The photographs you see in this article are of a centuries-old tamarind tree in Hyderabad that saved around 150 lives in 1908. It is remembered with respect by historians, environmentalists and knowledgeable citizens of Hyderabad, especially today the 28th of September. This tree is located on the left bank of River Musi in the park of Osmania General Hospital.
A devastating flood occurred in Hyderabad due to the swelling of River Musi on 28th September 1908, causing widespread devastation, and killing over 15,000 people, rendering 80,000 homeless and affecting another 6,00,00 people in some form or the other. And, during this flood situation, as people were getting washed away and getting drowned everywhere, around 150 people managed to clamber onto this 300-year-old tamarind tree and managed to hold on to it until the flood receded. This strong tree resisted the powerful flood and saved not only the lives of these 150 people but also many other lives that were dependent on them.
Every year on this day, this tamarind tree on the campus of Osmania General Hospital (OGH) becomes a pilgrimage spot where people assemble and recall the hoary past of Hyderabad, the devastating Musi floods of 1908 and how close to 150 desperate people saved their lives. And they pay homage to the tree and thousands who have lost their lives in this tragic flood.
A small wooden board hung to the tree’s trunk records the historical role it played - ‘This tree saved the lives of about 150 persons in the great Moosi Flood of 1908.’
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