Lotus: A Sacred, Valuable and Sustainable Aquatic Plant

Abstract

Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertner), the national flower of India is true symbol of purity (sacred), beauty, knowledge and immortality. It is an aquatic plant with cosmopolitan distribution. It has large peltate and surface floating orbicular leaves with beautiful pink or purple colour flowers blooming at the top. Almost all of its parts including leaves, stems, flowers and seeds are used as edible and medicinal purposes. It has religious and cultural importance too. Apart from being highly nutritious with medicinal properties, its stem is used to extract thin strands of fibre that is woven to fabric with silk like properties, popularly called as “Lotus Silk” that is a nano-fibre utilized for making eco-friendly fabric with anti-bacterial, self-cleaning and super- hydrophobic potential. Keeping in view the above facts in mind, thisreview paper emphasizes particularly on the ecological, economic, religious, nutraceutical and sustainable fibre yielding potential of lotus plant, in addition to its role in wastewater management. This eco-friendly relationship between sacred lotus plant with nature can together be utilised for human welfare.