How a Kolkata Neighborhood Saved its 70-Year-Old Tamarind Tree through Cultural Resistance

In the urban sprawl of South Kolkata’s Vidyasagar Colony, a 70-year-old tamarind tree has become a symbol of successful community-led conservation. Planted by Parul Mukherjee, a revolutionary freedom fighter and convict in the 1935 Titagarh conspiracy case, and later, a refugee of India’s partition, the tree was nearly lost to urban development. However, a year-and-a-half-long campaign of cultural resistance, documented in the film Friends of Jilipibala, has ensured its survival.

The Threat and the Film

The crisis began in July 2024 when the land surrounding the tree was given to private entities for redevelopment. The local community and environmentalists immediately recognized that felling the tree would not only erase a piece of historical heritage but also destroy a thriving local ecosystem.

Filmmaker Debalina Majumder responded by creating the 30-minute documentary Friends of Jilipibala (Jilipibalar Bondhura). Using archival footage spanning 12 years, the film captures the tree’s ecosystem through the eyes of a toddler named Simran (Jilipibala). By focusing on the child’s spontaneous connection with the birds and squirrels inhabiting the branches, the film poignantly illustrates the quiet violence of urban habitat loss. The documentary gained significant recognition, receiving a Special Mention at the 31st Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF) in November 2025. Independently produced by GPPAC member Samata Biswas, the film is now slated to release internationally, while the team also hopes to raise enough money to take it to underprivileged children across the country.

Tamarind Tunes: Cultural Resistance in Action

Figure 2 Coverage of the Tamarind Tunes concert on The Telegraph, Calcutta

The movement was not confined to the screen. The Tamarind Tree Collective was formed to organize physical resistance on the ground. Between July 2024 and January 2026, the space beneath the tree was transformed into a site for cultural resistance.

The collective launched "Tamarind Tunes," a series of open-air concerts and sessions that drew hundreds of supporters. By using art as a shield, they made it politically and socially impossible for the developers to proceed with the felling. Renowned artists and activists performed under the canopy, including Moushumi Bhowmik, Arko Mukherjee, Satyaki Banerjee, Amanat Fakir, Akash Chakraborty and many others. The songs and narratives chronicled forgotten trees, highlighting the refugee past of this colony and importance of urban ecology in the preservation of our planet.

The collective also hosted the “Great Backyard Bird Count” under the tree, where children from nearby schools learnt about neighbourhood birds and their habitat.

A Landmark Victory

The campaign reached a turning point in December 2025 when a signature petition gathered over 4,800 supporters online. Many citizens of Kolkata collected signatures in weddings, memorial meetings, birthday parties and street corners, taking the total to well over 5000. Following intense advocacy with the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) and the Forest Department, a resolution was reached in January 2026.

The property’s boundary wall was restructured, effectively placing the tree on public land under the jurisdiction of the KMC. Additionally, a memorial altar for Parul Mukherjee will be built at the site, cementing the tree's status as a protected heritage landmark.

The success of “Friends of Jilipibala” and the “Tamarind Tunes” collective show that cultural resistance and community mobilisation are effective tools in the face of urban deforestation, a lesson that can be replicated in other places in the world.

Members of the collective maybe reached at bsamata@gmail.com, chhobiyetunion@gmail.com .

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