Kashmir's Trembling Trees

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The Trembling Tree

By J N Raina

"...there is mention of the village Shila Thalla, in Kalhana's

Rajtarangini (an ancient historical document of Kashmir), where a

battle was fought during of Maharaja Anant. There was a trembling

tree in this village."

 

The Trembling Aspen found throughout the province east of the Coast

Ranges and around the Strait of Georgia, seems to be a distant

cousin of the extinct Quivering Tree in Kashmir. It is sometimes

called the 'Quivering or Quaking Aspen' and is referred to as

the 'woman's tongue' and 'noisy leaf' in native languages.

 

Over 230 years ago, there existed a wonderful tree in Kashmir,

considered as a splendid marvel of the valley, which not only

attracted the attention of a large number of kings, but also of

great historians of that period.

 

The tree, which was known by various names like Tsentu-kuj

(Quivering Tree), Hal Thal (Trembling Tree), Bade-Mujnoon and Bade-

Larzan, is nonexistent now, like many other wonders of Kashmir. Kuj

in Kashmiri means a tree.

 

Even if a small branch of the tree was shaken, the whole tree would

start trembling. Perhaps its name is yet to enter into the realms of

the botanical science. This particular species of tree has become

extinct like other gifts of nature. However, its existence on the

basis of topographical evidence has been established in Kashmir.

 

According to well-known historian Aurel Stein, there is mention of

the village Shila Thalla, in Kalhana's Rajtarangini (an ancient

historical document of Kashmir), where a battle was fought during of

Maharaja Anant. There was a trembling tree in this village. Stein

has quoted Abul Fazl, another authority on the subject to say that

if even a small branch of it was shaken, the whole tree would start

trembling.

 

Village Shila Thalla was also named as Hal Thal, falling in Ycha

Pargana. However, the village does not figure in the survey map of

India. Fazl has not been able to trace its topography. But among the

history books that have come down to the present generation, an

eyewitness account of the existence of this tree has been referred

to in Mirza Hyder Douglat's (1551) book Tarikh-i-Rashidi. He

says: "In Nagam Sarai, which is an important town in Kashmir, there

is a tree which is so tall that if a person was to project an arrow

in that direction, it will not reach its top. As soon as some one

strikes at one of its branches, the whole tree starts trembling".

 

A detailed reference of the tree has been given in 'Aini-Akbari'

and 'Akbar Nama', the books authored by the Prime Minister and court

historian of the great Mughal Emperor Akbar. He has mentioned that

in village Hal Thal, situated in Yach Pargana, there is a quivering

tree. If we touch even its tiniest shoot, it produces a shaking in

the whole tree."

 

In Akbar Nama, the author has further substantiated his point by

saying "His exalted Highness, Emperor Akbar, stayed at Khanpur,

where there is a Moghul Serai (Inn) even today. It is the last stage

on our entrance to Srinagar. The remarkable thing about this place

which is called Hal Thal, is a quivering tree.

 

It exists on one side of the road. It is indeed a marvel for

spectators. It has strong roots and stem. It has branches and leaves

galore on it. If any of its branch is touched, the whole tree starts

trembling. There are many trees of this species. However, they do

not possess this characteristic".

The author of Iqbal Nama has named this tree as Hal Mal, even though

Abul Fazl has named the village as Hal Thal instead of the tree.

These historical details have been brought out in 'Shiraz', a

research journal, published by the Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art,

Culture and Languages. According to Sir George Cunningham, this

wonderful tree belongs to that species which may be called as

Prineous Trequlla.

 

In 'Iqbal Nama', the tree is referred to as Bed-I-larzan (Trembling

willow). Another historian of Emperor Akbar, Mullah Abdul Qadir of

Bedouin writes in 'Munta-Khabul Twarikh': Among the marvels of

Kashmir, which our soldiers witnessed, includes a trembling tree of

Khanpur. It is so sensitive that a single jerk produces a trembling

in it. The thickness of its root is two 'arsh'. Its branches possess

a girth like that of a willow tree.

 

Mullah Mohammed Shah Abadi, who has translated

Kalhana's 'Rajtarangani' into Persian, notes that Kalhana does not

mention the name of Hal Thal. However, five villages which King

Ajita Ped gave to his relative Jaya Deve, consisted of Hal Thal,

Nowgam in Mehthan and Armalnow and Salnava near Srinagar.

 

In another historical book 'Tuzki-Jehangiri, Emperor Nur-Din

Jehangir has himself written that he went to village Choudura so

that he could hunt Cuckoo. It is the parental village of Hyder

Malik. When Jehangir took charge of Mehr-ul-nissa after the murder

of her first husband, Sher Afghan at Burdwan (Bengal). He gave her

in custody of Rais-ul-Mulk, Hyder Malik of Choudura, who coaxed her

to marry the longing emperor. Obviously, Jehangir christened this

village in remembrance of Noorjehan. According to Jehangir, there

existed a tree in this village on a river bank which was called Hal

Thal. "The moment we try to snatch at its branch, the whole tree

starts shaking and playing hide and seek there and then. I saw many

trees which play hide and seek in this fashion.", he writes.

 

There is yet another historical book called Waqat-i-Kashmir by

Mohammad Azam Dedmari. Its study reveals the last mention of this

marvelous tree. The author of this book passed away in 1765 AD,

making it clear that this tree existed till that time. He has

mentioned that this tree exists in village Hal Thal in Yach

district. "It is so huge that Kashmiris can enjoy cool shade under

it", he writes.

 

However, the name of the tree is still gets mentioned in folklore.

While going through the old pathway from Nagam to Char-i-Sharif

(which was set ablaze by Mastgul during the peak years of militancy

in Kashmir), there is a crevice while sloping down Hapatnar. Some

sort of natural calamity befell the Hal Thal village which

obliterated it's entire existence from the face of the earth. In

it's place now stands a huge gorge.