A lotus is a distinctive and significant focus for a floral centerpiece.
A centerpiece for an Indian reception will almost invariably be built around flowers and objects that resemble them. Flowers are symbolic of important spiritual beliefs in all the varied religions of India, and each blossom has its own mythology. The meanings have spilled over into secular life and art; they are used as personal adornment, literary themes, residential and business decor, elements of temple and ceremonial ritual, and invocations for prosperity and blessings.
The Lotus
The lotus figures in the great Indian epics, the Mahabharata and the Ramayana. Lotus carvings, stylized representations and motifs are everywhere in Indian art, stretching back to archaeological finds thousands of years old. The plant, with its roots in the mud and its beautiful blossom reaching for the sky, is said to symbolize the dark to light journey of enlightenment. It has always been associated with the Buddha and with many Hindu deities. Lotus is the national flower of India. The lotus is such a powerful Indian symbol that a single blossom is evocative. For a formal reception, a crystal bowl set on a flat, dark green lotus leaf, holding two floating candles and a single lotus, would be a tasteful and elegant table decoration. The bowl is low enough to facilitate sightlines and encourage conversation, some of which might be about the distinctive flower.
Peacock Feathers
Peacock feathers are an exotic motif in Indian legends and lore. The peacock is India's national bird, and its astonishing iridescent feathers with their vivid "eyes" are used to decorate everything from shaktipat wands used by gurus for blessings to temple flower arrangements for sacred feast days. Sarasvati, the goddess of arts, music and poetry, is said to ride a peacock, and Krishna wore peacock feathers in his blue hair. A centerpiece of peacock feathers might be a low bunch of feather eyes surrounded by vanda orchids in an elaborately engraved, footed silver bowl or a tall glass cylinder holding a stand of full-length feathers and a stalk of cymbidiums. Either protects the sightlines of the table, and both turn an event into a regal celebration, whether it is a wedding or a diplomatic reception.
Marigolds and More
An Indian wedding is a colorful event, and the flowers are often some version of the auspicious shades of red and gold, the colors of wealth and good fortune. Marigolds are common in wedding decorations around the mandap, where the ceremony takes place, and on the tables at the reception. The bright saffron and orange flowers might be mixed with red or pink roses, and delicate green orchids. Gerbera daisies in bright hues are another popular choice, and they are used with marigolds, orchid sprays and roses, bunched into low, square boxes covered in moss and surrounded by a scatter of rose petals. Marigolds are thought to be protective talismans, very likely because they protect other plants in the garden from pests. They may be strung tightly together in long garlands stretched down the center of a head table for pure, vibrant impact.
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