Pushpakotha, Md. Shahidur Rashid Bhuiyan, Pranto Prokashon

FLOWERS are the wonderful gift of nature. The eminent poet Edwin Curran defined flowers thus:
“Flowers are the music of the ground
 From earth's lips spoken without sound”.
Of late I have gone through a book titled “PushpaKotha” (Flowers Fable) written by Dr. Md. Shahidur Rashid Bhuiyan, who is working as a professor in the Department of Genetics & Plant Breeding at Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka. In the book, written in Bengali, the author has very artistically presented different aesthetic and scientific aspects of flowers in Bangla. Prof. Bhuiyan is a genuine lover of flowers which is clearly reflected in his writing. Upholding the heavenly value of flowers, the author in the opening page of his book has quoted from the sayings of the Prophet of Islam, Hazrat Muhammad (SM):
“Jote jodi mote ekti poisha
Khaddo kinio khuder lagi
Duti jodi jote tobe ordheke
Phool kine niyo hey anuragi!”
The book contains twenty articles, beginning with “Kotha theke elo priyo phool”(Wherefrom have the lovely flowers come?), describing the origin and development of flowers and ending with “Ei amader bonophool” (These are our wild flowers) highlighting the state of useful wild flowers in Bangladesh. The author has also discussed the application of the gene technique in flower improvement and production of hybrid flowers.
One of the articles is exclusively devoted to Ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arrangement. Prof. Bhuiyan has added extra charm to his composition by putting in quotes related to flowers from Tagore at the top of some articles. He has also used his self-composed adductions on flowers. Pushpakotha is a magnificent publication, enhanced in appeal by an eye-catching cover. It has been designed by the author himself with lines from C.B. Langston inscribed on the back cover page. The book contains some illustrations.
This reviewer believes that Pushpakotha will be well received by readers, particularly flower-lovers and researchers.

Professor M Zahidul Haque teaches at the Department of Agricultural Extension & Information System, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka