Bonsai is about the creation shaping the creator. Slow steps lead to picking the right trees, planting them in ceramic containers, and finally a long, patient wait for the plant to take root — a path towards mindfulness.
“In the days of yore, it was a way for Japanese monks to take herbs with them when they embarked on travels,” says Jaya Nair, a longtime Bonsai enthusiast.
Jaya is also the secretary of Kerala Bonsai Association, which was founded 32 years ago by Aleykutty Abraham Thaliath. The association is now being helmed by Ravindran Damodar, another bonsai enthusiast.
Jaya, a botany postgraduate, grew an interest in bonsais during her late 20s when she visited an exhibition at Kanakunnu. “I was then urged to join the association, which was three years old at that time,” she says.
The association now has around 200 participants, 150 of them are from Thiruvananthapuram. “There is now a growing number of youngsters with us. Many of them are in high-stress jobs like medical practice, some are engineers, some techies, etc,” she says.
The association organises a yearly training class for beginners, and also runs its own outlet, the Bonsai Trivandrum. Beginners are taught the basics of the trees that can be transformed into ‘bonsai’. “Usually, small-leaf ones are chosen, but some work with long-leaved trees as well. For example, a mango tree with a fallen mango at the base, which renders a rustic charm. However, internationally, the practise is not promoted for trees such as jackfruit, mango, guava, etc. An exception is the banyan, as its roots hang from the branches in clusters,” she says.
The leaves in a bonsai must be constantly watched and pruned with patience. Bonsais do not die and hence can be handed down through generations. Senior members of the association have thus given their plants away, some to the outlet and some to government facilities with bonsai gardens. “Such a bonsai garden was developed in the Raj Bhavan when I was the Comptroller and Deputy Secretary there. Former governor P Sadasivan was very interested in it. Also, I had a personal collection in my quarters, which was an attraction for the visitors to the Raj Bhavan,” Jaya says.
Bonsai Trivandrum outlet shares tips for bonsai enthusiasts, who can buy accessories for planting from there. They can also grab finished plants, though the association prefers encouraging people to develop their own bonsais.“Finished plants are costly, rightfully so, because it is a work of art. Nowadays, it is getting popular as a gift item too.”
The collection at the outlet includes 23 varieties of banyan, tamarind, bougainvillaea, premna, and baobab trees.The association is planning to visit Malaysia in August for the World Bonsai Convention. “We also exhibit once every two years at the Jawahar Bala Bhavan. It is a passion that awakens a lovely sanctum of calm. I would never give it up, nor will those who love the ‘tree in a pot’. And no, it is not stunting the growth of a tree; it is caring for nature in all ways we can. Like loving a child,” smiles Jaya.