‘Gosor Golpo’: An initiative to preserve city’s natural heritage

Guwahati: Even as Guwahati continues to grapple with unplanned and rapid urbanisation, a group of environmentally conscious citizens has launched ‘Gosor Golpo’ (Stories of Trees) — an initiative aimed at preserving the city’s natural heritage by giving a voice to its age-old trees through storytelling.Though still in its early stages, the initiative brings together local residents who document and narrate the history, origin and cultural significance of trees that have silently witnessed the city’s transformation over decades. Scattered across neighbourhoods, roadsides and institutional campuses, many of these trees are often overlooked amid expanding concrete structures.Farida Sultana, a nature enthusiast and Guwahati resident associated with the initiative, said tracing the history of these age-old trees involves extensive interaction with senior citizens who have memories of their early existence. These firsthand accounts are carefully recorded as oral narratives to help preserve the historical memory of the trees. Through collective tree walks, storytelling sessions and community interactions, the initiative seeks to rekindle people’s emotional connection with trees that form an integral part of the city’s collective memory.So far, three trees have been identified — one 75-year-old banyan tree and two rain trees, both over 200 years old—located around the periphery of Dighalipukhuri Park.In addition to oral histories, the group has been researching archival records and old maps while engaging with elderly residents to piece together narratives associated with the trees. These stories are then shared online or during group discussions.“This process is ongoing and slow, as accurately documenting the history requires 10–15 days of research for each tree. The task is challenging because many elderly residents do not have written records, and several have either moved away or passed on. We are therefore trying to reach out to people who can help us directly or connect us with others familiar with the history of these trees,” Farida said.