I always think waterlilies should be pink but here are some violet ones…

The first waterlily is from Mexico, the second from Vietnam and the last one from Thailand.

The first and the third photos are probably of Nymphaea nouchali. This water lily has a beautiful flower which is usually violet blue in color with reddish edges. Buddhist lore in Sri Lanka claims that this flower was one of the 108 auspicious signs found on Prince Siddhartha’s footprint. It is said that when Buddha died, lotus flowers blossomed everywhere he had walked in his lifetime. (Source: Wikipedia)

The second flower is quite different and I’m not sure what it’s called.

For more about this challenge: http://suellewellyn2011.wordpress.com/2014/02/12/a-word-a-week-photograph-challenge-violet/