The constant item on Harsha Hinduja's souvenir list: Local floral varieties

Ashok Hinduja’s wife Harsha is known in her family for her love for all things flora. Her brother-in-law Gopichand Hinduja even calls her phoolon ki rani (queen of flowers), as Harsha devotes her time to grooming her bonsai plants and ikebana floral arrangements.

“I like to make my own floral arrangements at least once every week. These are displayed in various parts of my house in Juhu,” Harsha told ETPanache over the phone, adding that her entire family shares her passion, “My husband loves it.”

Such is her commitment that when she travels, her shopping list does not include luxury brands but specimens of the region’s floral varieties. On a trip to Japan in April, she picked up some mame bonsai.

While bonsai plants are known for their small sizes, this particular style takes miniaturisation to the next level. These plants from Harsha’s extensive collection, along with others, were recently displayed at a bonsai and ikebana exhibition in Mumbai.