Artline

Sogetsu is a modern school of Ikebana started by Sofu Teshigahara, rooted in the Japanese tradition of developing a special art form which bases itself on the disciline of the inner spirit for the ultimate purification of the mind and heart. Ikebana has three basic steps to it 8211; Shin, Soei and Hikai. According to these lines the arrangements can be made differently by the person or different people using the same material.

quot;Ikebana fascinates me in it various innovative arrangements. The concept is different. You do not take a bunch of flowers and shove them into a vase. There are methods, angles and degrees involved which give depth to the whole arrangement which one does create as his own piece of art. I think flower arrangement in itself is an art which comes from some sort of creativity and dexterity too,quot; says Indu. Ikabana as a decorative art has a harmonising rather than a punctuating effect. But harmony in Ikebana does not mean duplication or matching the painting on the walls; it has more to do with the evoking of moods and blending of the ambience.

For the practice of Ikebana the choice of material is virtually limitless. If you keep your eyes open, anything and everything can have endless possibilities and form part of an arrangement. But the very basics are simply a pin holder, a vase, a pair of scissors along with flowers and foliage which the essential bare minimum for any style of Ikebana. It is a very innovative style in itself. It can be adjusted very well to the Indian style or setups viz. at weddings, poojas and other occasions. You can practise it any where. Contrary to popular belief that one needs a whole bunch of flowers for a flower arrangements, one can do Ikebana with two or three flowers also. With time it has become very modernised. quot;I could do Ikebana with pieces of sculpture. It could be abstract as well, which comes from the advanced study of Ikebana,quot; says Indu.

A postgraduate in Ikebana, Indu initially learnt for three years 1965-68 from a Japanese lady married to an American posted at Delhi. She has a large number of students in Delhi. quot;I have been handling 10 to 14 students at a time. My mornings are religiously engaged in doing arrangements,quot; says Indu. Orchids, lilies, and roses are among her favourite flowers. She is not very fond of gladiolas, which she considers to be rather stiff to handle or work with. Like most masters, Indu does not need too many acessories or materials to make her own highly stylised arrangements.

When one thinks of formal Ikebana arrangements, one thinks of lilies, exotic greens and blossoms. On one hand Ikebana can be stylised and symbolic and on the other it can be innovative and individualistic. Indu has been teaching Ikebana all over the country, from the verdant lush regions in the Indian coastal areas where a large variety of flora is available to the dry desert zones of Rajasthan. And wherever she teaches she prefers to use the local materials available. quot;In Rajasthan we used bajra and kikar which you can pick up from the fields. I feel Chandigarh provides a variety of materials. In Chandigarh there are trees and blooms which can make lovely arrangements. The key is that you should not think of transporting material. Always try and always use the local materials 8211; even onion pods are helpful in making arrangements,quot; says Indu.

Flowers are festive in nature, they beautify both the exterior and the interior. Indu combines her materials and colours going by the scenario and personal interest as well. quot;The arrangement must blend with the set up. When I am upset or depressed, I do a lot of flowers. They cheer me up,quot; says Indu. For Indu Ikebana is simply a way of life. quot;I do not do a fresh arrangement for the house everyday, since many of the arrangements I teach are brought home. But for a special occasion I make it a point to make an arrangement which will add to the moodquot;.