A riot of vibrant hues, myriad blooms

Winter is not just about mist and fog, biting cold and warm charcoal fires, but it also about the colourful mantle Mother Nature dons to enliven the cold season. Celebrating the advent of the winter season, Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) organised the 65th edition of its popular Chrysanthemum Show.

 

Buzzing with people of all age groups from different walks of life, the day-long event turned out to be gala affair. Like each year, this year too saw the participation of different Government departments and several schools who proudly displayed their potted plants and colourful chrysanthemums in full bloom. The YWCA lawn, dotted with flowers in varied hues was a delight to behold.

Jai Bhagwan, who has been working as a gardener with Delhi Jal Board for 35 years now and has been coming to the show for  severalyears, says, “The flowers are judged on the basis of different class and variety. Uncovered, intermediate, reflex and spider are categorised as class one, two and three respectively. These classes are further sub-divided into single Korean, double Korean, spoon to name a few.” He also helpfully educates the visitors about the 3,000 varieties of chrysanthemums.

Meanwhile, another gardener who represented NDMC’s collection created a mini garden area. In a rectangular pot he put up few stones to show mountain, a river flowing beneath it and a garden area beside it. Enchanted by the greenery and the colour, people enthusiastically posed for shutterbugs in all the corners.

Interestingly, the flower show was more like a fair and had put up stalls of handicraft items, funky junk jewellery, sarees and salwar suit pieces, bags  and decoration items for Christmas. They were some food stalls too by local women groups. From gol gappas to bhelpuri, idli, dosa and noodles, the place had the right delicacy to tickle the palate of the visitors. Not surprising then that students of different schools thronged each and every stall, gorging on the delectable goodies.

There were also stalls selling different varieties of saplings. Mrinal, who participated in the festival for the first time was excited with the public response. It was the giant-sized and delicate yellow hibiscus flower at his stall that attracted visitors. “These are Hawaiian varieties. Generally, hibiscus blooms in summer but this flower blooms in winter. Also, we have a variety of roses and other seasonal flowers too,” says Mrinal.