Sunday, April 24 2005 14:13 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Bangalore: For high-stressed techies sequestered in air-conditioned glass offices, in Bangalore is nature's stress buster.

India's software hub is now seeing companies placing Bonsai trees at points near cubicles of code writers to soothe their frayed nerves.

A living art, bonsai creation can be traced to China and it not only adds to aesthetic in interiors but has a therapeutic effect.

Bonsai is fast gaining popularity among IT professionals because of "their aesthetic appeal, therapeutic effect and longevity", says Bonsai Srinivas, renowned Bonsai expert who has 500 bonsai tree species to his credit.

Since bonsai trees can be kept indoors for two to three days at a stretch, these artistic plants in enclosed spaces give "out as much oxygen as a fully grown tree, purifying the air while satisfying your creative urges", he said.

"Owning a bonsai has also become a matter of prestige among IT professionals, as each creation is a work of art", he said.

Bonsai has immense potential and a demand needs to be created through "constant innovation and creation of bonsai with more species" G K Vasanth Kumar, Director, State horticulture department, said. For a Bangalorean who loves greenery notwithstanding the constraints of space in his choc-a-block apartment, bonsai is the answer, says Vallish Herur and Bhargava of "Trees", the only Bonsai outlet of its kind in the city.

"It was nothing but our passion for Bonsai and train people in the art that led to the start of this venture," say the duo who literally grew up with bonsai, pottering around with Dr H S Nagaraja, Herur's father and a bonsai expert.

The bonsai experts, who also specialise in bonsai landscapes, plan to make presentations in IT companies in view of the enthusiasm for bonsai evinced by IT professionals.

"We have already made one at Phillips and its CEO Bob Hoekstra has bought an 8-year-old juniper landscape from us," Bhargava said.

Sitting amidst their bonsai creations of pine, fragrant temple tree and juniper, their aim is to create awareness about bonsai and train people in the art, they said.