JOIN USFlower power steals the show
An enthusiastic lot of art lovers turned up for a demonstration on Ikebana, the Japanese flower arrangement technique, recently.
The event was organised by the Indiranagar Club in association with the Ikenobo Ikebana Society, Bangalore Chapter.
The hour-long workshop had Professor Yasufumi Sasayama demonstrating 11 arrangements which included freestyle designs (jiyuka), modern and classical rikkas and shokas.
Japanese national and the counsellor and consul of the Embassy of Japan in India, Nobuaki Yamamoto, who was present at the event, said, “Although I’m not an expert in Ikebana, I feel enlightened when I see a beautiful flower arrangement. Flowers have no boundaries and attract many people.”
Pointing out that a different professor is brought to the City every few years to demonstrate the beauty of Ikebana, Vivek Rao, the president of the Bangalore Chapter of Ikenobo Ikebana Society, said, “We have a limited number of people coming in for the event. But the crowd today is definitely more than expected. These days, people are busy with work and hardly have the time to pursue this art.” Vivek, who has been into Ikebana for the last 30 years, added, “In fact, I am still learning. Ikebana gives me a peace of mind.”
The audience was an impressed lot. Savitri, a retired professor of Japanese Studies from the Delhi University who was at the event, said, “I’m fond of everything connected to Japan, which is why I am here. I learnt Ikebana when I was a youngster. It is much more than a decorative art. The flowers cannot be arranged randomly. One needs to follow certain principles. While making an arrangement, you need to work with a calm mind otherwise it won’t come out properly. And what’s good is that as you work, you get a peace of mind.”
Meena R Suryavamshi, an art teacher who attended the demonstration, said, “This was a good opportunity to meet a lot of experts and pick up new ideas.”
Anna Chai, who was visiting the City from Singapore, was curious to know more about Ikebana.
“I’m here with a friend and since I don’t know much about the art form, I thought this would be a good way to learn,” said Anna, a businesswoman. N Vijay, another member of the audience, said, “Although I’m new to Ikebana, it’s never too late to learn. I’m hoping to get an idea about the basics of the arrangement.”