Pune to host India’s largest Bonsai Exhibition and International Convention

Pune, February 6, 2018: What originated from India as Vaman Vruksha Kala thousands of years ago, ‘Bonsai’ got developed and received the status of art in Japan. Now, with an intention to popularize the art where it originally came from and to explore the possibilities of providing livelihood to women in rural areas by linking it with agriculture based economy, city based Bonsai artist Prajakta Kale has taken the lead to organize ‘Bonsai Namaste’, the first and the largest bonsai exhibition and international convention in India.

An announcement of this was made during a Press Conference held in the city today by Prajakta G. Kale and Giridhar Kale. Janardhan Jadhav, retired Joint Director- Agriculture and Advisor at Bonsai Namaste was also present on this occasion.

More than 1000 Bonsai trees shall be displayed at the exhibition. This would be the largest display of Bonsai under one roof in India and probably in the world. The Exhibition will take place at the Agriculture College Ground (Sinchan Nagar) between February 22nd and 25th. Timing of the exhibition would be 9:00am to 10:00pm on all days. There is no entry fee for the visitors who wish to watch this first of its kind Bonsai wonder in India.

While describing the objective behind undertaking this unique initiative Prajakta Kale said, “After I got introduced Bonsai in early 80s, I started travelling to various countries where Bonsai is practiced. I was quite taken aback when I came across the apprehensions of Bonsai artists in world about future of this art in India, primarily because of unavailability of pre Bonsai material in spite of the fact that India has a large variety of trees for Bosai and the climatic conditions are also suitable to this art.”

“Subsequent to which I started taking an effort to develop pre Bonsai material, due to my consistent effort spread over last two decades I have managed to develop enough pre Bonsai material, which now I plan to use for training of budding Bonsai artists who would be participating in various training workshops during the convention”, she added.

Kale affirmed, “Unavailability of pre Bonsai material also encouraged me to explore the possibility of empowering the rural women with some basic skills which can help them to create pre Bonsai material and can become a source of earning. This can be a good support to agriculture based economy since there is a great demand for it in India and abroad. I wish to fetch the attention of stake holders to this opportunity through this massive effort.”

The exhibition would have around 1000 Bonsai displays, largest in India under one roof and probably largest in the world. The oldest and also the tallest Bonsai tree which will be at display at the Exhibition is 150 years old Umbar (Indian Fig tree). The smallest Bonsai displayed at exhibition is of 3 inch of Arani species (Premna). The exhibition area would have 10 different sections where various forms of Bonsai including small, medium, large and extra-large Bonsai, mame and shohin forms of Bonsai created by Prajakta Kale with an enormous effort of last 20 years shall be displayed. The exhibition area would also have a library with a lot of books related to Bonsai art.

‘Bonsai Namaste’, the largest Bonsai exhibition and international convention will also give an opportunity to budding Bonsai artist from India to participate in workshops and thus get an opportunity to train and interact with Bonsai masters, who are coming to participate in this convention from countries like Belgium, Italy, Indonesia, Japan, England, Australia, America and Vietnam to name a few.

Apart from this another special initiative is being undertaken, where students from various colleges of agriculture and horticulture from the state are being invited for special and free demonstration sessions of Bonsai so that they get introduced to this art and subsequently explore its commercial potential.

About Prajakta Kale – Fond of gardening, Prajakta got introduced to Bonsai in 1984. She liked it and started practising it with the help of books. Later, after having travelled to many countries where Bonsai is practised, she realized that to move further in this art proper guidance of a Bonsai expert is required. Looking at her passions for Bonsai, Indonesian Bonsai Master Rudy Najoan started training her and has been her mentor in this journey.

While pursuing this hobby passionately Prajakta was well supported by her family, especially her mother-in-law Kaveri Kale. She has created a beautiful Bonsai Farm at Bibedohol, Maval about 20 Kilometers away from Pune where she has created more than 3000 Bonsai of which selected 1000 shall be displayed at the exhibition mentioned above. Prajakta started an organization ‘Bonsai Namaste’, with her likeminded friends who share the passion for Bonsai including Sucheta Avdani, Kamini Johari, Mark D’Cruz and Rahul Rathi.