THE ROMANCE OF THE LOTUS. 



When one speaks of the Lotus in India, one does not, 

 of course, refer to that wonderful Libyan shrub of which 

 the early Greeks told and believed so many marvelous 

 tales, one of which Tenn^-son has woven into his exquisite 

 poem of the Lotus Eaters. The Indian lotus is the well- 

 known and beautiful water lily, a sister of which may be 

 found growing on the banks of the ancient and historic 

 Nile. The natives of India, with more poetry in their 

 souls than we are disposed to give them credit for, have 

 made a good deal of thelotus from the very earliest times. 

 Brahma, the great Creator, is its son, for, according to 

 the Puranas, there sprung a lotus from the navel of Vish- 

 nu, and from the remarkable blossom, Brahma emerged 

 into existence. Mark the contrast in this pretty story to 

 the old Greek myth that the white lily sprang from the 

 milk of Hera. Saraswati, the goddess of learning, and 

 Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, are supposed to be the 

 daughters of the lotus. With such excellent credentials, 

 apart from its intrinsic loveliness, is it to be wondered at 

 that the lotus has been largely pressed into the service of 

 the imaginative Oriental poet ? 



Thelotus goes bj^a great many names in this country, 

 the most striking of its numerous titles being "thousand 

 petal," "moon face," "Vishnu's navel" and "water born." 

 It is the subject of some very extravagant and far-fetched 

 beliefs and superstitions. The abundant blossoming of 

 the red lotus is supposed to be an indication that rulers 

 will prosper, while that of the blue lotus is a sign of com- 

 ing prosperity for ministers and commanders of armies. 

 The various species of the plant are turned to man^- uses. 

 The seeds and roots are eaten roasted. The large leaves 

 make a cool bed in fever and also serve as plates on which 

 offerings are placed. The juice of the leaves is esteemed a 

 remedy in diarrhoea. The root is used as a paste in skin 

 diseases and the fibre is converted into wicks which are 

 employed in temple worship. In several parts of the 

 country, the owner of a lotus pond can always make a 



