Punjab Governor V.P. Singh Badnore on Monday virtually inaugurated the first-of-its-kind Museum of Trees -- a unique environmental project here for conservation of sacred trees of Sikhism after which many Sikh gurudwaras are named.  The Museum of Trees has India's most modern mist chamber facility and a glasshouse conservatory, with 16 air-conditioners, to preserve and propagate rare and endangered species which grow at high elevations.

The governor 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.

Creator and curator of the Museum of Trees, D.S. Jaspal, said many of the sacred trees also have botanical significance. For example, the Beri tree of Gurudwara Ber Sahib in Sultanpur Lodi is unique because it has very few spines. Similarly, the leaves of the peepal tree in Gurdwara Pipli Sahib have a unique yellow pigmentation.

Jaspal said the trees are protected by entirely in-house organic spray of garlic, chillies and heeng mixed with water, which is why the trees are healthy and bearing rich fruit.

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 Golden Temple; Ber tree of Gurudwara Ber Sahib, Sultanpur Lodhi; Ber tree of Gurudwara Babe-di-Ber, Sialkot, Pakistan; and Peepal tree of Gurudwara Pipli Sahib, Amritsar.

(IANS)