The aquatic perennial Nelumbo nucifera belongs to the Nelumbonaceae family and is known by a variety of names (e.g. Indian lotus, Chinese water lily, and Sacred lotus). The lotus blossom is often featured in religious writings and art, as well as literature and oral traditions of numerous Asian nations, as a symbol of beauty and purity in both Hindu and Buddhist religions. The lotus is known as Nadro in Kashmir, and the Shia people of Kashmir celebrate the Nadru festival on March 21st each year. Lotus seeds are offered as a vegetable or as a raw material for Ayurvedic medication manufacture in Indian markets (kamal gotta). The alkaloid in lotus seeds and roots is said to be beneficial to health. Lotus is a significant and widely cultivated cash crop in many Asian countries, owing to the high edible and medicinal benefits of its leaves, seeds, and rhizomes.