Howrah: Nearly 176 years after the giant water lily (Victoria amazonica), native to the Amazon basin, was introduced at Indian Botanic Garden by a Scottish botanist, authorities have launched an experimental “joyride” that lets visitors experience the sensation of stepping onto its leaves and floating on water.So far, 250 people, including one weighing 96kg, have sat on 4kg acrylic boards placed on the gigantic leaves.R Sarvanan, a botanist at the garden who came up with the idea, said the experiment was approved by director Kanad Das and additional director and garden-in-charge Manas Bhaumik. Staff have gradually allowed heavier visitors to gently board the leaf and sit on the acrylic board, which is placed to prevent damage to the leaf.“With the 4kg board, the leaves have so far endured a total weight of 100kg,” Sarvanan said. Visitors who have enjoyed the ride range from an 11-month-old to a 90-year-old.The giant water lily is considered the largest broad-leaved flowering aquatic plant in the lily family. Its plate-like leaves have an average diameter of about 2m. Raised rims, around 4 inches high, prevent water from entering when weight is placed on the leaf. The upper surface, or lamina, is about 1cm thick, while the underside is denser and stronger because of an air-filled vascular network. Depending on the species, the total thickness ranges from 4cm to 8cm. Microscopic pores called stomatodes drain excess water, while a waxy coating prevents water from accumulating and helps riders maintain balance.“The leaf’s strength comes from numerous veins, sub-veins and hollow, air-filled ribs underneath. Air shifts within the ribs according to the weight placed on the leaf, helping it remain balanced,” Sarvanan said.Garden staff place a strong board on the leaf to distribute a rider’s weight evenly. Riders are weighed beforehand, and trained staff help them board from a sturdy wooden platform extending from the lake’s edge. Garden authorities said all safety measures are being followed to protect both the plants and visitors.“The ride will be stopped once flower buds begin appearing later in the season. The leaves become smaller and weaker after budding as the plant prepares to bloom,” Sarvanan said.All 16 ponds at the garden currently have Victoria amazonica. In 1950, botanist Robert Scott brought 50 saplings from the Amazon forest to Botanic Garden for research and conservation. Eleven adapted, survived and later propagated. The plants, however, had almost disappeared in 2020 after Cyclone Amphan devastated the garden and killed all the giant water lilies. The authorities then contacted institutions to which it had donated giant lilies over the years.“Yogi Vemana University in Kadapa, Andhra Pradesh, had received two plants from us in 2019. They gave us some seeds in Oct 2021. We tried to get them to sprout in soil, sand, tissue and cotton, but failed. Disheartened, I put them in a bottle of water and kept it in an almirah. The water had to be changed regularly. While changing the water in Feb 2022, I discovered that two or three seeds had sprouted. That is how the giant water lily returned to the garden,” Sarvanan said.Overwhelmed by the success, Sarvanan first asked his son to sit on a lily leaf. After the leaf endured the child’s weight, he tried it with the children of other garden staff and found that three children could sit on a leaf at once. That sparked the idea of offering the same experience to visitors, leading to the ongoing experiment.
