National flower of India. Lotus as a symbol of Indian culture. Lotus is one of the most important symbols in Hinduism

(Nelumbo nucifera). 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. From ancient times to the present day, the lotus is the most mentioned flower in Indian literature.

Sure, everyone is beautiful. But not every flower gets to be considered sacred. Even among the lotus plants common in Asia and Africa, only the lotus, scientifically known as the nut-bearing lotus, growing in India, in the slow waters of the sacred Ganges, received such an honor. The purity and beauty of the lotus is what makes it sacred. Indeed, the lotus usually grows in muddy, almost stagnant water or in swamps. Every evening the lotus closes its flower and hides under the water, and appears again in the morning. But its flower always remains dry, radiating purity and freshness.
The reason for this is the special structure of its petals and leaves: they can repel water and self-clean. The water collects in drops and flows off, collecting from the leaf everything that could accidentally contaminate it. This is due to the special angle at which the microfibers of the leaves are located towards the water.

The lotus symbol is extremely complex and branched. It means both the origins of life and its order, creativity, spiritual path and nirvana. The core of the symbolism is the purity of the lotus. Growing from the muddy bottom of the river, the root symbolizes everything low - matter, darkness. The long stem is like a soul yearning for light. And a flower is a spirit, pure and directed towards the Sun. In India, lotus images are everywhere - on the capitals of columns in temples, and on Indian women. After all, it is believed that the image of a lotus is healing, it can enlighten and provide protection. Lakshmi, the consort of God, was born from a lotus flower. Many Hindu gods sit on a throne in the shape of a lotus, and yogis learn the lotus position. And from lotus seeds, which grow the size of a nut, they make rosaries. White Lotus indispensable attribute divine power. Therefore, many Indian gods were traditionally depicted standing or sitting on a lotus or holding a lotus flower in their hand. Brahma sits and rests on a lotus. Vishnu, the demiurge of the universe, holds a lotus in one of his four hands. “Lotus Goddesses” are depicted with a lotus flower in their hair. A copious rain of lotuses fell from the sky at the moment of Buddha's birth, and wherever the divine newborn set foot, a huge lotus grew.

Nut lotus was first described by Carl Linnaeus in 1753 as a species of the genus Nympaea. And as a species Linnaeus used local name lotus on the island of Sri Lanka - nelumbo. Now the lotus is also allocated to a separate lotus family, which includes only one specified genus with two species - the nut-bearing lotus, widespread mainly in Asia, with pink flowers and the American yellow lotus (N. lutea), the flowers of which, as the name suggests, are yellow in color.

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.

Today, my eldest son, returning from school, asked me, “What is Russia’s national flower?!”

It turns out that at school they were told what national symbols India has, so he asked. I was embarrassed, confused, and he kept asking! About a tree, an animal, a bird, a fruit...

I think that the animal is a symbol of Russia - a bear? But other?

I set myself a goal, searched and searched, but found nothing... As for India, the national bird is the peacock, the tree is the banyan tree, the animal is the Bengal tiger, the fruit is the mango, and the flower is the lotus.

Lotus, by the way, is national flower not only for India. This plant is so popular among Asians that it is also revered in Vietnam and Thailand.

I just don’t know if they eat it there, otherwise my Indians have already fed me lotus seeds from the same seed pods that florists use to decorate bouquets more than once))

I don’t know how to determine their ripeness, I haven’t collected them myself, but eating them is simple - break them, take out the grains, remove the peel and eat, you don’t even need to cook! And the roots of the lotus are edible, but I haven’t gotten to them yet))


In Manipur, where my husband is from, there is even a whole lake of lotuses, but I have only seen it in photographs. Imagine what the aroma must be like there!

National flower.

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 a lucky symbol of Indian culture.

Lotus is a sacred flower, a symbol of beauty, purity, desire for the sun and 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 the 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.”

Everyone knows how much Hindus revere nature. Moreover, not only animals, but also plants are considered sacred in this country. We’ll talk about which ones exactly in this article. We’ll also figure out what kind of revered plants there are in general. different countries peace.

Sacred Ashwattha tree

This is a little-known plant in our country, but a sacred plant in India. Here it is a symbol. Residents of this country believe that the branches of this plant can drive away evil spirits from a person, and its leaves fulfill wishes. In ancient times, Ashwattha wood was used to make ritual bowls. Research scientists know of two archaic motifs associated with this plant. The first represents a person on aswatthi trying to get the fruit. This was considered a symbol of religious knowledge. Also in ancient times, Hindus often depicted a horse next to the mentioned plant. It is believed that it was under this asvatthi that a revelation descended on the Buddha.

Tulasi

One more thing is revered in a row interesting plant- tulsi (basil). He is worshiped as the wife of Vishnu. According to legend, she was once the wife of one of the demons. Vishnu himself turned it into basil. Subsequently, he married her. It is a tulsi plant with ovate green leaves. Among other things, it is also used as a medicinal herb.

Rosaries were often made from this sacred plant, since, according to legend, it drives away all misfortunes from a person and evil forces. Tulsi is a plant that is described in one of the Indian epics. One day, a sage revered by the people accidentally tore his rosary made from basil and asked a servant to repair it. Tom had no time, and he promised to do it the next day. However, the sage ordered him to repair them immediately. “If you knew how dangerous it is to be in this world without them, you would tremble with fear,” he said.

Udumbara and Nyagroha

Udumbara is a sacred plant in India, revered as a symbol of abundance. Once upon a time, thrones for kings, various kinds of amulets and bowls were made from it. Udumbara bears fruit three times a year, hence its sacred meaning.

Nyagroha is one of the varieties of fig tree. Its interesting feature is that it produces flowers that, upon reaching the ground, germinate to form new trunks. The result is that one crown grows on a whole grove of trunks at once. According to legend, Vishnu himself once chose this sacred plant. In India, it is believed that this god floats in the middle of the primordial ocean precisely on a leaf of the mentioned tree.

sacred lotus

This is the most revered plant in Buddhist countries, a symbol of religion. Hindus believe that the human soul, as it develops, blossoms like this flower. The darkness of the silt where this plant originates is considered a symbol of the material world. Making its way through the thickness of the water, the lotus shows the world a real spiritual transformation. If we talk about the topic " Sacred plants Egypt", then here we also meet this flower. The inhabitants of this country give it the same sacred meaning as the Hindus. How sacred lotus, a person, having discarded everything superficial, having made his way through the jungle of life’s vicissitudes, must take the path of flourishing and self-improvement. It is this flower that is national symbol India itself.

Rose

This is another sacred plant in India. There is a legend according to which a person who brought a rose to the king had the right to fulfill any desire. The princesses of India often walked through fragrant gardens, cut by grooves in which rose water flowed.

Revered plants by the Incas

Of course, not only Hindus have a tradition of venerating various kinds of plants. Representatives of the flora were also worshiped by other peoples of the world. A sacred plant of the Incas, for example, coca. Once upon a time, representatives of this American people used it in their religious rituals and attributed to it a variety of magical properties. The ancient peoples who inhabited the Andes used it not only for ritual purposes, but also as a monetary equivalent, to treat diseases, and even for chewing. It appears with straight thin branches and is currently used as a raw material for the preparation of cocaine. In the middle of the last century, a WHO committee decided to recognize coca chewing as a substance abuse disorder. After this, the plant began to be eradicated everywhere. The widely known Coca-Cola drink contains some non-psychoactive alkaloids from the leaves of the mentioned culture.

Sacred plants of the Slavs

Our ancestors also had a tradition of honoring trees. Thus, the oak was considered Perun’s tree of strength and was never cut down even for a cornfield. It was he who symbolized the Slavic peoples. In addition, the oak was considered a reflection of the Upper World and a tree of longevity. In sacred groves he was often dominant. Celebrations and meals were held under the oak trees. A staff was carved from this tree for the tribal leader, passed down by inheritance.

The Slavs used hazel branches to drive away evil spirits, and the willow was considered a talisman tree. Sacred plants of the Slavs are also hops and chamomile. The first, of course, was the patron of festivities, and the second was a symbol of love and fidelity (loves - does not love). Weeping grass was also highly revered by our ancestors. It was used as a talisman and for searching for treasures. It was believed that it “strengthens” good luck. The Slavs considered the birch a symbol of the Beginning of Life.

Vitex sacred

This plant, often used as a medicinal plant in our time, is popularly called the Tree of Abraham. Among the Jews, the plant is revered as the bestower of youth. According to legend, the forefather of all Jews, Abraham, once rested under it. To achieve the rejuvenation effect, you just need to sit under it, inhaling the aroma of its flowers. IN different times Priests made staffs from the branches and trunks of this bush.

All its parts are medicinal and are used in folk medicine and cosmetology. The fresh juice of this plant is used to cure ailments such as impotence and depression. Decoctions are drunk to get rid of various kinds of skin problems and as a contraceptive. In addition, they treat diseases of the spleen, liver, mastopathy, fibroids and infertility. This plant can also be used to relieve tired legs. To do this, its leaves are placed in shoes. It is not recommended to give infusions and decoctions from any parts of this plant to children under 12 years of age.

Sacred vitex is in demand not only in medicine, but also in cooking. For example, in Arab countries this bush is called “fierce pepper” and is used as a seasoning for meat and fish dishes.

Almost every nation in the world has revered plants. Perhaps in our time they are not given that sacred meaning, as in ancient times, but they are still not forgotten and loved. In India and others eastern countries and today songs and poems are composed about the lotus, and one of the symbols of our country is the white birch tree.