印度国花

National Flower of India

Lotus is the National flower of India. The Lotus symbolizes spirituality, fruitfulness, wealth, knowledge and illumination. The most important thing about lotus is that even after growing in murky water it is untouched by its impurity. On the other hand the lotus symbolizes purity of heart and mind. The National Flower 'Lotus' or water lily is an aquatic plant of Nymphaea species with broad floating leaves and bright aromatic flowers that grow only in shallow waters.

The leaves and flowers of the Lotus float and have long stems that contain air spaces in them. The lotus flowers have many petals overlapping in a proportional pattern. The root functions of lotus are carried out by rhizomes that fan out through horizontally through the mud below the water. Lotuses, cherished for their tranquil beauty, are delightful to take a look at as their blossoms open on the pond's surface.

印度国花

莲花（荷花）是印度的国花。莲花象征着灵性, 多产，财富，知识和光明。莲花最为珍贵的品性是出淤泥而不染。另外，莲花也象征着精神和心灵的至真至纯。国花“莲”是莲科莲属多年生草本水植物，具有宽大的叶子和芳香的花，只生长于浅水区。

莲叶和莲花在长花茎的支撑下漂浮于水面，两者之间有一定的空隙。莲花的许多花瓣交错的重叠在一起。莲根由根茎起着水平散开水底泥土的作用。莲，以其静之美绽放于池塘，值得一观。

National Fruit of India

Mango (Mangifera Indica) is the National fruit of India. Mango is one of the most widely grown fruits of the tropical countries. In India, mango is cultivated almost in all parts, with the exception of hilly areas. Mango is a rich source of Vitamins A, C and D. In India, we have hundreds of varieties of mangoes. They are of different sizes, shapes and colors. Mangoes have been cultivated in India since time immemorial. Even in our mythology and history there are stories of mangoes- the famous Indian poet Kalidasa sang its praise. Alexander the great, along with Hieun Tsang savored the taste of mangoes. The great Mughal king, Akbar is said to have planted over 100,000 mango trees in Darbhanga (modern Bihar). The mango is eaten ripe and is also used for pickles.

印度国果

芒果是印度的国果。芒果是普遍植于热带国家的水果之一。在印度，除了丘陵区，耕地里大部分种有芒果。芒果中含有丰富的维生素A,维生素C和维生素D。印度有着数百种芒果，但它们的大小，形状和颜色各不相同。自远古时代，芒果就种植于印度。甚至在我们的历史上都还没有记载时，印度著名诗人迦梨陀沙已赞颂其美名。此外，亚历山大和玄奘也都回味其鲜美。据说伟大的阿克巴大帝命令在现比哈尔邦种植100000多棵芒果树。芒果可直接食用也可腌制。

National Tree of India

Banyan is the National tree of India. The mighty banyan tree commands a great presence in the rural setting of India. The very size of the banyan tree makes it a habitat for a large number of creatures. For centuries the banyan tree has been a central point for the village communities of India.

The banyan tree is massive not only from outside but it also sends new shoots from its roots, making the tree a tangle of branches, roots and trunks. The banyan tree towers magnificently over its neighbors and has the widest reaching roots of all known trees, covering several acres. The life of banyan tree is very long and is thought of as an immortal tree.

Because of its huge size, the banyan tree acts as a good shield and protects the rural folk from the hot sun. Even to this day the banyan tree has remained the focal point and gathering place village councils and meetings. It is due to these qualities, the banyan tree is considered sacred and honored.

印度国树

印度的国树是印度榕，巨大的榕树在印度农村随处可见，它的大小正好为许多动物提供了栖息之地，几百年以来，印度村庄一直是随榕树而出现的。

印度榕不仅外观巨大，而且它的根系上面又可长出新的根系，使树的枝条、根与树干都缠在一起，占地广阔。榕树生存期很长以至于被认为是长生不老的。

由于榕树树枝繁叶茂，它能为村民们遮风挡雨。榕树时至今日，村委会开会和村民们的聚会也还是选在榕树下，因此，榕树被认为是神圣的和受敬重的树。

注：印度榕树：学名：Ficus elastica英国人把印度商人称为banian，也将这种树取名为banian，一般多作banyan，汉语通译为“印度榕”。

印度的国树是印度榕树(Indian Banyan)，和下面说的菩提树相近，但并非相同的树种，树叶的形状是不一样的。

菩提树：拉丁学名，Ficus religiosa linn。“菩提”一词为古印度语（即梵文）Bodhi的音译，意为觉悟，智慧，用以指人忽如睡醒,豁然开悟，达到超凡脱俗的境界。众多印度人参拜菩提树，为获取智慧，而并非菩提是印度的国树。

两图分别为印度榕和菩提树。