree will soon be gone.





Passersby who notice this should enjoy it while it lasts. Go take a photo next to it for posterity's sake.