MP: Jabalpur man creates mini forest on terrace with over 2,500 bonsais

A man in Madhya Pradesh's Jabalpur has created a mini-forest on the terrace of his house with over 2,500 bonsais of over 40 different varieties.

Sohan Lal Dwivedi, a retired employee of the state electricity board, started to hone his green thumb when he read about a woman in Mumbai who grew over 250 bonsais in her home.

"About 40 years ago, I read an article in the newspaper about a woman in Mumbai who had grown over 250 bonsai trees. Inspired by her, I also started and now I have over 2,500 in my home," he told ANI.

Bonsai are plants that are miniature replicas of full-size trees. Although they rarely yield fruit, they are popular for their aesthetic qualities.

Dwivedi has over 40 different types, ranging from apples, orange, sycamore, jamun, pomegranate, pear, tamarind, and many others.

"I used to work at the Madhya Pradesh Electricity Board and spent nearly all my salary on these plants. At a time when people want to maintain a distance from trees and nature, I spend a lot of my time in my terrace surrounded by greenery," he said.

His love for the plants grew especially during the lockdown induced by the COVID-19 pandemic.

"I barely noticed that the lockdown was happening as I spent a majority of my time last year looking after my plants at home. These help the environment and keep the air fresh," he said.

( With inputs from ANI )