The iconic 'Char Chinar' (four Chinars) Island in the middle of the Dal Lake in Srinagar has been restored with the transplantation of two grown-up trees.
"The Char Chinar is 4 again - in the first of its kind transplanting operation of a large Chinar tree in Kashmir, J&K Forest Department successfully transplanted two tall Chinars at the famous Char Chinar to restore the glory of the island on Dal Lake in Srinagar," Mohammad Zahid Wani, an official of the Forest Department, tweeted.
Char Chinar draws its name from four trees it has -- one in each corner. Two of these trees had died over time and had been replaced by saplings but the experiment did not work then. This is for the first time the authorities have attempted to transplant a fully grown plant anywhere in the valley.
"I hope this experiment will be successful in rejuvenating the pristine aesthetic look of this historic location. Heartiest congratulations to team," R S Jamwal, a forest lover, said.
The island, also known as Roppae Lank in Kashmiri, is believed to have been constructed by Murad Baksh, brother of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb.
With PTI inputs.