Small canvas, big dreams: In Howrah, a bonsai master is quietly trying to make trees immortal

Gourab Majumdar, a resident of Howrah, is preserving nature with precision, skill and devotion. At 36, this bonsai artist has already spent over two decades turning saplings into timeless living sculptures. My Kolkata caught up with Majumdar for an exclusive conversation to know about his passion, knowledge and philosophy that sees bonsai not just as an art form, but as a way of life.

Childhood rooted in passion

In the bustling lanes of Howrah’s Baltikuri, Gourab Majumdar breathes new life into trees, turning them into miniature, living works of art — bonsais that tell stories of survival, patience, and timeless beauty.

“My journey with plants started when I was a child. I didn’t even know what bonsai was back then. I just loved planting and nurturing trees around my house. I used to look at the big trees on the streets and wonder how they keep growing without any care. So, one day, I brought a sapling of a tree, planted it in the house and took care of it. It grew and turned into a dwarf tree,” Majumdar recalled.

The turning point came when a visitor recognised the teenager’s accidental creation as a bonsai. “That was the first time I heard the word ‘bonsai’. It changed my life,” he said. From that day, Majumdar embarked on a journey of discovery that led him to become one of the few bonsai artists of Bengal.

Learning from the masters

Driven by passion, he started researching on the artistry. “Internet access was rare back then. I would go to cafes carrying floppy disks just to access the Internet Bonsai Portal. There were no social media platforms like Facebook yet. It was all about finding communities of passionate people,” the bonsai master recalled.

Through online forums and countless hours of discussion, he found mentors who shaped his understanding of the form.

Over the years, Majumdar expanded his knowledge further by learning from international bonsai masters like Michael Morden in the Philippines and Min Hsuan Lo in Taiwan. “Learning never stops in bonsai,” he said, emphasising that the trees themselves are the greatest teachers, changing with each season and revealing new lessons in patience and resilience.

Today, Gourab Majumdar runs Evrikshya, a farm in Serampore that manages bonsai care for individual collectors and corporate clients. The name reflects his vision — to combine natural beauty with modern life seamlessly. “We help people preserve their trees, even if they don’t have the time or expertise,” he explained.

Beyond maintenance, Evrikshya also helps rescue old trees and transform them into bonsai, offering them a second life. For Majumdar, every tree saved is a story of redemption and revival. “Sometimes people call us to save a tree that’s been growing wild for decades. Turning that into a bonsai is like honouring its entire history,” he said.

For beginners, Gourab recommends starting with species like Ficus rumphi, Carmona microphylla, Taiwan hibiscus, or the Brazilian rain tree. These tropical varieties are hardy and forgiving, ideal for newcomers learning the nuances of care and shaping.

When it comes to cost, he clarifies that bonsai pricing depends on the species, size, and the number of years of work put into shaping it. A small bonsai, around five to six inches tall, can start from Rs 4,000-Rs 5,000. However, the prices can climb steeply for rare or imported species, or trees that have undergone years of careful structuring.

“Some trees take three generations of artists to reach maturity. There are trees in my home that my teacher’s teacher had worked on. Maintaining such a tree is a big responsibility — and a great honour,” he said proudly, pointing to his own collection.

The size of the tree, from tiny “Mame” bonsais under six inches to large specimen trees over two-feet tall, also influences the pricing. “The larger and older the tree, the greater its value, not just in money. but in soul,” explained the 36-year-old, who has several national and international accolades to his name for his bonsai-making talent.

Simple rules for thriving bonsais

Despite the delicate art form's reputation for being difficult, Gourab Majumdar insists that with a few key practices, anyone can keep a bonsai thriving. His golden rules? Bonsais need full sunlight to grow strong and maintain healthy foliage; only water when the soil feels dry to the touch, and not by following a fixed schedule; avoid overwatering, which can cause root rot.

“Feel the soil with your fingers. Let the plant tell you what it needs.” He also stresses the importance of understanding weather conditions — watering twice a day during hot summers and sometimes skipping a day during monsoon spells.

Busting the bonsai myth

Majumdar also addresses a widespread myth that bonsai-making is a cruel practice that stunts a tree’s growth and causes suffering. “That’s completely untrue. Bonsais are pampered plants. Every branch is cared for, every leaf inspected. In the wild, a tree faces storms, drought, pests — so many threats. In bonsai, the tree is given the ideal conditions to live for centuries,” he said firmly.

Many bonsais outlive their full-size counterparts, becoming living heirlooms passed down through generations. For him, every bonsai is a legacy — a story that continues long after the original artist is gone.

A living philosophy

Through his eyes, bonsai is more than an art — it’s a philosophy of life. Every tree he shapes becomes a living testament to resilience, transformation, and harmony between man and nature. “In a way, bonsai teaches you to slow down and appreciate the quiet beauty of life. You can’t rush a bonsai. You can only guide it, nurture it, and watch it grow — just like life itself,” he concluded.

With a strong community of 70 bonsai enthusiasts from Bengal, Gourab Majumdar heads the Bengal Bonsai Club. His vision? “I want to gift West Bengal a bonsai museum. It will be one of a kind. I have already reached out to the state government and am waiting for them to revert,” summed Majumdar.