Lotus Flower has a special place in Hinduism. The lotus plant maintains its temperature of the flower within a narrow range in the manner warm blooded animals including humans do: 30-35-degree C (86-95-degree F). Lotus plant has a long life, up to a thousand years! The sacred plant (DNA) was sequenced in 2013.

Lotus plant grows in water up to 8 feet. The lowest depth is 12 inches. It likes loamy soil.

The petals vary in color: White, pink, yellow, red and bi-color.

In Hinduism, Lotus is sacred, associated with Vishnu, Lakshmi, Brahma, Sarasvati... Vishnu sprouts from his navel lotus stem and flower with Brahma sitting on the bed of petals. 

Vishnu has lotus eyes and lotus feet as praised by devotees.

Lotus has humble origin in the mud and blossoms above the surface of the water as the rays of the sun kiss the flower bud. The lotus leaf, as the water cannot wet it, is an emblem of non-attachment.

Bhagavadgita:

5:10. He, who dedicates his works to Brahman without attachment to work, is never affected by sin as a lotus leaf by water.

He who works, having given up attachment, resigning his actions to God, is not touched by sin, even as a lotus leaf (is untouched) by water.

The Gītā requires us, not to renounce works but to do them, offering them to the Supreme in whom alone is immortality. When we renounce our attachment to the finite ego and its likes and dislikes and place our actions in the Eternal, we acquire the true renunciation which is consistent with free activity in the world. Such a renouncer acts not for his fleeting finite self but for the Self which is in us all. – Dr. Radhakrishnan

It is the national flower of India. Nelumbo nucifera or the Indian Lotus.

Average number of petals is 30.

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