Cities and Canopies: Trees in Indian Cities
Winner of Publishing Next's Printed Book of the Year Award and recognised by the Green Literature Festival, this exploration reveals something quietly extraordinary about city life. Whether planted centuries ago by emperors, brought from distant shores, or simply growing in forgotten corners, trees anchor our urban landscapes in ways we rarely pause to consider. They're witnesses to history, carrying within their rings the narratives of conquest, settlement, and everyday existence. Think of them as living archives, each species telling a different tale of how our cities came to be. From the ancient timber on Delhi's Grand Trunk Road to the specimen Sarojini Naidu planted at Dehradun's clock tower, these botanical monuments embody our collective memory. Their presence transforms not just our skylines but also our relationship with the natural world. Grounded in meticulous investigation, this volume examines what makes these creatures so vital to urban identity, exploring both the universal patterns and the peculiar stories that define India's arboreal heritage. It's a book for anyone curious about how cities breathe, and what we lose when we stop looking up.
- Author: Harini Nagendra
- Publisher: Penguin Viking
- Genre: Gardening & Horticulture
- ISBN: 978-0670091218
- Pages: 256 pages