AUGUST: CLASSICAL OHARA DEMONSTRATION BY FIRST MASTER MRS. SYAMA BALBIR

Our director Reji Mrs Malathi Pandurang had facilitated a classical Ohara demonstration by First Master Mrs Syama Balbir from New Delhi.This zoom meeting was held on August 26th at 11.am. 28 participants attended this demonstration which included members from the chapters in New Delhi, Hyderabad and Bangalore.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan has announced the award of the of the Foreign Minister’s Commendation to our director Mrs Malathi Pandurang, for her contribution to the promotion of Japanese culture in India through teaching and introducing ikebana in Chennai and other parts of the country.

The remarkable coincidence is that Mrs Syama Balbir will also receive the Foreign Minister’s commendation in New Delhi. The session began with Mrs Divya Selvam welcoming the participants and with Mrs Malathi Pandurang's introduction of First Master Mrs Syama Balbir. Mrs Syama Balbir is a graduate of the Delhi School of Economics and had the privilege of being taught by Nobel Laurete Dr. Amratya Sen and also by our former Prime Minister.

For her first arrangement Ms Syama used a moribana depicting colour and greeted the gathering with colourful flowers in “colour moribana”. She had used Chinese aster, carnations, spraycarnations, alstroemeria and lilies.The beautifully combined flowers were simply elegant and a remarkable welcome arrangement.

 
The second arrangement by Ms Syama was a landscape in a large suilban
With a land and water perspective.Following the slanting style, Ms Syama had used lagastromia leaves, reed, papyrus, lotus leaves and water lilies creating a beautiful landscape. This “nature arrangement “is the primary pillar of the Ohara school of Ikebana.

The third arrangement was a Heika which is an inspiration from a Nagierebana.This is the secondary pillar of the Ohara School of Ikebana.Ms Balbir explained that the main difference between Moribana arrangement (which has its origins in the Ohara school) and the Hika is the point of insertion. One quarter of the of the mouth of the arrangement is used for inserting the material and the rest shows only water. For this elegant arrangement Ms Syama had used nandina branches  as primary and secondary material. A stalk of lily completed this beautiful arrangement as the object of the arrangement. Stalks of pittosporum and gypsophelia were used by Ms Syama to complete this arrangement. 

"Bunjin" is defined as the Japanese interpretation of the taste of Chinese litterati who were from the ruling and educated class. Ms Syama had used a Chinese vase for this fourth  arrangement. Usually, the materials chosen are not perfect like a half eaten fruit or a dried stalk showing the cycle of life. White lotus was the chosen flower and and a custard apple stalk with the fruit and monstera were used in this arrangement depicting the cycle of life.This is one of the most refined and philosophical style in the Ohara school.

“Rimpa-cho" was the fifth arrangement by Ms Syama.
This style is based on the Rimpa school of painting.This painting is mostly seen on screens with panels, kimonos and fans. Rimpa also depicts season.
Ms Syama had used a combination of cockscomb and sunflowers for this arrangement.
The arrangement depicted the flow of breeze.

Ms Syama Balbir’s last arrangement was a tribute to her teacher Ms Indra Misra.‘’Shohinka” is the name of this arrangement.This is the abbreviated version of the Bunjin. This arrangement was small in size but conveyed a larger meaning.

 

Ms Syama introduced Ms Anuradha Vice president of the Ohara school in Delhi and Ms Puja Sarin, Secretary of the Ohara School in Delhi who assisted Ms Balbir with the demonstration.

The explicit, informative and beautiful Ohara demonstration by Ms Syama Balbir was a visual treat for us. We thank her profusely for this wonderful demonstration.
We thank our director Mrs Malathi Pandurang for all her efforts. Mrs Chitra Rajan delivered the vote of thanks.