pparently a fountain of pleasure and enjoyment, the newly installed Musical Fountain in Gujarat Science City is an exciting demonstration of certain important phenomena of science and technology in the areas of hydrostatics, hydrodynamics, electromagnetism and digital electronics. The sprouts of water emanating from the fountainheads observe the basic laws of fluidics including Pascal’s law and Bernoulli’s principle. Electromagnetic solenoid valves receive synchronizing pulses from the audio system and control the water jets. The music is digitised and the pulses are fed to the solenoid valves through computerized programs controller. In traditional musical fountains, the flow of water is controlled by the varying amplitude of the audio signal, but the musical fountain in Gujarat Science City is responsive to both amplitude and frequency of the audio signal, thus making the fountain dance with the vigour and tune of the music. The musical fountain is a beautiful example of human creativity through the interaction of music and science.
Promising to be a major crowd puller in Ahmedabad as well as other parts of the state and the country, the musical fountain will provide an experience of the magical world of light, sound and water; where technology fuses with fantasy.
The musical fountain in the Science City will provide the most beautiful nighttime entertainment. The water effects move or dance with music and interpret each tune in synchronization with light and sound whether fast or slow.
Spread over an area of 9000 sq.m in hexagonal grid pattern, the Musical Fountain at science city is claimed to be the Asia’s largest one. The pool of the fountain is rectangular shaped and covers an area of 1300 square meters. It employs 113 jets, 935 underwater colour lights, 4 submericible heavy duty pumps, 2073 sets of hydraulic nozzles with 273 effects. The lotus water volume in the center can be as high as 30 meters. It has more than 20 kinds of water styles including floating fountain, seagulls, chasing waves, peacocks, swinging, flower baskets.
The sound system is really fantastic. With 4000 watt surround sound system, the music will be aired by 20 speakers well equipped with graphic equalizer to provide digital sound with highest quality.
The programs on musical fountain will fully controlled by a computer software programs IN COMMAND, which has been specifically written for this purpose. Once the pumps and the other equipments are switched on, the operation will be totally controlled by a single computer.
While the visitors will be in the dream fountain, they will also learn about the science behind the musical fountain like principles of acoustic, water treatment processes, light-water synchronization, Bourneli’s principles, types of water flow and water dynamics, rainbow and many more.
Accompanied with the sculptures, green landscape with trees and flowers around it and with the function of the electronic sound and light, the large-scale musical fountain in the Science City becomes a most splendid pearl engraved along the outskirt of Ahmedabad. M/s Arun Kumar & Associates of Mumbai has provided the landscape and architectural consultancy and M/s Premier Fountain of Kolkata has involved for the development of this large-scale musical fountain.
The total cost involvement in the musical fountain is Rs. 330 lakh. It will be a new attraction to the Science City and will be a new evening time edutainment asset to the visitors of all kinds. It will operate 2 to 3 shows daily for 20 minutes each in the evening. The invitation ticket has been fixed as Rs. 20/- per person.
It is easy for the audience of the Musical Fountain to marvel in the display of water and lights, and listen to the music lofting over the harbor as the sun is setting behind the dunes and many little thoughts may go into the science of water, light and sound to inspire the young minds.