Srinagar: Asia’s oldest Chinar tree believed to be nearly 650 years old continues to stand tall and green in Chattergam area of Jammu and Kashmir’s Budgam district despite centuries of changing seasons.
The heritage tree has lost some of its older and dried branches, but much of its remaining structure is still green. The government has initiated measures to protect and preserve the tree, including installing iron fencing around its critical root zone to prevent soil compaction and protect the roots.
Residents of Chattergam have called for better maintenance of the site and urged authorities to develop it as a heritage tourism destination.
Locally known as “Boueen”, the Chinar is a distinctive part of Kashmir’s landscape. The tree, believed to have been introduced to Kashmir from Persia can grow up to 30 metres tall and develop a girth of 10 to 15 metres.
According to a survey by the J&K Forest Research Institute around 30,000 Chinar trees have been recorded across Kashmir, excluding those inside security force camps and installations. Since 2025 the government has also been geo tagging Chinar trees and assigning QR codes to them to strengthen their monitoring and protection.