Utpala painting //Thangka painting style

The lotus is the symbol of absolute purity, it grows in the dark watery or in mud but is unstained or unstained by it. As the seed of the lotus grows from the water and not from the soil, it is a symbol of divine or spontaneous generation. Throughout Egypt, India, Persia, Tibet, China and Central Asia the lotus was adopted as a sacred symbol. The blue lotus was especially venerated in Egypt, its fragrant perfume and aromatic oil essence exuding the scent of divinity. The Indian blue lotus or water lily (Skt utpala, nilabja or nilakamala) is held by deities such as Green Tara, where it represents the deity’s purity and compassion. The Tibetan equivalent of the Sanskrit term utpala most commonly refers to the blue lotus but it is also used to refer to a variety coloured lotuses.