Abstract

This paper is about a lotus flower that I found in Dead End Park which is near my house. There is a small lake and I was walking with my friends when we noticed the flower. I knew it was a lotus because it looked just like the ones, I saw a long time ago. My audience for this paper is 7^th grade students who are very interested in learning more about this flower and the history behind the flower. The lotus flower is an aquatic perennial that goes by many names around the world, some of which include the Sacred Lotus, the Indian Lotus, and the Sacred water-lily (Lotus Meaning – Lotus Flower Symbolism – The Beautiful Lotus Flower). According to Mandal and Bar it is called Nelumbo, where the members are called lotus. “It is under the family Nelumbonaceae. It is regarded as sacred and treated as a symbol of purity and sanctity because of the unique beauty of its flower.” It is found mostly in water gardens. Lotus is a plant which is significant symbolically to many countries and it can be used to cure many common sicknesses. Lotus flower leaves are wide and have a flat circular shape which allows it to float in the water.

The Fairy of a Lotus Flower

The first time I ever saw this flower was when I was on a boat ride with my family in Florida. I have the best memories of my family and me riding our boat around many lilies and lotus flowers. The Lotus flower is very significant to many south Asian cultures especially to Buddhists and Hindus because of what the lotus flower represents. It’s a unique plant which grows from mud that symbolizes the concept of beauty and strength growing from the dirt. Many people look at soil and dirt and think that it’s disgusting but in reality, it is so fascinating to realize what can grow from mud itself. Also, in order for the lotus flower to blossom, it needs to rise up from the mud which can represent how as human beings we sometimes feel like we are in the dirt or buried but the truth is like the lotus flower we will grow and blossom. “In India the lotus is the all-important symbol of creation. And, indeed, from the lotus the very gods themselves were born. In Buddhism, the lotus supports the Lord Buddha as the flower supports the world above the chaotic waters of the universe… In Egypt, it is the symbol of the sun and of life, of immortality and of resurrection” (Ward, 1952).

Lotus flowers have hints of pink, white, yellow, and green throughout the flower. The texture is like slippery and smooth. There are many variations of lotus flowers around the world. The lifeline of a lotus can be very long. The size of a lotus flower varies but it’s about the size of a hand. I saw the flower around 12 pm on a very sunny day. After a while on this same day, it rained a little and it looked even more beautiful. I decided to draw it because I think it is a lovely flower to draw. Everyone should try to go to local parks or anywhere where there is water and see if they can find water flowers. The botanical garden has many variations, and everyone should witness these kinds of beautiful plants and flowers. When I saw this flower, I knew that I had to write about this because it reminded me of my childhood memories that I still adore to this day.

The lotus flower can be used to cure all sorts of sickness. “All parts of this plant, including the leaves, stamens, flowers, seeds, and rhizomes, have been used as traditional medicines or vegetables for thousands of years. The lotus flower, the flower buds of N. nucifera, has been used for the treatment of vomiting blood, bleeding caused by internal and external injuries, and various skin diseases, and also as a sedative and an anti-inflammatory agent in traditional Asian medicines” (Morikawa, T., Kitagawa, N.,…. K., Okugawa, S., Motai, C., … Muraoka, 2016). Lotus contain chemicals that can decease swelling, kill cancer cells and bacteria, reduce blood sugar, protect heart, skin, liver, and brain. “Virtually, all parts of the lotus plant are used: the rhizome is used as food, seed as medicine, thalamus as fruit, leaves as plate (thali), stalks as pickle, petals for colour extraction, and tender leaves as food after being blended with vegetables” (R N Mandal and R Bar, 2013).

“The lotus flower blooms most beautifully from the deepest and thickest mud” (Robinson, 2017). It bloomed very colorfully as it bloomed above the leaves. Its petals have a waxy protection layer that blocks dirt and water. It re-blooms each morning as the beauty keeps coming back and back. The lotus flower attracts beetle pollinators. A lotus flower produces heat which helps beetles trapped inside the closed flower at night to be active. It also attracts dragonflies and mosquitoes.  Koon said, “rather than having to wait for the sun to warm them, the beetles, warmed by the flower, could take off to deposit pollen on the next lotus flower.”

In conclusion, the next time you see a lotus flower or the image of one think its symbolism and the beauty behind it. You can use the lotus flower to describe someone whose very pure and bright. If you want, you can grow lotus flower in containers of suitable soil with surface water. Lotus flower has been around since the beginning of time as the cultural and scientific importance are very high.

References

5 Health Benefits of Sacred Lotus Flower (Nelumbo Nucifera). (2017, September 7). Retrieved from https://www.livealittlelonger.com/health-benefits-of-sacred-lotus-flower-nelumbo-nucifera/

Lotus Meaning – Lotus Flower Symbolism – The Beautiful Lotus Flower. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://lotusmeaning.com/

Morikawa, T., Kitagawa, N., Tanabe, G., Ninomiya, K., Okugawa, S., Motai, C., . . . Muraoka, O. (2016). Quantitative Determination of Alkaloids in Lotus Flower (Flower Buds of Nelumbo nucifera) and Their Melanogenesis Inhibitory Activity. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland), 21(7), Molecules (Basel, Switzerland), 19 July 2016, Vol.21(7).

R N Mandal and R Bar (August 2013). The Sacred Lotus- An Incredible Wealth of Wetlands. Retrieved from https://www.ias.ac.in/article/fulltext/reso/018/08/0732-0737

Robinson, K. (28 April 2017). The Secret Meaning of the Lotus Flower. Retrieved from https://www.townandcountrymag.com/leisure/arts-and-culture/a9550430/lotus-flower-meaning/

Ward, W. (1952). The Lotus Symbol: Its Meaning in Buddhist Art and Philosophy. The Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism, 11(2), 135-146. doi:10.2307/426039

Yoon, C. K. (1996, October 1). Heat of Lotus Attracts Insects and Scientists. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/1996/10/01/science/heat-of-lotus-attracts-insects-and-scientists.html