Visit to India

Posted: 6 May 2009 ()

Delhi Sogetsu Ladies

I would like to share a moment with you about the wonderful meeting I had in Delhi with Sogetsu Ikebana members.

I was recently visiting India and prior to my departure I had been in contact with the Delhi Sogetsu Committee with information about the 2010 celebration of ‘50 Fifty Golden Years of Sogetsu, Australia and New Zealand’. By chance, I mentioned I was visiting India for the first time and trying to trace some of my roots relating to where my Grandfather had spent many years of his life during the era of the Raj. In 1937, he won the Delhi Horticultural Flower Show, which Mrs Dass, The Director of Sogetsu, Delhi said was quite a feat.

Mrs Madhu Bhalla, a committee member, wrote back welcoming me to India and saying that it would be lovely to meet and talk first hand about the 2010 celebrations. Upon arrival, I contact Mrs Bhalla and confirmed the arrangements we had made. During the trip, I subsequently received a call inviting the ladies in my travel group to join them for a morning tea.

Delhi Sogetsu Ladies
Delhi Sogetsu Ladies
Three of the ladies I travelled with, were delighted to be invited. Our hostess, Mrs. Punj, welcomed us into her beautiful home, which displayed her talent of Ikebana beginning from the front door and onwards throughout her home. After travelling throughout Rajasthan and a long overnight train trip we all felt rather dishevelled and tatty around the edges but that was soon forgotten due to the very warm and friendly welcome, we received by the Sogetsu Committee and many of their members.

My friends and I are hoping that many of the ladies we met will visit Sydney for the ‘50 Fifty Golden Years of Sogetsu, Australia and New Zealand’ so we can show them our wonderful city.