In general, the Lotus flower exudes beauty and grace, but for Balinese, it has several meanings that we will explain to you, one of them is very important …
In Sanskrit the word for lotus is Padma. So if one day you read the name of a street in Bali: Jalan Padma, you will know that it means Lotus Street.
Often the Hindu, Buddhist, Chinese goddesses are represented seated on a lotus (in Bali, The goddess of knowledge for example : Saraswati). Moreover, if you visit the temple of Saraswati in Ubud you will be amazed by the beauty of lotuses. This is not a coincidence that Saraswati has a close relationship with Lotus. Lakshmi, the goddess of luck and prosperity, is the wife of Vishnu. She is also often depicted sitting on a lotus, her traditional symbol. But in fact, practically almost all Hindu gods and goddesses are represented with a lotus as their seats to highlight their purity and divine status. But more than that the lotus is the symbol of beauty, prosperity, and fertility. According to Hinduism in every human there is the sacred lotus spirit.
The lotus has a close relationship with Balinese culture. The Balinese scripture Danghyang Dwijendra indicates Bali as being Danghyang Dwijendra: “lotus flower” of the Earth. The lotus flower is the “king” of all flowers and is mentioned in many stories. Balinese temples contain many structures and the most important is Padmasana or Lotus Throne. The Padmasana is a large tower carved out from stone, with an empty stone seat or lotus throne which is reserved for Sanghyang Widi Wasa (the supreme god)
The Padmasana always turns its back to the sacred mountain: Mount Agung. In southern Bali, the Padmasana is located in the northeast corner of the temple while in northern Bali it is located in the southeastern corner of the temple. The throne in general is 2 meters high and is thus above the heads of the faithful. In the much larger versions of Padmasana, there are even steps that lead to the throne so that people can place the offerings there. The entire structure symbolizes the entire cosmos from hell to heaven. Around the base, there are representations such as mountains to indicate the physical world of humans.
In general, this is what the colors of the lotus mean:
– the white and pink lotus: purity and dedication.
– red/purple / blue lotus: have a spiritual meaning in the sense of ascension or recognition.
– a green lotus flower is a nice gift for someone trying to improve their lives and start good habits.
The lotus was a symbol for the ancient and modern world who celebrate beauty in art and in religion which has a strong cultural connection with Bali. So what are you waiting for to plant your own lotus?
