 Ikebana,
the Japanese art of flower arrangement is not just simply
putting flowers in a container. Infact, it is a disciplined
art form in which the arrangement is a living thing in
which nature and humanity are brought together. It is
steeped in the philosophy of developing a closeness with
nature. In principle, ikebana aims not at bringing a finite
pieces of nature into the house, but rather at suggesting
the whole of nature, by creating a link between the indoors
and the outdoors. True to the philosophy, the 'Ikebana
exhibition' organised by the Horticulture Department
in association with the Ikebana Art, Hyderabad chapter
at its premises in Nampally highlighted the nature and
showcased the ikebana art in all its pristine glory.
 The
theme of the this year's Ikebana exhibition was festivals.
Ikebana enthusiasts came out with different creative stuff
stressing on different festivals of India like Christmas,
Diwali, Ugadi, Dassera, Rakhi and Onam. Lata Ravindra,
an ikebana devotee came up with her own creation of Diwali
which had firecrackers and a 'diya' embedded with
colourful flowers and green leaves. There was another
arrangement by Radha Reddy inspired by the festival of
Naga Panchami. This stunning ikebana arrangement had a
long skewed stem curled around a bunch of flowers. All
the arrangements were different in their own way and gave
the visitors an opportunity to have a glimpse of the wonderful
ikebana flower arrangement.
 As
is true of all other arts, ikebana is a creative expression
within certain rules of construction. Its materials are
living branches, leaves, seed pods, buds, grasses and
blossoms. Its heart is the beauty resulting from color
combinations, natural shapes and graceful lines. Ikebana
is, therefore, much more than mere floral decoration.
But how ikebana is different from other forms of floral
arrangements? "What distinguishes ikebana from
other flower arrangements is its asymmetrical form and
the use of empty space as an essential feature of the
composition. A sense of harmony among the materials, the
container, and the setting is also crucial" , says
Dr Rajkumari Singh, an expert in the field who
trains ikebana enthusiasts in Hyderabad.
 Is
ikebana a difficult art to learn? "To say that
ikebana is a full-fledged art does not mean that it is
esoteric. Anyone with a little time and inclination can
acquire sufficient skill to make beautiful arrangements.
Still, as in the other arts, it is necessary to master
certain fundamental techniques before proceeding to free
creation", says Singh.
But why this art form is highly developed in Japan? "The
development of floral art in Japan can be attributed to
the Japanese love of nature. People in all countries appreciate
natural be auty,
but in Japan, the appreciation amounts almost to a religion.
Even in contemporary concrete-and-asphalt urban complexes,
they display a remarkably strong desire to have a bit
of nature near them", says Dr Rajkumari Singh.
According to her, the art from is not highly developed
in India because of its expensive nature.
Ikebana enthusiasts can contact Dr Rajkumari Singh
at the following address: Dr Rajkumari Singh,
House # 6-2-952/3, Khairathabad, Hyderabad-500 004.
Phone: 761 4334, 339 0711.
E-mail: drrajkumarisingh@usa.net |
- MAR Fareed
Photographs: David |
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