A gulmohar tree that was felled here in April after termites damaged it has been turned into an almirah, courtesy Bihar Military Police, Begusarai, commandant P.K. Das.

Das, former Patna traffic superintendent of police, considers driftwood art his hobby and goes out in its search whenever he has time. The gulmohar tree that has been turned into furniture used to stand outside his Boring Road home in Patna. Once termites got hold of the tree, the officer spent effort and money to save it, but failed.

After it was cut down earlier this year, Das took the tree logs to Bhagalpur to turn them into driftwood art — piece of wood washed ashore either by strong winds, waves or tides.

Das said driftwood art is created by nature as an action of its elements. “Elements like water, sand, wind, bacteria, etc — each driftwood art is unique in this world and can never be replicated,” he said.

The tree has become an almirah fitted with light and music systems.

“It was such a beautiful sight to have tea looking at the profusely blooming gulmohar. It used to feel like I am sitting on top of the blooming tree. The tree got infected with termite and it was decided to cut it down. I resisted the attempt, and suggested to get the tree treated with anti-termite chemicals. But eventually I had to bow down before the (building) society. Once it was felled, I collected the hollow logs and converted them into a beautiful almirah and three tea tables. The almirah is fitted with light and music system,” Das told The Telegraph over phone from Begusarai.

The driftwood art is now at the BMP commandant’s Das Driftwood Park in Bhagalpur town’s Budhanath locality. India has one driftwood museum at Kumarakom village in Kerala, and Das will open another museum on his 3-acre park in the last week of December.

Driftwood, Das said, is his passion for the past 25 years. “It is a part of my hobby. I have created a park where people will find a lot of driftwood art forms which I have collected on my travels and in the course of my duty. The art collection for the Driftwood Museum and Park is no less than my commitment towards my duty,” he said.

The BMP commandant has 125 driftwood art forms in the Bhagalpur park, the largest of which resembles a dancing girl at 17-feet tall.

The park has accommodation and food facilities, while Das has kept books on driftwood accessible to visitors. “The idea behind this proposed plan is to provide meaningful knowledge and information to students of the present and the coming generations. I am trying my best to make this place a perfect destination for all people who appreciate nature and its beauty,” Das asserted.