Mysore :

Plants at home can add an unique touch to the decor, and miniature horticultural masterpieces like Bonsai plants, beyond doubt give a diverse look. Enhancing these further by growing them within a frame with a scenic backdrop is something all the more vivacious. Creating such beautiful ‘live sceneries’ in different sizes within varied beautiful decorative frames is this dexterous lady’s favourite hobby.

Sharada Gupta, a Bonsai expert from city is also a connoisseur in making these beautiful mural bonsais. She has created several such murals at home, each of which is a masterpiece in its own way. While watching these mini wonders with a bunch of little healthy trees marvellously growing within a set frontier is awe-inspiring. Growing them not just requires proficiency but also a lot of patience, the lady says.

“I have about five of them and I have remade one of the oldest among them recently. It is about 18 years old with almost 50 trees within,” Sharada explains.

“Making these murals requires a lot of patience and personal attention. You cannot simply bring them from the nursery and plant them within a frame. They need to be first grown in a separate space the right way, cut and pruned to rightly grow within the frame size we prefer and then transfer into the mural frame. Further, they need to be taken care of like children if not for which they fail to survive. All this is a lengthy process. Thus, growing these bonsais and turning them into live murals takes about two years time.”

While a bonsai plant is not much suitable for indoors and cannot be kept inside for more than 3-4 days, as it requires a lot of sunlight and fresh air. The advantage of these murals is that they can be hung indoors as well. “As these live murals are created within a frame, they can be hung anywhere including indoors, which beautifully add to the look of home interiors,” suggests Sharada, “however, they too need to be frequently placed outdoors, so that the plants are showered with sunlight and fresh air often.” The artist is currently making a fixed mural in her garden with several bonsais which will also be decked up with a water fall within. “I am waiting to complete it for I know it will look wonderful and lively,” she says, who makes all the bonsais on her own, while the frames and sceneries of her murals are created by professional artists.

“Decorating your home with bonsai plants adds a soothing touch to the space. If placed attractively at the right places, it greatly enhances the beauty of our nest and lures many visitors. I have been doing it for almost 40 years now and I must say it’s a great feeling,” gushes Sharada, who has created hundreds of bonsais in several different varieties, has conducted demonstration classes on Bonsai making both in India and abroad and has even written books on the subject years ago.

Sharada Gupta is a resident of Yadavagiri In city.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Feature Articles / by AN / November 05th, 2013