Another year begins!

It was Monday, the 6th of July 2026—a warm morning marking the beginning of the week and bringing with it the promise of fresh beginnings. Members of the Chennai Sogetsu Branch were gathered at the ABK Centre after a long summer break, eager to reconnect and plan for the year ahead. 

The day's demonstrations were presented by Sensei Bhuvana Shivshankaran and member Luna Bose, each bringing their own unique interpretation of the Sogetsu principles.

Sensei Bhuvana's first arrangement as a new sensei explored the concept of composing with branches. With remarkable artistry, she intertwined two beautifully sculptural tree branches, allowing them to support one another in perfect balance. The resulting composition reached gracefully upward, evoking a sense of aspiration and quiet strength, as though reaching out towards the sky.

Composing with branches--artistry in upward motion (Book 5, Lesson 14)

Sensei Bhuvana's second arrangement celebrated the characteristics of glass containers, using a blue-green glass vase as an integral design element. She lined the vase with carefully placed leaves and yellow gerberas, transforming it into a visual component of the composition rather than merely a support for the flowers. From this backdrop emerged a single gerbera, accompanied by gracefully arranged foliage and gypsophila. Together, the transparent vessel, the softly coloured water, the leaves, the white gypsophila and the yellow gerberas created a striking sense of space, continuity, and harmony.

Composition celebrating the glass container (Book 5, Lesson 13)

Sensei Bhuvana's final arrangement was a masterclass in balance, aesthetics, and the expressive power of line. Three bamboo stems were skillfully positioned in a suiban without a kenzan, to form a graceful tripod. Within this carefully defined space, a single yellow gerbera emerged in quiet, solitary beauty. Its simplicity was all the more striking against the geometric structure of the bamboo, demonstrating how restraint and thoughtful placement can create a composition of remarkable elegance and impact.

Composing in a suiban without a kenzan (Book 5, Lesson 8)

It was then Luna Bose's turn to demonstrate. Her first arrangement explored the Sogetsu principle of disassembling and rearranging materials. She used branches of the Indian borage plant (known as ajwain in Hindi or karpooravalli in Tamil), paired with button chrysanthemums for accent. The composition was beautifully enhanced by the distinctive form of the metal vase, whose sculptural shape complemented the arrangement and added to its overall sense of harmony and elegance.

Finding elemental beauty in disassembling and rearranging plant materials (Book 4, Lesson 9)

For her second arrangement, Luna used a moribana container (suiban) without a kenzan. She combined branches of the Madagascar almond tree with delicate gypsophila and carnations, creating a composition that was both graceful and balanced. The soft green of the container beautifully complemented the foliage and flowers, enhancing its overall harmony and visual appeal.

Composing in a suiban without a kenzan (Book 5, Lesson 8)

The morning was a celebration of creativity and the enduring beauty of Sogetsu ikebana. It also marked a fitting beginning to what promises to be an exciting year for the Chennai Sogetsu Branch, with the 100th Anniversary Sogetsu Exhibition just around the corner in September.