they gave trees their annual haircut here, to let the sun into human homes in winter. I managed to finally touch and feel the long twisted seedpods of the mother tree in a mass of its cut branches and soft large floppy leaves. on asking I found that those leaves are often used to make pattals or leaf-bowls. and the tree is a Kath-sagwan! someone also said it grows wild in these parts. Wiki also says its oil is therapeutic. Kath-sagwan is similar to - or is in fact the very same - Teak. it's wood is used in furniture. it's trunk is not wide, feels like a waste that it would be cut for furniture ever. especially when it's such a generous hospitable tree to so many birds (they love it's buds and flowers and it's sunny perch on top), squirrels, and insects. and then I dreamed about a beautiful giant tree cut and yet bellissimo and host to a small local ecology.