Pushpasan
Flower Throne
I love doing seva with flowers. Over the years,
through Thakorji's grace, I have figured out a way to 'sit' / 'stand' Thakorji
in flowers. The main principle is you have to have a strong base under the
petals for Thakorji to sit / stand without sinking in the flower or falling off.
To keep the flower 'fresh' while Thkorji is sitting in it, you need to keep them
in water as well. Over the years I have found ways to achieve both of
these. To make it easy for other to achieve the same results, I decided to
write this article. Read to the end to get the best result with your own
'pushpasan' (flower seat).
The best way I have found to do this is to use :-
* Cap / cover with a hole in the middle.
* The hole should be about 1cm in diameter to allow
the receptacle and stem of the flower to pass through to the water source below.
Bigger is unsafe for Thakorji. Smaller hole is unhelpful as the receptacle
won’t be below the cap.
* The cap has to be wide enough for Thakorji to sit
/ stand on.
* For Lalan, the cap has to be wide enough for his
feet and hand to sit securely and not go 'over the edge'. Ideally the cap
should have a lip so it wont accidentally slide off.
* If you can't find a bottle top with a hole, you
can create one using DIY tools.
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If the cap is plastic, you can even 'burn' a hole through the middle using a hot
pipe or needle.
* OR - you can use a CD as a base. Just
remember to use blu tack or double sided sticky tape to secure the CD to the lip
of the vase so it doesn't slip or slide off.
Cap / top with a hole and wide enough area for
Thakorji to sit / stand comfortably.
I often use a tea-candle holder as
my water-source (base / vase). It has a fairly wide lip and provides
additional support for the cap and flower. This is also low and small
enough for Thakorji to feel secure and not be too far off the ground - after all
- Lalan is a baby :)
I use a taller vase / cup / glass if I am going to do
sahastra nama puja with lots of flowers. This way Thakorji can be elevated
above the flowers as they cascade on him and he doesn't get buried in them.
This is also a very useful if Thakorji is going to sit in a 'pool' / kund during
the summer. He can sit in his pushpasan - high and dry - above the
floating flowers in 'Yamunaji' in your seva.
Almost any vessal will do as long as it supports the
weight of the flower and your Thakorji.
Hole in the cap and small vase /
vessel underneath are necessary to accommodate the flower's large receptacle.
Once the receptacle is below the hole in the cap, it allows Thakorji to sit
comfortably on the flower without tipping over.
Flat flowers like gerbera or sunflower are easy to work
with. Their petals sit securely over the CD/ cap and provide a nice flat
base for Thakorji to stand on.
Depending on the 'foot print' of the Thakorji, you may or may not need a
cushion to support them.
Lalan, Krushna and Lakshmiji in yellow roses.
Flowers with big petals like roses need to be a 'open' for
Thakorji to sit comfortably without feeling claustrophobic and enclosed.
Lalan's 'circular' clothes cover the petals but if u have summer clothes, you
will see more of the flower. If the petals are voluminous, the clothes
might 'ride high'. Heavy jewellery will help keep these down. To
stop the petals from enclosing Krushna, I often use a necklace made of metal or
glass to flaten the petals around or in front of Thakorji. Plastic beads
are too light and you do need something heavy. (see a picture at the
bottom of the article)
In case of standing Thakorji or coins - you will need to
secure a mini cushion behind them to stop Thakorji falling over. The
cushion (circular bolster or square will do), should be small and discrete
enough to not show too much. Couple of small pins should be inserted in
such a way that they go through the cushion to the receptacle (fat middle part)
of the flower. As long as they are secure in the thickest part of the
center, it will be fine. If the flower doesn't have a thick center, the
pins should go through the middle of the hole in the cap to make sure the
cushion is secure and pins don't stick out over the cushion.
Cushion can be seen behind the coin of Ashta
Lakshmijis.
If the petals are fairly tight and
strong - as in a camellia - you may not need a cushion. But for most other
flowers with petals that 'give' rather readily, cushion is required. For
coins and Thakorji's with a 'small footprint', this is a must. Lotus and
poppies have a large 'stigma' in the middle. This can act as a 'support /
cushion' for Thakorji.
Lalan has a 'large foot print' and
is secure as he sits with 2 feet and one hand on the floor. So usually,
Lalan does not require a cushion.
Ideally,
* Petals should lie flat on the bottle top / CD and
allow Thakorji to stand / sit without falling over.
* If the flower is bigger than the bottle top, you
won't see the 'vase / base'.
* If the vase is 'low' you wont see the vase.
* When flowers are big and base / vase is unseen,
it appears as if Thakorji is floating on a flower off the floor.
When standing in flowers like camellia, Thakorji may not require a cushion
as their petals are firm...
In summary, list of items required
for 'pushpasan' for your Thakorji :-
* Cap / top / CD with a hole and is wide enough for
Thakorji to stand / sit safely and comfortably.
* Small vase / tea-candle holder / 'vataki' / pot /
small glass / jar etc as water source for the flower.
* Fresh flower - eg gerbera, sun-flower, rose,
lotus etc.
* Small cushion for standing Thakorji or 'coin'.
* Pins to secure the cushion to the flower.
Remember, this is seva. It should be fun for
Thakorji and you. Creating the right 'pushpasan' for your Thakorji will
require lots of trial and experimentation. I am sure in the end you will
come up with what works best for your Thakorji. If possible, do send me
photos of your Thakorji sitting in a pushpasan at the address below.
Necklace of millefiori weighs the petals 'down' and keeps the flower from
'closing in' on Thakorji.
Cushion behind Thakorjis discretely provides support for both of them.
Experiment and find the right flowers that suit and look good with your
Thakorji.
Bhagwat Shah ©
Pushti Marg Margg700">Pushti Marg Margg
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