Amazon.com description: Product Description: In the center of a small village in India, a banyan tree rises from the earth like a great green mountain. Known as the Many Footed One, this remarkable tree has so many trunks that it is a virtual forest, covering many acres. A place for laughing & bartering, conversing & resting, romping & chasing, meeting & imagining, the banyan is not only in the heart of the village, it is the heart of the village. In a brilliant combination of lyrical prose & glowing watercolors, Bash captures the soul of the ancient & sacred banyan, painting a vivid picture of its importance to the people & other animals that flourish beneath & within its welcoming branches. Both beautiful & enlightening, this book provides a unique glimpse of the interconnectedness of life in a rural culture.