Ikebana and us

16 July 2022 Sogetsu Chennai members' face-to-face meeting was convened at ABK DOSAKAI after a COVID break of 2 years.  After meeting online, 16 members attended the first face to face meeting in several years!  The meeting began on a sombre note, as we paid respects to the memory of  two inspiring individuals;  Shri Pandurang spouse of our dear mentor Mrs Malathi Pandurang and former Japanese PM Mr Shinzo Abe. We began with a 2-minute silent introspection in their memory. Mrs Malathi Pandurang then welcomed Mr Kenji Miyata, Deputy Consul of Japan in Chennai. His wife Christi is also an Ikebana artist.  Mr Shankar Ramamurthy and Mr Kannan specializing in traditional floral artistry,  invited by Dalley Varghese to do a demonstration  on “Man and Plant materials of Tamilnadu”  were received warmly by Mrs Pandurang and the members.    Mrs Pandurang invited Chelvi Gopinath and Bhuvana Shivshankaran to read out  accounts and activitie...

April 16th 2022 Eighteen members of our group got together online for our last meeting of the year, via Google Meet.  This would also be the election meeting.  We were all excited, to be electing the first committee of the Branch. Here is the list of new office bearers: Director - Mrs Malathi Pandurang - nominated by Prerana Mehta, and unanimously accepted. Deputy Director - Mrs Chitra Rajan Nominated by Ambika Seconded by Prerana. Second Deputy Director  - Mrs Divya Selvam Nominated by Meenakshi Sarin seconded by Ms Pushkala  Programme Director - Mrs Meenakshi Sarin Nominated by Mrs Malathi seconded by Mrs Bhuvana. Director of Branch Accounts - Mrs Trishala Vaishnav Nominated by Mrs Malathi seconded by Prerana. The election meeting was followed by a Q&A session with Sensei Malathi and a demonstration to highlight artistic space - an area where there were many queries. In her first composition, Sensei Malathi handled an interpretation in nagiere, with a naturalis...

 18th and 28 March 2022 In the midst of a  scorching Indian summer in mid March 2022, Sogetsu Chennai Branch was invited by Ms. Miyuki Inoue,  Culture Head, Japanese Consulate, Chennai to conduct an interactive Ikebana demonstration for the Hello Japan program showcasing Japanese Culture to senior secondary school students  Freestyle exhibits by Chitra Rajan and Divya Selvam at Velammal Vidyalaya school Sogetsu Chennai director Mrs Malathi Pandurang deputed Sensei Divya Selvam and Sensei Chitra Rajan to conduct a demonstration for students of two higher secondary schools Velammal Vidyalaya school and Sethu Bhaskara Matriculation higher Secondary School at Chennai, India. In both the demonstrations the  senseis  showed basic upright and basic slanting style on a Moribana container and then invited a few students to try out the same. The demonstration was viewed with great interest by staff and students and the students enjoyed the interactive session too. Be...

 August 11, 2021 Sensei Dalley Verghese, a member of FLO - FICCI Ladies Organisation - was instrumental in our Sogetsu group's first public demonstration, since the start of the pandemic in 2020.  It was an exciting proposition. Riji Malathi, our Chairperson requested the teaching sensei of the group to accompany her and demonstrate the art.  The title of the demonstration was "Ikebana:  A Mindful Practice" . Sensei Dalley had a beautiful Ikebana composition to welcome all, at the entrance The event was organised at The Folly, in the Amethyst compound, and the morning started off with a little talk on bonsai before we started our demonstration. Riji Malathi introduced the art to the 20 odd members who were present in the hall.  Other FLO members as well as our Group members were present and viewing online. In her opening remarks, she emphasised the role of Line and Asymmetry as key to Ikebana, and the need to be one with the material and respond to it. We adhere...

 17th December 2020 The Study Group, now very familiar with our online meetings and workshops, gathered via Google Meet to attend an online demonstration by Sensei Dalley Verghese, followed by our workshop from our homes. 21 members were able to attend, and we were in for a treat. Sensei Dalley began her demonstration with a colour focus of rust/orange, which also matched beautifully with the sari she was wearing!  The moribana container supported two beautiful bamboo lines with the chrysanthemum masses to balance. Sensei Dalley titled her piece as "Togetherness".  Bamboo tendrils and imperial chrysanthemums in a moribana ceramic vase The second piece was quite different.  Sensei Dalley placed a blue ceramic compote in a flat blue tray, and aimed to create a blue colour focus.  She created blue Masses with daisies, to complement the vase and the tall white agapanthus was used as contrast, in this naturalistic style composition. "Happy Family" by Sensei Dalley Ve...