BENGALURU: Trees do speak. Listen in. A happy tree like peepal can give out soothing sounds while a drought-stressed tree could cry for help. When this idea that trees do make sounds took root, Tree doctor of Bengaluru Vijay Nishanth, founder of Project Vruksha Foundation (first tree census app), decided to explore it.
Nishanth, who has been closely working on trees for many years, felt that trees can have a voice too. It was last year when he started to research on this topic that he discovered that trees do make sounds. And he learnt that the devices used to record subtle sounds were available only in a few countries.
On Sunday, the recording of the plant sound was demonstrated at Bangalore Palace. The sounds emanating from a tree or plant get converted into sweet melody depending on the prevailing conditions in and around it.
The MIDI (musical instrument device interface) is connected to the tree by plugging electrodes either to the roots, leaves, flowers or even fruits. This can also be connected to the bark of a tree. Within a few seconds, one gets to hear music of varying frequencies generated through mobile phones or laptops.
The project called Vrukshadhwani will record sounds of 100 trees in Bengaluru.
“After I researched on this topic, I learnt that trees definitely have a sound. But the instrument to prove it wasn’t available here and I then got it from the United States which cost nearly Rs 75,000. After I got the MIDI, I connected to a tree and was amazed myself. The inspiration was the experiments done by Jagadish Chandra Bose to decode the mystery behind stimuli of plants,”
said Nishanth.
The sounds of the trees were recorded in manipal plant, peepal tree and Orchid - Anthurium. “Each plant or tree will have different sounds. The music that emanated from these plants was meditative and soothing. It also acts like a stress-buster. I wanted to show the people that trees also have a life, they can talk and feel too,” said Nishanth.
“Once we touch a leaf or a tree, it changes its tones.
Not only this but even if people are near a tree, the notes change. They can feel it,” added the tree doctor.
Launching this special project to record plant sounds, Pramoda Devi Wadiyar of the Mysore Royal Family said, “Back in Mysuru there is a particular tree. Whenever I passed it, I would feel something different and would avoid going near it. But now after seeing the demonstration, I know that trees too have feelings like us.”