The old banyan tree at Prinsep Street

The old banyan tree that is the only tree in a fenced compound next to the Prinsep Street Presbyterian Church (no. 77 Prinsep Street). Perhaps the place should be called One Tree Field (like One Tree Hill near Grange Road). Pic taken 4 Jan 2015.

NEED a tree expert to gauge how old this tree is. Banyan trees can live to a ripe old age. The one in the Indian Botanical Gardens is more than 200 years old, according to the Wikipedia. And there are others which reached 300 years. So they can live to a splendid age, providing much needed shade in this equatorial region of ours. The Hindus believe that its leaves provided shade for Lord Krishna.

I wish I can ascertain that this is the same tree which helped to provide support and shade for  the communal kitchen of the villagers at a kampung (no longer around) off Bencoolen Street? Below is the picture of that tree, taken in 1982. I am also not sure whether the present compound is actually the cleared space of part of the old kampung? But the tree is probably within the vicinity of the kampung.I blogged about earlier.  If it is the same tree, I would hazard a guess that it is at least 100 years old -- or more.

My memory is not as good as I believe it to be. This pic was taken in 1982, but I do not quite remember which little alley off Bencoolen \Street (that leads to a kampung each) I have taken this picture from. It could be Lorong Serai, or Lorong Sakai...Sigh.