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In India, flowers have been symbolically used to depict a plethora of festivals, political struggles, ideologies and cultural beliefs since ancient times . Showcasing this richness of Indian floral art to the rest of the world that urged Mrs Uma Basu to establish Kusumika , a school of floral art and decoration in 1968 at the Academy of Fine Arts,Kolkata, to teach flower arrangement and ikebana. But the need to enrich the Indian floral art form , paved the way to establish in 1980 the Pushpa-Bitan Friendship Society (PBFS), the floral club in Kolkata along with Lakshmi Gidwani, Kazuko Nigam and Uma Vaid . Together they formed the only floral art club in the country. For, they consider floral art a tangible motif of communication and one which evokes a sense of joy among the beholder. We all prefer “saying it with flowers” and “SPREADING FRIENDSHIP THROUGH FLOWERS”. Begun with 20 budding floral enthusiasts as its members, Pushpa-Bitan has blossomed into a flourishing organization with members spread across the country. This non-profit organization has now blossomed into a conspicuous, abounding Society, transcending the boundaries not only of Kolkata but the whole of India, giving it an international presence.

Our first exhibition was held in 1982 in the Ashutosh Memorial Hall, Indian Museum, Kolkata.

PBFS can also boast of introducing foliage arrangement at the Agri-Horticulture Society of India’s foliage show. Representing the club at Eden Garden’s and Agri- Horticulture Society of India’s flower shows is a regular annual feature.

Members of the society have also been repeatedly participating in the Chelsea Flower Show, U.K.

Pushpa-Bitan ( PBFS) is the only flower arrangers’ organization in India to be a part of the World Association of Flower Arrangers (WAFA). WAFA was formed by flower arrangers all over the world. From each country, only one floral art organisation can become a member. From India, Pushpa Bitan got this honour in 1990.That apart, it has also received recognition from the National Association of Flower Arrangement Societies of Great Britain (NAFAS), which has about 1,500 registered clubs across the world .

Our members have represented flower shows held in the UK, South Africa , New Zealand, Tokyo, Genoa and Scotland. The most striking one being the festival of flowers held at St. Paul’s Cathedral, London, on the occasion of the Westminster Cathedral Centenary Celebration in 1995 and the prestigious Chelsea flower show in London as an associate member of NAFAS.

It was a moment of great pride for our organization when BBC broadcasted a 10 minute capsule on us during the Chelsea flower show.

Be it Bimal Mitra’s book titled, Sahib Bibi aur Golam or Satyajit Ray’s Pather Panchali and Sonar Kella, the Pushpa-Bitan members have tried to showcase the masters creativity through floral designs. Using stems, leaves, fruits and flowers, they have created wonders and set a benchmark of excellence.

We have monthly meetings with classes and demonstrations in many kind of Floral Art e.g. Bonsai, spicy tray displays, vegetable curving, flower arrangement by experts in these fields from all over the world. Members also go on excursions to places of botanical interest and field study to unearth “inconvenient truths” of global warming, to constructively reverse climate change .

This year in 2008 Pushpa-Bitan was invited by Rabindra Bharati University to give a demonstration of flower art at Emerald Bower Campus , Seminar Hall and to exhibit Tagore’s Poetry through flower arrangements at Jorasanko Campus (Jorasanko Thakurbari ).

We have just completed a Summer Course with six Lecture Demonstration classes (12th – 23rd May 2008) on basic Theory of Flower Arrangement, comprising of height, depth, proportion, colours, styles etc, in regard to Indian, Western and Ikebana Arrangements. On completion of the course, Certificates were given.

This, with the efforts of all the members and the overwhelming response of this ‘City of Joy’ the art of arranging flowers is sure to be a catalyst in global harmony and aesthetic pleasure.