Rare buddhist flower said to bloom every 3,000 years spotted in Turkey

The sacred Udumbara flower, which blooms once every three thousand years to herald the advent of Buddha, has been spotted in western Turkey's Çanakkale province.

An 18-year-old Turkish student, Zeynep Ayhan, discovered the tiny white tulip-shaped flower sprouting on a cherry leaf when she took a break from her harvesting duties in the Lapseki district.

Having previously read anectodes about the mysterious flower, she immediately recognized it as the Udumbara flower, which means an “auspicious flower from heaven” in Sanskrit.

According to Buddhist scriptures, the rare flower is a symbol of immortality and reincarnation of Buddha.