Visakha Utsav 2015: Flower show draws huge crowds

• It is a special attraction of the Utsav
• Rare bonsai trees put on display; Officials spare no efforts
• Exotic flowers brought from Kerala and TN to beautify the show
• The show is open from 10 am to 10 pm till Sunday

Visakhapatnam: It was a splendid eye-catching show sight for vizagites at the Parimala flower show organised at Vuda Park as part of Visakha Utsav.

Union Minister of Housing and Urban Development M Venkaiah Naidu inaugurated the show on Friday. It was a grand colorful visual delight being presented by the Visakhapatnam Urban Development Authority.

Speaking to media persons on the occasion, the Union Minister said that Visakhapatnam was is always a happening city and would develop further and turn into a prominent global center. He said the Central government would render all help in this regard. He observed that the city would not only become a Smart City but also a world class city. He was all praise for the city people for their cooperation for the development of the city.

On display are 120 flower arrangements of the blooming mass of different colors that are mesmerising one and all. One discerns traditional ambience at the entrance and soon one comes across bright flowers bursting forth in their splendour. A variety of flowers like Galdias, Baby carnations, Helicon, Andhuria, Tiger Orchids, Orchids, Chamanthi, Jerbas, Asiatix, Lilly’s, Jonna Gadddi, Oriental Lilly’s and many others are put up to regale the visitors. Dry flowers category consists of Lotus flowers, Bamboo, Wood roses, White Lady sticks, Curly sticks, Cedar rose, Palm leaves, Cycas palm leaves, Gold and silver Mothi hangings, Pine cones, Eucalypus leaves, Bamboo grass in attractive arrangements.

Fresh F1 hybrid flowers of total 102 varieties of 21 genera are brought from Bangalore and arranged in 120 styles. As many as 36 varieties of dry flowers belonging to 13 genera are brought from Tuticorin in Tamil Nadu. The sight of flowers arranged in the shape of Qutub Minar is particularly captivating one and all. On one side, special types of flower arrangements called Ikebana enthrall the visitors. Ikebana being a Japanese art of flower arrangement where Japanese believe that Ikebana is one of the techniques that restore inner harmony, thus, giving it both therapeutic and meditative qualities. As such, one part of the flower arrangement form in Japanese art of show conveyed a particular theme set up by the Ohara School of Ikebana Hyderabad. Heliconia, Bird of Paradise, Baby carnations, Asiatic lily and Galdias and Roses were some of the colorful varieties of flowers used in the arrangements.

On the other side, 150 Bonsai trees of 80 species by the Visakha Bonsaic Society are set up. Rare bonsai trees which include Brazillian Rain Tree, Areillia, Ficus Retusa, Zinsung, Bamboo, Blue Braya, Triphasia Trifolia, Tomanto on Rock Style, Portucula Alfra, Ornamental Orange, Micro Mini Kamini and Penjing in Island. Each and every tree looks to be so small filled in green cover and each tree has its own way of growing in different shapes.

Vuda DFO B Raja Rao, Horticulture Officer G V Lakshmi and Forest Range officer A Ganesh are actively involved in making the flower show a special attraction of the Visakha Utsav. “The flower show is so colorful and delightful for the eyes and the best part of it for me is the bonsai trees arrangement. A glance at trees makes you feel like growing bonsai trees at home,” said a visitor Amrutha.

HRD Minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao, Minister for Medical and Health Kamineni Srinivas, Lok Sabha Members K Hari babu, Muttamsetti Srinivasa Rao, P Vishnukumar Raju, Panchakarla Ramesh babu, Bandaru Satyanarayana Murthy, Vasupalli Ganesh Kumar, VUDA Vice Chairman T Baburao Naidu, film actor Saikumar and Member of Kendra Hindi Samithi Yarlagadda Lakshmi Prasad were present at the show. Nearly 50 stalls were erected for sale and exhibition of various products and food items near the flower show which is open from 10 am to 10 pm till January 25.

By: Muttevi Sri Lakshmi