Ikebana and us

Venkatesh posted some pictures from the Japan week earlier, here. Here are some more... The Japanese version of our " dhrishti pushnikai "? Another guardian Rimpa The Ohara School in Chennai also participated and had a lovely corner. Above, is a Rimpa style arrangement, related to the Rimpa style of painting in Japan, from what I coud gather, from the write-up next to the arrangement. The decorative qualities of the materials used are captured. Water reflecting style The literature read, "  In this style the subject is placed to slant over the container and cast its reflection on the surface of the water.  it is called the Water reflecting style because the Subject, the Secondary and the Object are arranged so a wide surface of water is visible " Bunjin My photo cut off the literature, but searching on the 'net, I discovered that this style is based on the Chinese art of painting, and looks to highlight the poetic and elegant nature of one's material. Real...

It was my first experience with a Japanese tea ceremony here in Madras, and quite an event it was! Organised at the Japanese Consulate, it may have been sniffed at by the purists, but for us non-Japanese, it was a whiff of their culture, zen thought and philosophy. So much care, silence, the trickle of water, the appreciation of the tea cup, the deliberate cleaning of the serving cup and other implements.... All for a cup of tea you may ask?  Its not the end that matters but the process I guess! Take a look at all the implements that were involved. We were told that the whisk (that you see in the foreground) is ceremonially consigned to the temple fire, once a year in a special ceremony. Then there's a cloth to wipe the ladle, another to wipe out the guests' cup...all in all very complicated! One must make the time to relax, meditate, and calm the mind before having the energising tea! Above is the container holding the cool water.  This is poured deliberately into the boiler,...