Intricate patterns from nature

Nature should be displayed in all its beauty and splendour, the same way it is seen in the open. This is what the Ohara School of Ikebana believes in. The Bangalore chapter of the school recently held an Ikebana exhibition, demonstration and flower-arrangement workshop.

The exhibition was held on November 13, where Masayuki Tsuchikawa, Consul and Head of the Consulate Office, Japan; Geetanjali Kirloskar, Chairperson India-Japan Initiative and Shyamala Ganesh, Sub Grand Master of the Bangalore Chapter, were present. They gave away certificates to students who completed various levels of the course.

“I have been learning Ikebana for two years now. There are five levels which have to be crossed in order to complete the course. I have finished my fourth level and I was given the certificate today. There are no restrictions on the flowers, twigs and branches to be used at each level. Only the arrangement patterns become complicated as we progress,” said Radhika Reddy, one of the students. “My arrangements are being showcased in the exhibition,” she gushed.

The Ikebana demonstration conducted by Nalini Doongursee, President, Mumbai Chapter, took place on November 14. She demonstrated eight types of arrangements to the audience.

The following day, a workshop was also conducted by Nalini. It took place in two sessions where the novices were taught about two arrangements. The audience were guided by Nalini and were also given tips on how to improve and enhance their arrangements. Materials like flowers, containers, pin-holders and oasis were provided at the venue and the rest of the required materials were to be brought by the participants.

“I took to Ikebana, when my husband was posted in Japan around 1979. I enrolled myself into the Ohara School of Ikebana in Kobe. I was always interested in nature, it is very close to my heart,” said Shyamala Ganesh, the Sub Grand Master of the school.
She is a renowned and much sought-after instructor of this art, who received the First Masters’ Award in the year 2003, and is also the first from the State to receive the Sub Grand Masters’ recognition from the Ohara School in 2006.