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~ Pushpajit Singh Gill
Bargang T.E.
They say, “When a man is walking the thin rope of life and
death, his whole past, present and future flashes before his
eyes!”
This was the recognizable feeling at the back of a young
Indian Air Force fighter pilot’s mind when he was rolling into
a dive to fire his sixty four 57mm rockets on the entrenched
Pakistani soldiers at point 5140, on the icy heights of Kargil.
As he released his rockets and watched them hurtling down
to their target, he saw his humble past flashing in the
smothering flames – of wanting so desperately to be a fighter
pilot – and then transitioning into his present, as one of the
first few to be given a chance to take on and eliminate a dire
threat to the nation – and then the finality of it all, his future
as a career officer in an esteemed service, which was the only
thing worth meaning in his fast track life.
As he bunted his MiG 21 aircraft after his attack, into the
adjoining ‘nullah’ to escape the barrage of enemy Stinger
missiles and heavy machine gun, Sameer Joshi would never
have imagined in his wildest dreams that one day, he would
join Tea and fly as a ‘quasi’ planter!
Born into a middle class family in Jullundur, Sameer’s initial
years at Bishop Cotton School, Shimla, shaped his near-
fervent desire to become a fighter pilot, thanks to a defunct
Gnat aircraft gifted to the school by the IAF. It was further
fuelled by ‘Commando’ comics and a consistent diet of war
movies. His father wanted Sameer to follow in his footsteps
as an engineer, but the ‘look and feel’ of a fighter pilot,
decked out in combat drab next to his war machine, was all
that our young lad could breath and think of !
JANUARY 2015 27
26 JANUARY 2015
Sideboard arrangement –
This, again, is a mass type
arrangement which is placed
against a background; its
front view is important. It
can be symmetrical or
asymmetrical.
Foliage arrangement –
Summer
is the time when flowers are
scarce so leaves are often used as
an option for an arrangement.
There are different shapes and
sizes of leaves found in nature.
The leaves need to be washed and cleaned before arranging
them. The best part of using leaves is that they can be cut,
trimmed and given shape also. Leaves like ferns, crotons, etc
can be used. The principles of arrangement can be applied
here too.
Oriental arrangement –
This
type of arrangement stresses on
the line and asymmetrical
balance. It also characterizes
the use of fewer flowers to
greater effect.There is minimal
use of plant materials and
frequent inclusion of an
orthodox container as an
integral part of the composition. Every arrangement is
done in three main steps which forms its structure.These
are the tallest line – Heaven; Man looking up to heaven;
and Earth, the lowest, looking up to both.The tallest stem
is one and a half times the overall height.
In the following steps, the secondary flowers are placed.
They are called the Mountain and Meadow.These are set
into the triangles formed by the
first three stems.
All the remaining flowers added to
the arrangement must be helpers,
strengthening the primary, not
conflicting with them.
Containers determine the style of
oriental arrangements.
Pillow vases, baskets, tall vases and shallow vases can be
used. Things like driftwood, bamboo etc can be used too.
The pin holder should be covered neatly with foliage.The
flowers best rated for use in oriental arrangemenst are
camellias, roses, chrysanthemum etc. Apart from these,
irises, lilies, anthuriums, branches of peaches with flowers
or buds, are often used to define the lines of arrangements.
The flowers used in Oriental arrangements are always in
odd numbers.
Dried flower arrangement -
Many flowers and foliage
such as strawflowers, cockscomb,
rye leaves, seed pods and ferns,
can be dried and used for dry
arrangements. There are many
lovely materials growing wild,
which can be dried too. There is
an unlimited option in such
arrangements. They can be kept
for a long time as the flowers can
be varnished or painted golden and silver.
Flowers are collected during the
season, tied with string and hung
upside down in a dark corner of
the house.They can also be dried
by using silica gel or in a
microwave, which helps in
retaining the colour and shape. A
large variety of flowers can be
dried using these methods.
Flower arrangement is a joyful art. Fresh flowers enlighten
one’s mind and when used in arrangements, light up the
room too.The skill of arranging flowers is one’s own ability
which is enhanced only with practice. It has unlimited
boundaries and can be re-invented again and again.
Editors’ Note:
The Chinese were the
pioneers in flower arrangement as
they were the first to put water in a
container of cut flowers as far back
as 207 BCE, in the Han era. While
the rest of the world was making
garlands or wreaths and flinging
petals, they were arranging flowers
aesthetically in a container!
‘Victor Charlie Romeo’ – On The Trail
of Our ‘Pilot Sahab’, Captain Sameer Joshi
– a profile
“
The person born with a talent he is meant to
use will find his greatest happiness in using it.
”
~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
The Man & his Machine
Wood Roses
Mixed Material