Ever since I got appointed in JK forests, the above quote echoed on & off into my ears, but it never came to my mind. Only now, after the long walk into the wilderness I m getting clarity of this phrase, backed up by an experience unforgettable. There is no second thought to the fact that forests provide food to thousands of creatures on earth, including us. They say Music is food for soul. I always wondered; how can a noise be food for soul? With the clarity in sheikh-ul-alam’s saying, I came to infer; it’s not the noise from sheet music, not the vibes from drums, guitars and pianos that they are pointing towards. But the “music of sphere” coming from the open green orchestra. Every forest has an orchestra. You only need to pay heed. Aah! They were pointing towards the moon and I was looking at the finger. An eatable from forest is food for body and a sound from forest is food for soul.
While walking through the free country of tall and green canopies, my ears got spell bound with the powers of its divine sounds. In the cold day of light, I came to know the hidden meaning of music. The twangs I have never heard before. The resonance that made me speechless. The pleasant coos and Hoos from the orchestra of Forest Block, which nature has set on every step, we walk in. This divine melodic concert begins, as you enter dense woodland. You are warm welcomed by the wind instruments. Yes! Wind instruments which are larger than those in Hall orchestra. They present their melody of whistles; made by passing wind swiftly and softly through the hallow spaces of alpine branches. When striking to our ears, gives us most pleasing eargasm.
The serpentine brooks, tossing water and gushing over the slippery stones and pebbles create tunes of its kind. The stream gargling at shallow basins and jingling at the deep trenches. The bouncy wave dancing high and low, hits the soft muddy carved banks, produce an alluring sound, to that of a hit on a drum. The wind blowing out of rushing water makes you feel lost in the sensation of divine music. The white noise that comes out, but the splash of rain drops on the branches of alpines and broad leaved trees is so pious and mesmerising. The droplets percolate at the bottom and their pitter patter is so relaxing that your body will retire in a trice.
Your feet will make you drummer, when your pedals tread on desired paths. They will give you soft tunes on even and narrow way. Loud and crunchy tunes on walking upon uneven dunned ways. The two sounds mixing in one arena for a traditional maestro, leaving behind positive music & vibes. The air blown by Kenny G into his saxophone falls flat before the forest wind that blows on broad leaves. The leaves shake and kiss each other. Not only rustle of these leaves is worth listening but the way they give vent to their tender feelings by frequent touches, kisses and hugs is thought provoking. The crisp and rhythmic chimes by leaves can be heard in these woodlands.
Just few walks away, you will feel that fauna too does not keep back to articulate their tunes. The caprice chorus in the background by birds, reptiles, animals and insects to this open green orchestra is a life changing experience. In this magical concert where nature sets its orchestra, we need to be there & sing to ourselves and get rejuvenated. The echoes of this music are truly endless.
(Author is a forest officer in J&K Forest Department. He can be reached on: [email protected])
