Ritanjali Hastir, Associate Editor, 3rd June, 2017, Shimla
Nothing can be more pleasant for a person who has been out in the heat and all of a sudden is greeted by natural flowers, fruits and vegetables all decorated in a breathtaking manner. 134 students from 15 different schools became part of the Petal Rangoli, Dry Flower Photo display, Fresh flower arrangements and flower beads competition organized by SAGES (Shimla Amateur Garden & Environment Society) in Gaiety, Shimla.
It turned out to be the most creative competition of the season where students’ creativity left all wonderstruck. Who in the world could have imagined stinky onions can look as beautiful as Lord Ganesh or simple amalgamation of a melon, bell peppers, pineapple, and eggplant can give birth to a beautiful fish and a cock?
This exhibition gave a whole new dimension to looking at fruits like watermelon as a baby pram and bananas as palm trees. Turtle, sheep, fish or landscape anything one could have thought about was available in the show.
Petal rangoli was again another remarkable stroke of creativity as various patterns like peacock, flower and Ganesh were made by students of different schools including J.C.B (New Shimla), Auckland House School for Girls, BCS, Portmore, Bluebells, Government School for Boy and B.S.N. Chakkar to name afew as they created not only beautiful arrangement in appearance but wrote educational message as well.
Flower arrangements too were pleasing to the eyes and cheered everyone as there too creativity knew no limits. Most of the visitors were pleased and appreciated the exhibited work and many took photographs to make the fragile moment permanent and celebrate the beauty of fragility of life.
