The water lily is a beautiful violet-blue flower with red edges. This plant has been used since ancient times to enhance the beauty of ponds. Some varieties have white, purple, mauve, or fuchsia flowers. The scientific name of the flower, Nymphaea Stellate, is derived from the Greek word “nymphaea” meaning water lily, and the second part from the Latin word “stellatus” which means star. On 26th February in 1986, a Cabinet Paper presented under the patronage of Mr. K.H.J. Wijayadasa named the Blue Lily as the National Flower of Sri Lanka. Back in 2016, the national flower was officially announced as the Water Lily, more commonly known as the Manel Flower and not just the Blue Manel.
According to Buddhist mythology, this flower is one of the 108 auspicious symbols found in the footsteps of Prince Siddhartha. It is said that when the Lord Buddha died, the lotus flowers bloomed everywhere he walked during his lifetime. Lilies bloom all year round and are common in shallow waterfalls, ponds, and lakes in the dry zone. Although native to Sri Lanka, it is not endemic to Sri Lanka and can be found in the Indian subcontinent, South Asia, Thailand, Myanmar, and Afghanistan. In many of these countries, lilies are used for landscaping. Today the lily plant is cultivated for home gardening. This is due to the limited space available for cultivating the lily plant. The lily plant can be grown in mud in the same way as the lotus and Olu.
The blue lily has been close to our culture since ancient times. The Apsaras in the paintings at Sigiriya, built by King Kasyapa in the 5th century, have a blue lily in their hand. It depicts them going to pay homage to the nearby Pidurangala Vihara with lilies. Accordingly, this flower seems to be closely related to the culture of our country. It has been able to gain more traction at royal ceremonies. The lily flower is also one of the wedding symbols on the feet of the Buddha. Among the lilies of different colors, the purple lily is endemic to Sri Lanka. The seeds of water lilies are very good medicine for the body. Adding lily seeds to the diet can help control the risk of heart disease. Furthermore, a recent study has revealed that the compounds in the lily flower slow down the destruction of liver cells. It should not be forgotten that the whole plant is a blessing not only for offering lily flowers but also for a healthy life.
