Sharing similarities & Celebrating differences -by ANKITA VERMA

National Flower of INDIA Lotus is the National Flower of India. It is a sacred flower and occupies a unique position in the art and mythology of ancient India and has been an auspicious symbol of Indian culture since medieval times. The Lotus symbolizes divinity, fertility, wealth, knowledge and enlightenment. its uniqueness is that, the flower grows in murky waters and rises on a long stalk above the surface to bloom glorious. It is also a symbol of triumph. Since, lotus is rooted in the mud and it has a life of thousand years It represents long life, honor, and good fortune. Untouched by the impurity, lotus symbolizes the purity of heart and mind.

National Flower of BANGLADESH The White Water Lily also called shapla, is the national flower of Bangladesh. Water lilies are believed to represent peace and a calm, reflective nature. These flowers have been important to many cultures, the most notable of which may be the Egyptians who revered the lilies that grew in their Nile river, the lily design’s are incorporated into the art and architecture of this ancient civilization. Water lilies are found all throughout the world, being especially prominent in tropical climates. To the people of Bangladesh the meaning of their flower rests on its shape. The many petals of the Nymphaea represent the many rivers of Bangladesh. This is why you will find the flower on the official Bangladeshi coat of arms.

NATIONAL FLOWER OF AUSTRALIA Australia's national floral emblem is the golden wattle.because the golden wattle displays the national colors, green and gold. As one species of a large genus of flora growing across Australia, the golden wattle is a symbol of unity. Wattle is ideally suited to withstand Australia's droughts, winds and bushfires. The resilience of wattle represents the spirit of the Australian people. In recent times, the golden wattle has been used as a symbol of remembrance and reflection. On national days of mourning, for example, Australians are invited to wear a sprig of wattle. The golden wattle has been used in the design of Australian stamps and many awards in the Australian honours system. A single wattle flower is the emblem of the Order of Australia. The first day of September is National Wattle Day. It builds on a long unofficial tradition of wearing the wattle blossom on 1 September. The day was introduced in 1913 by an association called the Wattle Day League and formally recognized on 23 June Australians celebrate their floral heritage each Wattle Day by planting wattles.

NATIONAL FLOWER OF PAKISTAN Gardenia or Jasmine is a genus of about 250 species of flowering plants in the coffee family, Rubiaceae, native to the tropical and subtropical regions of Africa, southern Asia, Australasia and Oceania. Several species occur on Hawai ʻ i, where gardenias are known as na ʻ u or nānū. The genus was named by Carl Linnaeus after Dr. Alexander Garden ( ), a Scottish-born American naturalist. They are evergreen shrubs and small trees The leaves are opposite or in whorls of three or four, dark green and glossy with a leathery texture. The flowers are solitary or in small clusters, white, or pale yellow, with a tubular based corolla with 5-12 lobes (petals). Flowering is from about mid-spring to mid summer and many species are strongly scented.

NATIONAL FLOWER OF SOUTH AFRICA Greek legend tells us that protea were named after Proteus, the son of Poseidon. A sea god who had the power to know all things past, present and future, Proteus was defiant and preferred to nap on the island of Pharos rather than prophesize. To deter those seeking his insights, he would change his shape at will, and it’s said that the protea flower was named after him because it, too, presents itself in an astounding variety of shapes, sizes, hues and textures to make up more than 1,400 varieties. With its mythological associations to change and transformation, it’s not surprising that in the language of flowers, protea symbolizes diversity and courage.

NATIONAL FLOWER OF UNITED KINGDOM The Tudor family is represented by the Tudor Rose. It is a rose which combines both a red and a white rose. The Tudor Rose symbolized the union between the red rose of the House of Lancaster and the white rose of the House of York. The union of the two families was reaffirmed when the son of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York became King. This King was Henry VIII. Henry VIII's coronation stabilized the throne in England. He was a strong king and ruled for many years. Now officially national flower of united kingdom is rose.

NATIONAL FLOWER OF FRANCE The National Flower of France is the stylized Lily. the lily was the emblem of the royal family, To represent the French kingdom, property of the king, the colors were blue with golden lilies A stylized form of the lily is used in many modern contexts. For example, such an image is the main emblem for scouting organizations. In ‘The Da Vinci Code’, a bestseller by Dan Brown, the symbol has been featured prominently. The stylized versions of the flower were also used in ornamentation purposes or as royal emblems in various cultures. A peek into history reveals these symbols were found adorning the helmets of the Scythian Kings.