Keystage 2 - Celebrations - Sacred plants

Many plants are used by Hindus in their religious ceremonies. This webquest uses the Plant Cultures website to discover how some plants are sacred. We will be looking at the banyan tree, holy basil, cotton, coconut, lotus and marigold. You will learn what meanings plants have for Hindus, and how they use plants in their celebrations.
  

Webquest

Read these questions, then follow the webquest to discover some answers. They may surprise you!

1. Find out how coconuts are sacred to Hindus
a. Coconuts at funerals story
b. Coconuts in the bonfire story
c. Each and every part of the coconut is useful story

2. Find the tree which provides the best shelter
a. Scene from Book of Wars
b. Landscape picture
c. Banyan story

3. Find the flower which is used in celebrations
a. Hindu temple
b. Scene at a market
c. Statue of Ganesh

4. Find the meanings of the Holy Basil plant
a. Iqbal Wahhab's story
b. Percy Khatow's story
c. Jashvaitw K. Mehta's story

5. Find the flower of wealth and good fortune
a. Lotus is a holy flower story
b. Lotus seeds at Hindu weddings story
c. Lakshmi on her lotus

6. Find which plant stands for pure living
a. Brahmins and cotton thread story
b. Cotton rakshas story
c. Cotton for the Diva Bati story

Now put all your knowledge together to try to answer your two main questions
  • What meanings do the plants have for Hindus?
  • How do Hindus use the plants in their celebrations?