Jungle Music – Sounds Experienced While Staying in Stone Cottage

Jungle Music – Sounds Experienced While Staying in Stone Cottage
Author Anju Gyanchand
“Each kind of tree is a sort of musical instrument: the apple a cello, the old oak a bass viol, the cypress a harp, the willow a flute, the young pine a muted violin. Put your ear close to the whispering branch and you may catch what it is saying.”
Guy Murchie, Jr.
Of course, it doesn’t speak in words you and me could understand, but the jungle, if you are open to it, can tell you secrets that no one else would. Such music is at play in here, that if you could interpret every sound, you would be able to have a “forest library”. Everything from “chirping”, “humming” and “bristling” to “crawling”, “roaring” and “larking”, the forest at any given time is alive with sounds of every tone and volume. And if lurking and eeriness were sounds you’d hear those too!
Of course, the first time venturing in this world would drive you crazy because you wouldn’t know what you’re hearing and probably every return will give you a new sound to mull over. But then again, only wildlife experts will be able to identify every single sound they hear.
The littlest sound is amplified in here and usually you can’t see what you’re hearing so it’s quite exciting to figure out what or how big it might be! There are birds and insects every where that are constantly abuzz.
Of course, it’s the things you don’t hear that are probably far scarier than the ones you do. Periods of silence are usually significant, for they mean that a large predator is around and the smaller beings do not want to attract its attention .Which in turn means that you need to watch out too. But know that other parts of the jungle will still be bustling with life so you will still hear sounds of every hue.
Most animals are shy, so it is likely you will catch them just as much by surprise as they will you. And in all probability, the ones you see will be the ones you don’t hear and vice versa. Small things can make big sounds, crickets, frogs, monkeys, and birds are just some of them. The bigger ones a little less, unless on a hunt or in pain or merely to tease you! Wild animals are unpredictable and it is wise to be prepared and be wary of every sound you hear.
But it isn’t always sounds of animals that you hear, the sound of water is a welcome tune and it can mean a lot in the forest. It not only fulfils a bodily need but also helps if you happen to be lost .Usually you follow its sound to find your way out. Of course, always watch out for other beings that may have as much interest in water as you do! Snakes, for instance!
Walking on dry leaves produces its own rhythm as do falling twigs or branches. Usually if you are close enough you will see the cause of it by a movement which is just as rhythmic. A lot of people plug in music while moving through the jungle and while that is pleasurable, it prevents you from actually hearing sounds you can only bear witness to in the wild. Also it is dangerous for you might miss the hiss of a snake or the rumbling of falling rocks from above. So always do so cautiously and at your discretion.
Nocturnal visits to the jungle can be quite an experience. Sometimes eerie and other times too breathtaking to scare you, the forest comes to life at night and everything around seems to be speaking in a language of its own. Communication happens in the natural world that is really beyond human capacity. There is definitely nothing that beats camping out in the middle of this music. Spending the night amongst screeches of some unforeseen nature and waking up to birds singing is unmatched by anything in your daily living. And if it starts to rain then it is surreal. Believe me, rains in the city aren’t half as exciting as the ones experienced in the jungle. It’s as if every rock has come to life!
Whether it’s a day or a week you spend in the jungle, believe me, your experience will have made you better for it! And every time you reminisce about your trip, you will vividly hear everything nature was trying to tell you too!
Anju was inspired by her stay in the stone cottage located in a secluded corner of Deep Jungle Home and wrote this article.