TheThousand Petal Lotus

Dr. Uday Dokras

B.Sc., B.A. (managerial economics) LL.B. Nagpur University, INDIA
Graduate Studies, Queen’s University, Kingston, CANADA
MBA CALSATATE USA
Graduate Diploma in Law, Stockholm University, SWEDEN
Ph.D. Stockholm University, SWEDEN
CONSULTANT Human Resource and Administration, FDCM ESSELWORLD GOREWADA
ZOO Pvt. Ltd..

Say not, "I have found the truth," but rather, "I have found a truth."
Say not, "I have found the path of the soul." Say rather, "I have met the soul walking upon my path."
For the soul walks upon all paths.
The soul walks not upon a line, neither does it grow like a reed.
The soul unfolds itself like a lotus of countless petals.

Kahlil Gibran-On Self-Knowledge

The Sahasrara ससससससस – Or chakra of a 1000 petals is located on the top of the head. It radiates

like the Sun. In the same way, the energy and radiation of all other Chakras pale in the radiance of
the Sahasrara Chakra. The seventh chakra. The center at which one attains liberation.
Function of the Chakra

The sahasrara chakra is one of the seven chakras; the lower chakras store and distribute psychological and
mental tendencies that can be directed toward the sixth or agya chakra and then ultimately released at the
crown chakra. The highest chakra must be approached through the positive pole of the sixth chakra
known as the spiritual eye. To approach the crown chakra by any other way is unwise and perhaps
dangerous. In other words, one must attain enlightenment before achieving liberation.

The highest chakra, the sahasrara chakra is located in the cranium at the top of the head. It is also known
as the crown chakra, the thousand-petaled lotus, or the “seat” or “throne” of God. At the center, all the
rays of the brain radiate outward so that the soul is finally united with God. The rays keep the physical
body nourished with energy.

Qualities of the Chakra

1. The sahasrara chakra represents the soul in its aspect of Perfect Being. (5) It is the seat of
liberation for enlightened beings. As the goal of yoga practices is samadhi or the superconscious
union of the ego with the divine self, the crown chakra is the point at which the soul dissolves ego
consciousness. The union may be experienced as merging with a calm inner light. In the light,
one can expand one’s consciousness to infinity. The soul lets go of its delusion of being separate
from the light and thus becomes the universe.

2. Although the experience of union with the divine is full of ecstasy, at first the soul may only
attain brief moments of liberation. As an analogy, the bird who has long remained imprisoned in
its cage may return to its familiar cage even when the door is opened. Finally, however, it realizes
that it is free to fly out of the cage; similarly, the soul realizes that its true state is in its full
liberation as spirit.

3. One can experience samadhi through meditation. The only barrier withholding one from the
experience of liberation is simply the thought that one is not yet liberated. However, the great
masters including Jesus Christ, Krishna, Paramhansa Yogananda, and others have shown that
final emancipation comes when the seeds of karma have been destroyed. When the soul believes
that it is free to the last layers of its consciousness, then it is fully free.
4. By prolonged meditation on the spiritual eye, the soul experiences first the sixth chakra’s circular
field of blue light ringed with gold and then passes through the subtle passage at the seventh
chakra. When the enlightened master finally ceases all action in the world, his consciousness
becomes centered in the

5. Throughout many cultures over time, the lotus has been a powerful image and a spiritual symbol.
In Hindu, Buddhist and Egyptian religions, the lotus is considered a sacred flower.
6. Among its many meanings and significance, the lotus is a symbol of "spontaneous" generation,
and so it also represents divine birth, spiritual development and creation itself.
7. The bud of the lotus symbolizes potential, specifically of a spiritual nature.
8. Because the lotus rises from unclean water to blossom as a pure, uncontaminated flower, it is a
symbol of purity and resurrection.
9. In the same way the lotus flower goes through much in its growth before emerging from dirty
water to become a beautiful flower, the individual consciousness does the same on its path to
enlightenment as the so-called impurities of unenlightened thinking gradually fade.

10. The Mahayana sect of Buddhism maintains that all souls emerge from a lotus.
11. According to ancient scriptural text which details the life of Gautama Buddha, "the spirit of the
best of men is spotless, like the new lotus in the [murky] water which does not adhere to it." As
the lotus is pure in the water, so the soul is also pure.
12. The lotus is one of the eight auspicious signs of Buddhism and Hinduism, and the eight-petalled
lotus seen in Buddhist mandalas means cosmic harmony.(Mandalas are geometric patterns used
 as symbolic or metaphysical representations of the universe, the spiritual path, etc.; mandalas are
often used as a object of focus to aid in meditation.)
13. The eight petals of the white lotus correspond to the Noble Eightfold Path of the Good Law. This
lotus is found at the heart of the Garbhadhatu Mandala, regarded as the womb or embryo of the
world.
14. The thousand-petaled lotus signifies spiritual illumination. In this case, each opening of the petal
is the gradual unfolding of the consciousness on the path of enlightenment.
15. The specific yogic teaching that addresses energy centers within the human being, known as the
chakra system, uses a lotus with varied numbers of petals to represent each particular chakra. The
crown chakra is the thousand-petaled lotus, and so its blossoming indicates enlightenment.
16. The Buddhist mantra "Om mani padme hum" refers to the "jewel in the lotus," which represents
enlightenment. It is claimed that this mantra has great mystical power, with transcendental truth
in its words.
17. In buddhist and hindu writings, it is explained that "Om mani padme hum" [O Jewel in the Lotus
Flower] "signifies not only the jewel of man's divinity living within the lotus (the cosmos), but
also the jewel of cosmic divinity living within the lotus (man). In other words, the mantra is
saying, "I am in You and You are in me," thereby stating the unity and brotherhood of all beings,
as well as their inner divine potential. This is one way of expressing the principle of "As above,
so below."

18. In spiritual literature from many sources, the lotus is a symbol for the macrocosm and the
microcosm, the universe and man. The jewel in the lotus represents the divinity of the cosmos as
well as the divinity of man.
19. In ancient Egypt, spiritual teachings held that the lotus represented the sun, and therefore,
creation and rebirth. This stemmed from the way the lotus flower closes its petals at night and
sinks underwater, to rise and open the petals again at dawn. So it was said that the lotus gave birth
to the sun.
20. In certain Eastern teachings, the inner awareness — also called the inner heart or the inner mind
— is symbolized by the lotus, and is found in the center of the heart. This is also called the lotus
flower within.
21. The heart-lotus or "lotus of heart" is the center of the infinite, omnipresent consciousness which
connects with the consciousness of the universe. Through the intuition, one of man's divine gifts,
the spiritual student can see the infinite, omnipresent consciousness as the lotus flower within
himself.
22. In esoteric Buddhism, the heart of beings is like an unopened lotus. When the Buddha nature
(spiritual nature) develops on the inner, the lotus unfolds and blossoms. This is why the Buddha
is depicted sitting on a blooming lotus.
23. The lotus is seen extensively in Buddhist art, where Buddha images are typically positioned on a
lotus — usually a double lotus — with petals facing both up and down. The protrusion sometimes
found on the Buddha's head is also portrayed as a lotus.
24. As a holy symbol in Indian culture and a sacred symbol of Hinduism, the lotus is found
throughout the Hindu scriptures. Lord Brahma, the creator of the universe in these scriptures, and
Lord Vishnu, the preserver of the universe in these scriptures, are depicted sitting in a lotus.
25. Lord Brahma is said to have been born from the lotus that was growing out of the navel of Lord
Vishnu.

26.
Lord Brahma seated on divine Lotus Flower
27. In Vedic scripture, the body of Lord Krishna, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, is described as
being like a bluish new-grown lotus flower.
जजजज जजजज ज जज जजजजजजजजज जज जजजजजज जजजजजजजजज
जजजजजजजजज जजजज जजजजजजजजज जजजज जजजजजज जजजजजजजजजज
One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities does not, upon
leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode,
O Arjuna. Krishna in Bhagwat Gita 5-9

Krishna as the Blue Lotus

The Time: At the end of Dvapara-yuga, which completely destroys faults and doubts, an auspicious,
favorable, obstacle-free time appeared on the eighth day of the waning moon in Bhadra month. Just at
that sweet moment the Rohini Naksatra, along with the good qualities of the moon and an auspicious
conjunction of stars called Ayusman, appeared in the sky to give shelter to gentle persons.Baby Krishna
takes birth in Gokula and everyone in the maternity room swelled with joy upon seeing the Lord’s
exquisite transcendental form that looked like a creeper of beauty.

Mother Yasoda resembled a lake of spiritual ecstasy in which a brilliant blue lotus of personified
bliss had appeared. Neither the wind nor the bees relished the fragrance of that blue lotus. That unborn
lotus was never touched by the waves of the modes of nature. Even Lord Brahma could not see it, what
to speak of ordinary men.

After Yasoda and her family members fell asleep in the maternity room, Hari cried beautifully like a
newborn baby. His crying sounded like the maha-vakya omkara announcing the auspicious arrival of His
pastimes. Omkara is a transcendental vibration that had previously emanated from the mouth of Lord
Brahma. When the ladies of Vrindavana heard the sweet sound of Krishna’s crying, they woke up and
ran to see the Lord. With the mellow of their matchless overflowing affection they anointed His body.

The natural fragrance of Krishna’s body smelled just like musk. After the ladies bathed Krishna in sweet
ambrosia, He looked cleansed and beautiful. Then they smeared His body with fragrant sandalwood pulp.
The presiding deity of the house sent a campaka flower resembling the flame of a lamp into the
maternity room to worship that ornament of the three worlds.
With the strength of His little arms, delicate as the tender leaves of a tree, Krishna made all the lamps in
the maternity room look like a garland of lotus flower buds. The ladies of Vrindavana saw baby
Krishna like a blossoming flower made of the best of blue sapphires, or like a newly unfurled leaf of
a tamala tree. Krishna looked like a fresh rain cloud decorated with the musk tilaka of the goddess of
fortune of the three worlds. The ointment of the greatest auspiciousness lined His eyes. His presence filled
the maternity room with good fortune. Although a mere baby, Krishna had a head full of curly hair. To
hide the unique signs on His hands (goad, fish, conch etc.) the Lord folded His delicate petal-like
fingers into His lotus palm. At that time Krishna laid on His back with His eyes closed.

Mother Yasoda awoke amidst the joyous chattering of the elderly gopis. Leaning over the bed she
admired her gorgeous son. But upon noticing her own reflection on Krishna’s body, she imagined it
another woman. Thinking that a witch had assumed her form to kidnap Krishna, Yasoda
became bewildered and yelled, “Get out of here! You go away!” Spontaneously she cried out to
Narsimhadeva to protect her precious son.

Beholding Krishna’s tender face, Yasoda showered tears of affection that looked like an offering of a
pearl necklace. Yasoda saw Krishna’s body as a mound of dark blue musk, softer than the butter
churned from the milk ocean. Overflowing with nectar, His charming body appeared like the foam of
milk, but being dark blue in color it seemed the foam was full of musk juice. Admiring the
supremely delicate form of her son, Yasoda worried about His safety and feared the touch of her body
might hurt his tender body.

As she leaned over the bed Yasoda bathed Krishna with the milk dripping from her breasts. The elderly
gopis instructed Yasoda how to caress the baby in her lap, and affectionately push the nipple of her breast
into Krishna’s mouth to feed Him. Due to Yasoda’s intense love, personified bliss flowed from her
breasts as steady streams of milk. When milk sometimes spilled out of Krishna’s bimba fruit red lips onto
His cheeks, Mother Yasoda would wipe His face with the edge of her cloth. After feeding her son,
Yasoda gazed affectionately at Him in wonder.

She saw her child’s body as made of dazzling blue sapphires. His mouth resembled a red bimbafruit
and His hands and feet looked like exquisite rubies. Krishna’s nails shone like precious gems. In this
way, Yasoda thought her child was completely made of jewels. Then she perceived that His naturally
reddish lips looked like bandhuka flowers, His hands and feel resembled Java flowers, His nails looked
like mallika flowers. Yasoda then thought, “Krishna’s whole body seems to be made of blue lotus
flowers. He does not appear to be mine.” After thus deliberating within herself Yasoda became
stunned in amazement.

The beautiful, soft curly hairs on the right side of Krishna’s chest resembled the tender stems of a
lotus. Seeing the mark of Srivatsa on His chest Yasoda thought it was breast milk that had
previously spilled out of His mouth. She tried unsuccessfully to remove these ‘milk stains’ with the
edge of her cloth. Struck with wonder, Yasoda thought this must be the sign of a great personality.
Observing the sign of Lakshmi (a small golden line) on the left side of Krishna’s chest, Yasoda thought a
small yellow bee had made a nest amidst the leaves of a tamala tree. Could this be a streak of lightning
resting on a rain cloud, or could it be the golden streaks marking a black gold-testing stone? Krishna’s
delicate, leaf-like hands and fee glowing pink like the rising sun, looked like clusters of lotus
flowers flowing in the Yamuna.

Sometimes Yasoda saw the curly, dark blue locks of baby Krishna as swarm of bumblebees surrounding
His face. Intoxicated from drinking too much honey nectar, the bees just hovered in the sky. His thick,
beautiful blue hair appeared like the dark night. The two lotus eyes of Krishna looked like a pair of blue
lotus buds. His cheeks resembled two huge bubbles floating in a lake of liquefied blue sapphires.
Krishna’s attractive ears looked like a pair of fresh unfurled leaves growing on a blue creeper.

The tip of Krishna’s dark nose appeared like the sprout of a tree, and His nostrils looked like bubbles in
the Yamuna River, the daughter of the sun god. His lips resembled a pair of red Java flower buds.
Krishna’s chin rivaled a pair of ripe, red jambu fruits. Seeing the extraordinary beauty of her son fulfilled
the purpose of her eyes and submerged Yasoda in an ocean of bliss.

Purankalsa: One of the eight auspicious symbols of Indian classical art, the Purankalsa Purnakalasa
symbolizes abundance and creativity, and depicts overflowing foliage consisting of lotus buds, lotus
flowers and lotus leaves. The motifs of Purankalsa are found inside the legendary Taj Mahal, which some
believe to be an ancient hindu Temple rebuild by the Muslims, where the lotus is the prominent motif.

In many spiritual traditions, lotus flowers are especially sacred as an offering to the divine.

The lotus also represents purity and non-attachment, and is a symbol of Bhakti or love for God. Most
people let their love flow towards the mundan world. But a devotee redirects his love only towards God,
who resides with in one’s heart. Though God is present everywhere, it is in the heart, our spiritual centre,
that He manifests as Param-Atma or the Supersoul. The heart of the devotee is the ‘Lord’s temple room.

Thus, the Lotus represents the heart. It is not the physical heart but the spiritual heart that the lotus
represents. Mahanarayana Upanishad says, ‘In the citadel of the body, there is the small sinless and
pure lotus of the heart which is the residence of the Supreme.

It is stated by the LordKrishna in the Vedas: “Oh, Human! This village [life] of yours is balanced on the
lotus leaf and your lifespan is just alike a drop of water running down that leaf, which may fall any
minute.”
Divine feet of the Gods:Throughout history, Eastern poets, sages, saints, masters and gurus have
associated the lotus also as a metaphor for the divine feet of the gods and other exalted spiritual beings.
This is where the phrase "lotus feet" found in many Eastern teachings, originates.
Pervading Eastern philosophy and religion for thousands of years, the lotus-feet is a metaphor for the
divine feet of the gods, saints and other exalted spiritual beings. Figurative language, analogies and
mystic descriptions are used in spiritual instruction throughout many teachings.

Many flowers have held enormous significance for thousands of years across cultures. The lotus is one
such flower which dominates many religions. It grows alongside the muddy waters and submerges into
the murky water every night and remains undeterred by the dirty environment. Every morning, the flower
miraculously re-blooms without any residue on its petals.
Ancient Egyptians symbolize the lotus resurrection with the eternal life and use it in their burial ceremony
rituals. The lotus flower acts as a potent reminder of reincarnation and the mysteries of the afterlife.
Although different cultures have their interpretations of this lovely flower, there is a consensus among the
ancient texts that the lotus flower symbolizes spiritual enlightenment and rebirth. The flower has stunned
people with its ability to dip into the murk and revive itself unscathed which signifies an incredible daily
cycle of life, death, and a sudden immaculate rebirth. This process can only be described as a spiritual
cycle. The connotation gives us the reason why the lotus is associated with such celestial symbolism.

In Buddhist and Egyptian culture, the flower represents the universe. The Buddhists believe that
the Buddha appeared on top of a floating lotus, and his first footsteps on Earth left lotus blossoms.
The Buddhist Lotus represents:

• Patience
• Purity
• Mysticism
• Direct Spiritual Contact
• Emptiness from Desire
• Victory over Attachments
• Enlightenment and the Bodhi State
• Love and Compassion for All Things
• Self-Awareness
• Faithfulness During Spiritual Development
• Rising Out of Suffering

Lotus position
These above-stated meanings gave birth to the way of sitting, which is also known as the lotus position.
In this position, the legs are crossed and tucked in that make the bent knees look like the petals of a lotus.
This position is considered essential for most Hindu yoga practices and also in Buddhist meditation.

In this posture, the soles of our feet are tucked away which is a respectful position in temples. The lotus
flower forms a vital part in creating mandalas, the spiritual and artistic representations of divine energies
and meditation.
The color of the lotus flower plays a significant role in Buddhism. A white lotus flower refers to the
purity of the mind and the spirit; a red flower refers to compassion and love, a blue lotus flower means
common sense and usage of logic and wisdom to reach enlightenment. A pink lotus represents the history
of Buddha while a purple flower indicates mysticism and spirituality. The gold lotus flower represents the
achievement of enlightenment.

The growth stages of the lotus flower indicate the different stages of enlightenment in Buddhism. While a
closed lotus may mean the time before a Buddhist follower finds Buddha or enlightenment, the fully
bloomed flower represents self-awareness.

The mud, in which the lotus is born signifies that humans are born in a world full of suffering. The pain
makes us stronger and teaches us to resist the temptation of the evil. When we get rid of all the evil
thoughts from our mind, we break free from the muddy water and become one with the Buddha. The lotus
flower represents rebirth, both in a literal sense and in a figurative sense.

The rebirth can indicate a change of ideas which can be acceptance of Buddha, where we once thought
was none and ability to see our past wrong-doings. In the literal sense, the lotus flower in Buddhism
denotes reincarnation or rebirth, where a soul leaves the world in its present form to be born in another.
The lotus flower holds immense importance in Hinduism as well. Many Hindu deities are depicted
holding the flower in their hands. For instance, Lord Brahma, the creator of the universe, is also shown
meditating on a lotus. According to the Vedic scriptures or Puranas, Brahma was born from the lotus
flower that originated from the navel of Lord Vishnu, the creator of the world.

The flower is considered as a symbol of beauty, prosperity and fertility. According to Hinduism, inside
every human is the spirit of Lotus. The Hindu scriptures say that the Atman or the human soul lives in the
lotus within the heart. In the great scripture, Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna explains that lotus grows in
water, but the petals stay dry. He advises humans to lead a life like a lotus and to fulfill our duties without
being distracted by materialism and attachment.
Besides holding religious importance in various religions and decorating thrones or acting as seats for
enlightened beings, the lotus is used for edible and medicinal purposes. The blue lotus family, or
Nymphaea, is grown for edible seeds and roots.

The American version of the flower is used as a source of food. In fact, people brew the blue lotus flowers
to make a tea with sedative and mild psychotropic effects to heighten their sense of work and to beat
insomnia.

Cuisine:

The lotus, a plant that emerges from mud and rises above water, is a symbol of purity. Symbolically, it
cleanses and purifies. Buddhists use lotus flowers as offerings to convey their sincere respect for monks
and venerated figures in Buddhism.

Besides its auspicious meaning in religion, the lotus has many uses, not least in cooking. There are two
types: lotus and water lily. These two varieties and their different parts serve various purposes. Grown in
water, the lotus is deemed clean and safe to eat.

Bua sai, or water lily, is an ingredient that appears in various Thai recipes. The most popular is kaeng sai
bua with pla tu nueng (sai bua curry with steamed mackerel). This dish is made by peeling bua sai stems
and cutting them into pieces about 5cm long. The pieces are washed thoroughly and left to drain. Next,
the curry paste is prepared by pounding together shallots, shrimp paste and krachai. This is cooked with
coconut milk and seasoned with salt and sugar. Madan is added to give a sour flavour. Fish sauce is not
recommended in this recipe as it causes the lily stems to blacken. After the soup is seasoned, the lily
stems and a whole pla tu are added to complete the dish.Another popular main is stir-fried sai bua with
shrimp. This easy dish involves cutting the stems into pieces. Add a little oil to a hot wok, and fry some
chopped garlic until fragrant. Next, add some shrimp and bua sai stems, and season with sugar and salt.
Fry for 2-3 minutes only, otherwise the stems become too soft. Bua sai stems can also served raw
with nam prik.

Aside from main dishes, bua sai stem is used to make kanom sai bua, an old-style Thai dessert.
Preparation is similar to making kanom kluay (banana pudding). Instead of using ripe
bananas, bua sai stems are pounded until fine before being kneaded with rice flour, coconut cream, salt
and sugar. The mixture is then wrapped in banana leaf and steamed.
The other type of lotus is called bua luang in Thai. It is famed for its beautiful pink flowers. Bua
luang propagates by shoots that grow out of the tuber. The tuber can be several metres in length. When
the tuber is embedded in the soil underwater, a new rhizome will form and tubers will grow downward
into the mud.

Another popular main is stir-fried sai bua with shrimp. This easy dish involves cutting the stems into
pieces. Add a little oil to a hot wok, and fry some chopped garlic until fragrant. Next, add some shrimp
and bua sai stems, and season with sugar and salt. Fry for 2-3 minutes only, otherwise the stems become
too soft. Bua sai stems can also served raw with nam prik.
The other type of lotus is called bua luang in Thai. It is famed for its beautiful pink flowers. Bua
luang propagates by shoots that grow out of the tuber. The tuber can be several metres in length. When
the tuber is embedded in the soil underwater, a new rhizome will form and tubers will grow downward
into the mud.

Water lily stems are used for cooking.

Bua luang stem is not eaten, because it is hard and tough with thorny skin. However, the growth shoot,
called lai bua in Thai, is edible. By washing the shoots thoroughly and cutting them into pieces, you can
make phad cha lai bua with catfish or shellfish. Phad cha is a spicy stir-fried dish. First you need to make
paste by pounding red chillies (prik chee fa) with bird's-eye chillies, garlic and galangal. Heat some oil in
a wok, add the paste and fry until fragrant. Then add catfish or shellfish and lai bua and stir-fry. Next, add
sliced red chillies, kaffir lime leaves, sliced krachai roots (aromatic rhizome) and fresh peppercorn.
Season with fish sauce, sugar and add basil leaves just before removing the wok from the heat.
Lai bua is also used to make kaeng som (spicy sour curry). Lai bua retains its crunchiness even when
cooked. The problem is it is not easy to find. If lucky, you might be able to buy it at a large fresh market
that sells regional vegetables.
Lotus seeds can be eaten fresh and dried. Fresh lotus seeds are delicious when made into a soup by
boiling pork bone or minced pork. But fresh lotus seeds are only sold at places in proximity to the areas
where lotuses are grown.
Dried lotus seeds can be found anywhere, but the best source is Yaowarat and Sam Yan markets where
the seeds are imported from China. Dried lotus seeds can be used to make various dishes, such
as bajang (sticky rice dumpling), khanom maw kaeng (a custard-like dessert) and khao phad haw bai
bua (fried rice wrapped in lotus leaf).

Lotus leaves are highly functional. A special quality is that they are waterproof. Traditionally, people
used the leaves to wrap rice in lieu of lunch box. Rice doesn't stick to the leaf. Furthermore, it absorbs the
leaf's fragrant scent. With such unique qualifications, it makes sense for lotus leaves to be used in khao
phad haw bai bua. To make this dish, the rice is fried together with Chinese red pork, a sweet Chinese
sausage called kunchieng, salted egg, ginkgo seeds and lotus seeds. When seasoned to taste, the mixture is
wrapped in a lotus leaf and steamed.
These days, the beautiful petals of lotus flowers are frequently used in food presentation and as an
ingredient in appetisers.
These are but a few attributes of this special plant. It is cherished in religious belief and in cooking. Amid
growing concerns about food safety, the lotus can be considered a safe choice.
With such unique qualifications, it makes sense for lotus leaves to be used in khao phad haw bai bua. To
make this dish, the rice is fried together with Chinese red pork, a sweet Chinese sausage called kunchieng,
salted egg, ginkgo seeds and lotus seeds. When seasoned to taste, the mixture is wrapped in a lotus leaf
and steamed.These days, the beautiful petals of lotus flowers are frequently used in food presentation and
as an ingredient in appetisers.
 Indian cuisine: Some of the dishes eaten in India are:
 Fish Curry With Lotus Stems. Tender fish pieces and lotus stems bathe and simmer in a rich Kashmiri
gravy incorporating hot spices, gheeand kokum. ...
 Bhuni Hui Kamal Kakadi. ...
 Nadroo Yakhni. ...
 Lotus Stem and Potato. ...
 Haak and Nadur. ...
 Fried Lotus Stems with Chutney Recipe.

These are but a few attributes of this special plant. It is cherished in religious belief and in cooking.
Significance of Indian Flowers in Medicine

Medicine: A number of Indian flowers have medicinal values and are recognized globally. These
flowers are widely used in Ayurveda in treating various types of ailments. They
are porcupine flower, hophead, kariyat, blue fox tail, bell weed, marsh barbel, gandarusa, Malabar
nut, water willow, frilly lepidagathis, blue pussyleaf, karvy, snake jasmine,
singkrang, Himalaya onion, chives, sage leaved alangium, two-toothed chaff flower, mountain knot
grass, marking nut, sugar apple, Himalayan hogweed, Indian pennywort, ajwain, indrajao, sea
mango, nag kuda, water jasmine, sarpagandha and many others.

The Power of the Lotus

1. Diarrhea
2. Blood sugar and cholesterol
3. Inflammation
4. Nutrition
5. Acne prevention
6. Menstrual cycle
7. Cough
8. Cancer
9. Takeaway
The storied Medical history of the lotus
The powerful lotus plant has been used in East and Southeast Asian traditional medicine and cuisine for
centuries. The lotus has the title of India’s national flower and is a symbol of purity in Buddhist and
Hindu traditions.The lotus is a bowl-shaped perennial and is often confused with water lilies. There are
over 100 species of lotus. You’re probably most familiar with the white single-flower lotus, which has
around two dozen petals. Other types of lotuses include the double-flowered lotus, which can have over
100 petals, as well as pink and red varieties.This plant’s medicinal usage goes back generations but the
science behind its potential has only recently come under study.
What kinds of conditions might this flower be able to treat?
1. Halt your diarrhea
2. One of the lotus’ most common uses in traditional Chinese medicine is stopping diarrhea. To try
this natural remedy, soak lotus seeds in warm water for a few hours and then add rock sugar until
you find a taste you like.
3. Lower your blood sugar and cholesterol
4. Lotus root contains both fiber and complex carbohydrates. These two components work together
to help manage your body’s cholesterol and blood sugar. Fiber and complex carbohydrates also
help maintain a slow and steady digestive process.
5. Relieve inflammation
Inflammation is usually accompanied by a sensation of heat. It’s an uncomfortable side effect or
symptom of many conditions. It can also be caused by trauma, chemical exposure, or physical injury.
Recent research suggests that the seeds of both red and white lotus varieties could help reduce
inflammation.
6. A 2013 studyTrusted Source found that two polysaccharides in lotus plumule have significant anti-
inflammatory effects and show promise as a base for future treatment. Anti-inflammatory and anti-
oxidant properties were found to be significant.
7. Nutrition: The stem of the lotus plant is full of minerals and nutrients — such as vitamin C —
that are important for your body’s daily function. One of these minerals is potassium, which helps
regulate blood pressure. If lotus roots are boiled for 10 minutes and then eaten one receives a
healthy dose of nutrients. Lotus root is a common ingredient in many Asian dishes and can be
prepared in practically every way.
8. Acne: Lotus might be able to help you in your struggle with acne. Sebum is the waxy substance
that can cause acne breakouts when it builds up and clogs your skin’s pores. Adding lotus to
 green tea and applying it to the face can significantly reduce the amount of sebum that your
glands produce, according to 2013 research.
9. Ease your period
Lotus leaves and root extracts have long been used in traditional Chinese medicine to help regulate the
menstrual cycle and stop excess bleeding. There isn’t a lot of scientific research to back these claims.
Some practitioners suggest that drinking lotus root juice or lotus soup can help you avoid anemia after
menstruation by building blood to replace what was lost.

Significance of Indian Flowers in Weddings

Indian flowers are used in wedding ceremonies and can be termed as wedding flowers. In fact, no
wedding can be celebrated in India without flowers. They decorate the wedding hall and set the exact
joyous mood and tone for the event. During such events, flowers are mainly used in the form of garlands
and bouquets.

REFERENCES

1. The Latest Studies on Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera)-an Emerging Horticultural Model Plant
Zhongyuan Lin 1,2,3, Cheng Zhang 1, Dingding Cao 2,3, Rebecca Njeri Damaris 1 and
Pingfang Yang , International Journal o f Molecular Sciences, July 2019

1A. Role of Fractal Geometry in Indian Hindu Temple Architecture,Dhrubajyoti Sardar,S. Y. Kulkarni,
International Journal of Engineering Research & Technology (IJERT) Vol. 4 Issue 05, May-2015

2. Md Rian I, et al. Fractal geometry as the synthesis of Hindu cosmology in Kandariya Mahadev temple,
Khajuraho. Building and Environment (2007), doi:10.1016/j.buildenv.2007.01.028 http://d-
lab.kr/prof/2007_02.pdf

3. Stella Kramrisch, The Hindu Temple, Vol 1, Motilal Banarsidass,

4. Shapes, Patterns and Meanings in Indian Temple Architecture,
Tanisha Dutta , Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology American Journal of Civil Engineering
and Architecture, 2018, Vol. 6, No. 5, 206-215 fom the project Interpreting Symbolism in Medieval
Hindu Temple Architecture through Fractal Geometry View project

See also Symbolism in Hindu Temple Architecture and Fractal Geometry - 'Thought Behind Form'
Tanisha Dutta1 , Vinayak S. Adane, International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR) ISSN (Online):
2319-7064 Volume 3 Issue 12, December 2014 www.ijsr.net Licensed Under Creative Commons
Attribution CC BY