Quando la famiglia Kesharwani decise di ingrandire la sua abitazione a Jabalpur, in India, si chiese cosa fare dell'enorme pianta di fico che cresceva nel cortile interno. Piuttosto di abbatterlo, decisero di costruirvi la casa attorno. Da allora sono passati 25 anni e non si sono mai pentiti. Anzi.
"Siamo amanti della natura e ci siamo fatti aiutare da un amico ingegnere", ha spiegato Yogesh, il capofamiglia. A insistere per la preservazione dell'esemplare di Ficus fu soprattutto suo padre, complice la religione indù, secondo cui nell'albero di fico ("pipal" in hindi) dimorano ben 350 milioni di divinità. "Ho imparato ad amare quest'albero", prosegue la moglie Neelu, "sono convinta che rappresenti l'immagine della nostra famiglia: cresce e dà i suoi frutti".
La strana struttura incuriosisce architetti da tutto il mondo. La presenza in casa di questo inconsueto inquilino non ha mai dato problemi, assicura Yogesh, anzi... "Il vantaggio più grande riguarda la temperatura. Quando fuori ci sono 47 gradi, all'interno non si superano i 35".
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