Punjab Governor and UT Administrator VP Singh Badnore inaugurated the Museum of Trees — a unique environmental project for the conservation of sacred trees of Sikhism after which many Sikh gurdwaras are named. The inauguration was done online because of Covid-19. Former Member of Parliament and chairman, Minorities Commission, Tarlochan Singh, and PHDCCI president Karan Gilhotra participated in the web inauguration.

Extending Gurpurb greetings on the 551st birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev, the Administrator said this was the most appropriate day and most appropriate manner of remembering Guru Nanak whose hymns are replete with references to nature, environment, trees, plants and animal life.

Guru Nanak was the most widely travelled religious preachers of the world. The Guru interacted with common people in the open under the shadow of trees. That was why most sacred trees were associated with Guru Nanak.

He praised the Government of India for supporting this project for the conservation of sacred trees. In many gurdwaras, the sacred trees had been cut or had died due to improper care.

DS Jaspal, creator and curator of the Museum of Trees, thanked the Administrator for supporting the project, which, he said, would be a source of attraction not only for Sikhs but for all nature lovers.

Jaspal pointed out that most of the sacred trees also have botanical significance. For example, the beri tree of Gurdwara Ber Sahib in Sultanpur Lodi is unique because it has few spines. Similarly, leaves of the peepal tree at Gurdwara Pipli Sahib have a unique yellow pigmentation.

Over a period of 10 years, the museum has been successful in reproducing genetically true replicas of 12 sacred trees, including Dukh Bhanjani ber tree of the Golden Temple; Ber tree of Gurdwara Ber Sahib, Sultanpur Lodi; Ber tree of Gurdwara Babe-di-Ber, Sialkot, Pakistan; and peepal tree of Gurdwara Pipli Sahib, Amritsar.

The Museum of Trees has India’s most modern mist chamber facility and a glass house conservatory, with 16 air-conditioners, to preserve and propagate rare and endangered species, which grow at high elevations.