The Lotus-Namam is the symbol of
Ayyavazhi, a
Dharmic belief system that originated in
South India in the 19th century. The
lotus represents the 1,008-petalled
Sahasrara and the flame-shaped white
Namam represents the
Aanma Jyothi or
ātman, sometimes translated as 'soul' or 'self'. The number of practitioners is estimated to be between 700,000 and 8,000,000, although the exact number is unknown, since Ayyavazhis are reported as
Hindus during censuses.
Image credit: Vaikunda Raja