What does the national flower of India look like? Sacred plant in India. Plants in Indian mythology. Lotus is one of the most important symbols in Hinduism

Almost every plant in India has its own religious symbolism and meaning. Indian traditions are very beautiful and multifaceted, and the lotus occupies a special place in it.

Lotus is a flower of great importance in Indian ancient cultural heritage. The lotus is closely associated with the customs and beliefs of people, so Hinduism cannot be imagined without this flower, as it helps to understand the culture and worldview of the people who profess this religion.

Lotus is one of the most important symbols in Hinduism

Flowers have important in Indian religion. An attentive tourist may notice that almost all the supreme gods in India are depicted with a lotus. This flower emphasizes the colossal energy and purity that is intended for creation. The lotus represents the source of life and strength, and its seeds are a symbol of fertility, resurrection and birth. For this reason, the lotus is included in mourning attributes that are used at funerals, since the lotus in this case indicates the spiritual resurrection of a person after death or his rebirth.

The lotus usually grows in shallow lakes and clear harbors, but it can also bloom in dirty water, remaining unsullied and pure. Hindus associate Kubera, Saraswati, Brahma, Vishnu and Lakshmi with this flower. Lakshmi is often depicted on a pink lotus, while Saraswati is depicted sitting on a white lotus. In other pictures you can see a flower blooming from Vishnu's navel. The same blossoming bud represents Brahma, the creator of all things on earth.

State and literary symbol

The lotus can also speak of a person's wisdom, which is why the lotus stem is used in the pages of Indian literature. It contains the posture and beauty of the heroes, which can be compared with this plant, for example, in the famous couplet of Calisada, the girl’s face is compared to a blooming flower, and her eyes are dark blue flowers during flowering.

In addition to being widely used in symbols, the lotus is also known for its healing properties. Lotus is used as a tonic and antiseptic for healing large quantity diseases of the nervous and cardiovascular system. The lotus is also immortalized on coins and ornaments of India. A large blooming pink lotus flower is a symbol of the Indian province located on the banks of the Ganges.

Oct 27, 2016 Julia

The national flower of India is the lotus (nelumbo nucifere). This sacred flower occupies a unique place in the art and mythology of ancient India. Since time immemorial it has been considered lucky symbol Indian culture. Lotus is a sacred flower, a symbol of beauty, purity, desire for the sun, light. This image permeates all Egyptian art, from the lotus-shaped capitals of temple columns to miniature toilet vessels and jewelry.

In various traditions, the realization of potential is depicted as the blossoming of a flower on the surface of the waters; in the West it is a rose or lily, in the East it is a lotus. The cosmic lotus appears as an image of creation, the emergence of the world from the primordial waters or from the void; this is a special universal principle that governs the world and the life developing in it.

This symbol has solar and lunar aspects; he is equally close to water and fire, the chaos of darkness and divine light. The Lotus is the result of the interaction of the creative forces of the Sun and the lunar forces of water, it is the Cosmos that rose from the watery chaos, like the Sun that rose at the beginning of time, “the world of developing life in a whirlwind of rebirths” (J. Campbell). This time is past, present and future, since every plant has buds, flowers and seeds at the same time.

Opening at dawn and closing at sunset, the lotus personifies the rebirth of the Sun, and therefore any other rebirth, renewal of vitality, return of youth, immortality.

The lotus symbolizes human life, as well as the Universe, while its root, immersed in muddy soil, represents matter, the stem stretching through the water represents the soul, and the flower facing the Sun is a symbol of spirit. The lotus flower is not wetted by water, just as the spirit is not stained by matter, therefore the lotus represents eternal life, immortal nature of man, spiritual revelation.

Creation, birth and the Sun as the source of life were associated with the image of the lotus. This great flower blossomed, rising from the depths of the primordial waters, and carried on its petals the existence embodied in the image of the solar deity, the golden child: from the lotus the sun god Ra is born. The Rising Sun was also often represented as Horus, which rises from a lotus, representing the Universe. The lotus flower could serve as the throne of Osiris, Isis and Nephthys.

The lotus symbolized the renewal of vitality and the return of youth, for the old god dies to be reborn young. The image of the deceased holding a lotus flower speaks of resurrection from the dead, awakening on the spiritual plane.

As a symbol of prosperity and fertility, the lotus was an attribute of the Memphis god of vegetation Nefertum, who was depicted as a young man wearing a headdress in the form of a lotus flower. In the Pyramid Texts it is called "the lotus from the nose of Ra." Every morning the god Nefertum rises from the lotus and every evening descends into the water of the sacred lake.

In Ancient India, the lotus acts as a symbol of creative power, as an image of the creation of the world. The lotus was seen as a symbol of the Universe, a reflection of the earth that floats like a flower on the surface of the ocean. The open cup of the flower, located in the middle, is the mountain of the gods Meru.

In the Upanishads, Vishnu becomes the creator and preserver of the world. He is the beginning, middle and end of the whole world. When Vishnu wakes up, a lotus flower grows from his navel, and Brahma, the creator of the worlds, is born in it. In the center of Vishnu's heavenly paradise flows the heavenly Ganges, Vishnu's palace is surrounded by five lakes with blue, white and red lotuses that sparkle like emeralds and sapphires.

Vishnu's wife Lakshmi, the goddess of happiness, wealth and beauty, is associated with the lotus. According to one of the myths, when the gods and asuras were churning the ocean, Lakshmi emerged from it with a lotus in her hands. According to other ideas, Lakshmi arose at the very beginning of creation, emerging from the primordial waters on a lotus flower; hence her names Padma or Kamala (“lotus”). The lotus throne is an attribute of most Hindu and most revered Buddhist deities.

In Buddhism, the lotus symbolizes the primordial waters, spiritual unfoldment, wisdom and nirvana. The Lotus is dedicated to Buddha, the “Pearl of the Lotus”, who emerged from the Lotus in the form of a flame. This is an image of purity and perfection: growing out of dirt, he remains pure - just like Buddha, born into the world. Buddha is considered the heart of the lotus, he sits on a throne in the form of a fully opened flower.

In addition, in Buddhism, the appearance of the lotus is associated with the beginning of a new cosmic era. The full bloom of the lotus represents the wheel of the continuous cycle of existence and is a symbol of Kuan Yin, Maitreya Buddha and Amitabha. In the Buddhist paradise, as in the paradise of Vishnu, in ponds made of jewelry, “amazing lotuses of different colors bloom.”

When designing the external part of the diary, it is useful to work with various decorative materials.

For example, if you take colored cardboard, you can make beautiful cutouts from it and make an applique out of them, which will serve as a decoration for your product. And we can advise girls to play with decorative beads - they are ideal for laying out patterns and images (based on a sketch, of course). Although, a men's diary can be decorated with the same material if it is laid out with a geometric pattern or a pattern in an ethnic style.

5 secrets for making a school omelet Follow the proportions. The kindergarten casserole turns out tall and tender thanks to the milk included in its composition. It is recommended to follow a combination of 1:3 - for one part of eggs, an omelet recipe like in a kindergarten will require 3 parts of milk. Bake in a cast iron or glass pan. They heat up slowly but evenly, and the food rarely burns in them. Cook in a tall, small-diameter container. Remember that after the egg falls, it will remain 1-2 cm above the level at which it was poured. The more omelette mass in the dish, the higher the casserole, so to cook an omelette in the oven as in kindergarten, fill out the form well. Bake over low heat or low power. A well-simmered omelette will delight the hostess with its fluffiness and rich taste. Don't open the door oven during the cooking process. A strong temperature change will cause the omelet to collapse prematurely. Also, to prevent the dish from sinking in the plate, chefs recommend not taking the omelette out of the oven immediately, but waiting 5-7 minutes until it cools.

Make a beautiful basket from knitted yarn using this master class.

Start knitting a basket from knitted yarn with an amigurumi ring. Place a spare knitted thread on three fingers and wrap the fingers twice.

Step-by-step production baskets made of knitted yarn Insert a hook under two threads and hook the third, then knit a loop, that is, the first stitch. Next, knit the next stitch. In this way, knit the bottom of the basket with 6 stitches. Pull the last loop through, make an air loop. making a basket from knitted yarn Pull the remainder of the thread that was originally there, forming a ring. The tighter you tighten this thread, the smaller the hole will remain at the bottom of the basket. basket made of knitted yarn Pass the hook through the first stitch, then into the air loop and pull through the previous thread. Gradually lay the thread that remained initially along the knitting. baskets from knitted yarn Make a lifting loop, pull the thread from the first stitch, so you start the second row in the split. You need to make 12 columns, then a connecting loop. Knitting from knitted yarn is not at all difficult if you follow the instructions. crochet basket of knitted yarn Make one lifting loop. Insert the hook into the stitch of the previous row into the split and take out the loop, but do not knit it. Take out the hook, move it to the front and take out the back loop. knitting from knitted yarn At this stage of knitting you need to increase the row by adding one loop. Simply knit one loop, knit two loops in the next stitch. Knit the entire row in this manner. There should be 18 columns. At the end, make a connecting loop. basket made of knitted yarn B next row knit two single stitches. Alternate three single columns and one double. This way you will increase the row, and the crocheted knitted yarn basket will have a beautiful bottom. The number of rows you need to knit is as much as the desired diameter of the product requires. Don't forget about the last connecting loop, as in the photo. crochet basket To start forming the wall, make a lifting loop. Insert the hook inside the post and pull out the loop. Then pull out the hook, thread it through the front loop and hook the back loop. basket made of knitted yarn crocheted master class Next, insert the hook under top part braids, hook part of the post and pull it out, then knit it. So form the entire row of the wall and make a connecting loop. form the entire row of the wall. Adjust the basket so that the beginning of the wall is clearly visible. Next knit required amount rows with single crochets and additional increases until the desired height is achieved. A basket made from knitted yarn will have a “swoosh” pattern. knit the required number of rows with single crochets. Knit the final row with connecting loops along the edge. At the end, pinch the thread well, cut off the excess, and carefully hide the rest in the columns.

Symbols of India

The national flag (approved by the Constitutional Assembly on July 22, 1947) is horizontal tricolor: saffron (orange) at the top, white in the middle and dark green at the bottom. equal proportions. The Indian name of the flag is triranga (lit. “tricolor”). Length and width – 3 x 2. In the center of the white stripe is a dark blue chakra. Chakra - the wheel of Law - Dharma, was the emblem of Emperor Ashoka from the Mauryan dynasty, who ruled in the 3rd century. BC e. The number of spokes of the wheel - 24 - corresponds to the number of hours in a day and symbolizes the forward movement of the country. The colors of the flag represent: courage and sacrifice - orange, peace and truth - white, faith and valor - green, vigilance, devotion, steadfastness - blue.

The National Emblem (approved on 26 January 1950) is an adaptation of the Lion Capital of Emperor Ashoka's pillar from Sarnath in Uttar Pradesh. In the original, at the top of the capital there are four lions standing back to back. The frieze depicts an elephant, a galloping horse, a bull and a lion, separated by wheels and standing on a lotus. This capital, made of a single block of polished sandstone, is surmounted by the wheel of the law (dharma chakra). The national emblem adopted by the Government of India features only three lions. The wheel is located in the center of the upper part of the capital, to the right of it is a bull, and to the left is a horse. The outlines of the wheels are visible on the right and left. Under the capital, in Devanagari script, are written the words “Satyameva Jayate” from the Mundaka Upanishad - lit. "Only truth will prevail."

The national anthem (approved on January 24, 1950) is Rabindranath Tagore's song "Jana-gana-mana". Originally written in Bengali. Sung in Hindi translation. It was first heard on December 27, 1911 at the Calcutta session of the Indian National Congress (INC).

Other country symbols

The national song is Vande Mataram, written in Sanskrit by Bonkimchandra Chatterjee. Inspired Indians to fight for independence. Acquired the same status as “Jana-gana-mana”. First performed in 1896 at a session of the INK.

The national animal is the tiger (Panthera tigris, Hindi - Sher). Body length – 2.6–3 m, weight 135–230 kg. Population – 3500–3750 individuals (constantly decreasing). The Royal Bengal Tiger is one of eight known species tigers are found throughout the country, except in the northwestern regions. To control the number of tigers, Project Tiger was launched in April 1973, within the framework of which 27 tiger reserves were created in India over an area of ​​40 thousand km 2. The most likely places to see a tiger are in the Ranthambhor (Rajasthan) and Bandhavgarh (Madhya Pradesh) reserves.

The national bird is the peacock (Pavo cristatus). Found throughout India. Protected by the Wildlife Protection Act 1972.

The national flower is the lotus (Nelumbo nucifere). This sacred flower occupies a unique place in the art and mythology of India, considered a symbol of happiness.

The national fruit is mango (mango tree – Mangifera indica). We love and are popular not only for their fragrant fruits. Mango leaves hung in front of the entrance to the house bestow prosperity and prosperity.

The national tree is the banyan tree (Ficus benghalensis). Banyan has unique shape growth - it gives aerial roots, which, upon reaching the ground, take root and thicken. As the banyan tree grows, it sends out more and more roots, and this tree-forest can have several thousand trunks! It was under this tree that Buddha achieved complete enlightenment.