To save tree, man builds house around it

THE TREE HOUSE: Singh has made the house out of his love and passion for nature.

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Udaipur: It's a storybook house turned real. Built around the branches of a 65-year-old mango tree, a three-storey home in Udaipur is now a part of the Limca Book of Records. It's owner, a civil engineer says, he built the house for his love of nature.

The engineer, K P Singh adds, "This work has been done out of my passion and love for nature. At the back of my mind is the story of Phantom and the tree house that he had."

Though inspired by the magical world of comic books, Singh's house is built using sound engineering skills. Made of light weight construction material, it boasts of two bedrooms, a kitchen, and a library.

And bringing the outdoors indoors means there's always interesting company like lizards and ants. Singh says it's as much a treat to live in as it is to see.

"When the children are here, the branches of the tree is their favourite spot," says he.

When Singh bought the land, he insisted that all development would be done with sensitivity towards the trees.

But what makes him really happy says he, is the fact that for the last eight years, he has been noticing that the tree is actually growing.

Singh's castle in the air has lasted for nine years. The house is only nine feet off the ground, but for Singh, it is as good as being on cloud nine.

(With inputs from Hemendra Shrimali)