The peepul tree

There was a small temple at the turn of the street. I prayed there whenever we crossed it which was almost everyday. This temple was under a peepul tree. It has a banyan tree behind with the prop roots providing shade to the near by area. People from the opposite chawl which had now become a building, took care of it. They had also put potted plants on the pavement. The green patch had the small Shiva temple. Slowly, their Shiv ratri function started getting grander. The hoardings of a politico son came near the temple. He would come for darshan on shivratri. The temple turned to pure marble. Next year they put two marble steps from the road to the pavement where the temple is. Then on festivals, the ferry lights started covering half the street.Free snacks were provided to all who went for darshan on auspicous days. The snacks became sabudana khicdi, badam pista milk, kaju katri wafers etc. Now, they had uniformed caterers providing the snacks.
Then the tree which covered the temple was cut. the potted plants from the pavement were removed. The banyan tree behind was completely chopped in the name of pruning.
This Shivratri when I went for darshan, I asked the guys making receipts for donbations, about why they had cut the tree. They said that it was a risk to the people living nearby, as it was falling down. I told them I had seen the tree every day for ten years and it was not so. They said they would never cut it other wise. They set me to eat snacks to pacify me in the name of prasad. They also promised me , the tree will grow back.
God s green cover was gone but I will wait for the tree to grow back.