A centuries-old giant tree, popularly known as ‘Enugu chettu’ (elephant tree), which was being nurtured by Ongolites for long, collapsed following a gale in the wee hours of Thursday. The locality has been referred to as ‘Enugula vada’ as it had been a resting place for pachyderms when they were mainly used for transportation of goods and people for centuries.
The trunk of the tree was used in the past to tie elephants of Pelluru kings who had ruled these parts, said old-timers.
People in this locality have been fondly call the street from the C.V.N. Reading Room Centre to the Ambedkar statue centre near the H.C.M. College as ‘Enugula vada chettu’ after the tree, the growth of which was stunted of late because of the construction of many buildings in its vicinity.
Many people used to rest under it and sip cool drinks from the shop near-by to beat the scorching summer heat.
The local people, who are sentimentally-attached to the tree, mourned its fall.
