Nymphaea nouchali

Long valued as a garden flower in Asia, the Nymphaea nouchali or Purple Lotus (some say Blue) is an aquatic plant with submerged roots and stems. Many of us in Asia have water lilies or lotuses in ponds or water features at home.

Apart from being the national flower of Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, it is also (surprisingly) edible!

There are many meanings ascribed to the lotus flower.
In Buddhism, a purple lotus flower is thought to represent spirituality and mysticism.

Part of Color Challenge by @Kalemandra.

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