Sacred Water Lotus Plant Uk

Ecological paradise

It was conceived as a centre for peace and friendship by Daisaku Ikeda when he visited India in 1993. Head of the fast-growing Japanese Buddhist sect, the Soka Gakkai, Ikeda believes: "When you plant a tree, you plant life." He envisioned a large stretch of land in the heart of India where thousands of Bodhi or Peepal saplings could be nurtured into tall trees. The Peepal is held sacred in India, especially among Buddhists who regard it as the personification of the Buddha who became enlightened while meditating under the Bodhi tree in Bodh Gaya.

On September 12, 1993, Ikeda's vision became reality when members of the Bharat Soka Gakkai (BSG), the sect's Indian affiliate, planted thousands of Peepal saplings in a stretch of land 50 km south west of Delhi near Manesar, Haryana. Ikeda wished that leaders from all walks of life from across the world should meet in this green haven to discuss peace, culture and philosophy — the cornerstones of modern-day Buddhism. In his inaugural message he said: "...this regal giant of the forest, the Soka Bodhi Tree Garden, embodies the dreams, hopes and future of humanity." Over the years, the garden has grown into what the founder envisaged. A property owned by the BSG, it houses a huge auditorium and an open air theatre, and regularly hosts peace and friendship initiatives and conferences.

Says Hardyal Sharma, a senior leader of the Bharat Soka Gakkai, who has been closely associated with Soka Bodhi Tree Garden, "A visit to the Soka Bodhi Tree Garden (SBTG) is an uplifting experience. I'm a regular visitor to the place. The tranquil beauty of the lotus pond at the entrance is spectacular. The idyllic surroundings exude a sense of mystic joy. Delegates coming here for conferences love to spend time in the garden soaking in the beauty of nature.

The garden is not just a place of spiritual training and dialogue; it's well integrated into the social fabric of the vicinity. In keeping with BSG's spirit of promoting peace and harmony, the SBTG staff has been making special efforts to reach out to the local village community. The land where the Soka Bodhi Tree Garden stands was part of Pathreri village.

Every year, crops grown on a part of the SBTG are donated to the village panchayat and money from their proceeds go for community projects including building new classrooms in nearby schools and supporting education for the girl child. The gesture of involving the local community is deeply appreciated by the people of the village, say BSG functionaries. The once parched land is today a 165-acre stretch of verdant green. Peacocks, geese, parrots, kingfishers, and rabbits are commonly spotted in the garden. With its dense foliage and water bodies, the SBTG is also a haven for migratory birds.

SATURNIA - Lotus flower

The common Egyptian "lotus" is actually correctly called a water lily: the white lotus opens at dusk, the blue water lilly opens in the morning.

The white lotus is a shallow-water, night-blooming plant with a creeping rootstock (rhizome) that sends up long-stalked, nearly circular, dark green leathery leaves, which float on the surface. The flowers, up to 25 cm across, remain open until midday. The blue lotus is a smaller, less showy day-blooming plant. The Christian alternative to the lotus is the white lily which, relating to Mary as queen of heaven, signifies both fertility and purity. Traditionally the Archangel Gabriel carries the lily of the Annunciation to the Virgin Mary. "Blessed are the pure in heart," said Jesus, "for they shall see God." The teachings of the Galilean Master and those of India's great yogis were cut from the same cloth of self-realization. The blue lotus was found scattered over Tutankhamen's body when the Pharaoh's tomb was opened in 1922.

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Stoddart's Encyclopaedia americana, a dictionary of arts, sciences, and general literature, and companion to the Encyclopaedia britannica. (9th ed.) and to all other encyclopaedias

Stoddart's Encyclopaedia Americana, a dictionary of arts, sciences, and general literature, and companion to the Encyclopaedia Britannica