{"id":31395,"date":"2026-09-27T01:39:03","date_gmt":"2026-09-27T01:39:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kashmirthunder.in\/?p=31395"},"modified":"2026-09-27T01:39:03","modified_gmt":"2026-09-27T01:39:03","slug":"locals-seek-heritage-tag-for-asias-oldest-chinar-in-budgam","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kashmirthunder.in\/index.php\/2026\/09\/27\/locals-seek-heritage-tag-for-asias-oldest-chinar-in-budgam\/","title":{"rendered":"Locals seek heritage tag for Asia\u2019s oldest Chinar in Budgam"},"content":{"rendered":"

Budgam, Sep 25: <\/strong>The centuries old Chinar tree at Chattergam in BK Pora tehsil of Budgam, described in the J&K Legislative Assembly as Asia\u2019s oldest Chinar, has drawn renewed attention, with residents urging authorities to preserve the tree and develop the site as a heritage tourism destination.<\/p>\n

Locals said that the centuries-old Chinar is a vital part of Kashmir\u2019s natural and cultural heritage but lacks the infrastructure and recognition befitting its historical significance.<\/p>\n

Asadullah Ganai, an elderly resident, said the tree\u2019s legacy has been passed down through generations and called for its protection and promotion.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have known about this Chinar since childhood. Such a priceless heritage must be preserved for future generations and showcased to visitors,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Another resident, Mohammad Yousuf Wani, said domestic and foreign tourists occasionally visit the site but expressed disappointment over the lack of facilities and development.<\/p>\n

\u201cA tree of such significance should be conserved and promoted as a major attraction so people from across the country and abroad can learn about its history,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Residents said the Chinar remains green and healthy, though some dry branches fall during winter. They sought scientific conservation, landscaping, signage and basic visitor amenities to protect the tree and enhance the visitor experience.<\/p>\n

MLA Aga Muntazir Mehdi, who raised the issue in the Assembly, said efforts are underway to preserve Chinar trees while addressing concerns related to overhanging branches.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe administration has ensured the preservation of these trees, which are symbols of our heritage, culture and tradition,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Mehdi also called for greater environmental awareness, saying changing weather patterns, including rising temperatures and reduced snowfall, underscore the need to safeguard Kashmir\u2019s natural heritage.<\/p>\n

Residents said the Chattergam Chinar could emerge as a major heritage and tourism attraction if authorities undertake proper conservation and site development while ensuring the long-term protection of the historic tree\u2014(KNO)<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Budgam, Sep 25: The centuries old Chinar tree at Chattergam in BK Pora tehsil of Budgam, described in the J&K Legislative Assembly as Asia\u2019s oldest Chinar, has drawn renewed attention, with residents urging authorities to preserve the tree and develop the site as a heritage tourism destination. Locals said that the centuries-old Chinar is a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":31396,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"jnews_override_counter":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-31395","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-latest-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kashmirthunder.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31395","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kashmirthunder.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kashmirthunder.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kashmirthunder.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kashmirthunder.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=31395"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/kashmirthunder.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31395\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":31397,"href":"https:\/\/kashmirthunder.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31395\/revisions\/31397"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kashmirthunder.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/31396"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kashmirthunder.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=31395"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kashmirthunder.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=31395"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kashmirthunder.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=31395"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}