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Branched Out

Branched Out

By: Soma Ghosh
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Storyteller and cultural critic Soma Ghosh launches Branched Out, a podcast exploring the multicultural and LGBTQ-inclusive histories of trees and how they’ve shaped who we are. It reveals unexpected intersections between trees and gender, sexuality and race.


Through immersive sound, drama, reportage and interviews, in the pilot episode, 'The Tree Men of Wales and Bengal', Soma takes us on a journey including Merlin's oak in Carmarthen Wales, a temple garden in Imperial Kolkata and the Kalpataru tree of cross-dressing 19th C mystic, Ramakrishna, witches oaks in Europe and Lord Byron's oak. Planned episodes include Marula and the Rain Queen of South Africa; the queer olive tree of Palestine and Greece; the African baobab - and we want to learn more stories from you - so follow us if you'd like to join the multicultural LGBTQ-inclusive green-dreaming team!

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Soma Ghosh Art Social Sciences
Episodes
  • The Tree Men of Wales and Bengal

    The Tree Men of Wales and Bengal
    Apr 22 2025

    How have trees shaped who we are? Branched Out unearths the intertwined histories of trees, culture, and LGBTQ+ identity around the world, Recommended by The Guardian as A Best Podcast of The Week, we delve into trees, gender, race, nationhood, war and spirituality. Soma Ghosh hosts this immersive blend of drama, travel, story-telling and expert interviews. For fans of The Rest is History and Trees A Crowd. Follow now to stay rooted.


    In 'The Tree Men of Wales and Bengal', we meet two men who turned into trees: the legendary Merlin and Ramakrishna, the 19th C cross-dresssing mystic from Bengal. How did Merlin end up trapped in the Oak of Carmarthen? How did Ramakrishna turn into a tree and change our modern world?


    Created, directed, produced and narrated by Soma Ghosh, audio produced by Caoimhe Lavelle. This episode was made with support from The National Library of Wales and Inclusive Journalims Cymru. Our thanks to The Welsh Merlin Project (whose new online edition of the poems of and about Merlin isforthcoming).Actors Kate Pothecary, Rob Thomas. Cover art by Aiden Saunders. Sister Green and Seclused in Light by Arun Ghosh as featured on the Arun Ghosh LP Seclused in Light appears courtesy of camoci records. The Cauliflower by Nicola Barker appears courtesy of Nicola Barker. Guests: Swami Medhananda, Dr. Sabina Stent, Dr. David Callendar, author Peter Fiennes, author Luke Turner, author Holly Müller, author Jonathan Page. Luke Turner's current book is Men at War; Peter Fiennes' is A Thing of Beauty; Dr. Sabina Stent's current writings on art and cinema are at Subsstack @SabinaStent. Swami Medhananda's books include Swami Vivekananda's Vedāntic Cosmopolitanism and his forthcoming book is Karma and Rebirth in Hinduism, followed in 2027 by a book on Ramakrishna and Sri Aurobindo, main title An All-Embracing Oneness.


    More tree chat and details about Seedlings, our Spring 2026 mini-series, follow @branchedoutpodcast on Instagram.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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    1 hr and 14 mins
  • Branched Out Trailer

    Branched Out Trailer
    Apr 21 2025
    Trailer for what might be the world's first ever multicultural, LGBTQ history of trees podcast. What does King Arthur's legendary wizard Merlin have to do with Ramakrishna, a very real and powerful cross-dressing 19th C mystic from Bengal with a surprisingly far-reaching legacy in the West? Find out in our pilot episode, 'The Tree Men of Wales and Bengal'.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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    2 mins
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