HARAPPAN RELIGION

Archaeological findings provide us with some idea of the religious views entertained by the
people of the Harappan Civilization. Both within the citadel and the residential areas of the
cities edifices have been found which scholars have ample grounds for regarding as temples.
There are evidently links between these temples and ritual bathing pools, and also stone figures
found in Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa. In the view of a whole number of scholars the temples
and certain of the stone figures were dedicated to a male divinity that is compared with proto-
Shiva. One of the seals that have been found, depicts a three- faced divinity sitting in a
distinctive “yoga” position on a low pedestal, to which are adjoined as it were small figures of
antelopes. The hair of the divinity is arranged in such a way as to form horns. Wild animals are
standing at each side of him. When Sir John Marshall was directing his excavations he
concluded that this divinity was Shiva-Pashupati, i.e., Shiva as the patron and protector of
cattle. It is worth noting that in early Hindu texts Shiva is referred to as Yogin, as the god with
his hair arranged in horns. This interpretation, now supported by various other scholars, may
point to a link between Hinduism and the religious concepts common among the people of
Harappan civilization. Another fact which appears to bear out this theory is the depiction on
seals of animals such as bulls, tigers and others. According to Hindu beliefs gods were
associated with specific animals: Shiva with the bull (Nandin) and his consort, the goddess
Parvati, with a tiger. It is likely that this depiction of various animals was a vestige of totemistic
concepts and that certain animals were the totems of various tribal groups.

In recent times certain scholars (including A. Ghosh) have questioned the assumption that
Harappan traditions might have exerted some kind of influence on ancient India’s subsequent
historical and cultural development, and rejected the idea that the three-faced divinity was a
“Hindu” prototype.

To judge by the seals that have been preserved the rites of fire-, water- and tree- worship were
practiced. In Lothal and Kalibangan fragments of altars have been found.

Historians have made a detailed study of the Harappan seals, and this has enabled them to
single out certain of the Harappan people’s cosmographic concepts. Many of these concepts
reveal direct parallels with the religious ideas of Hinduism.

Of particular interest are the parallels with certain Sumerian subjects, in particular the episodes
from the well-known legend of Gilgamesh. However on the Harappan seal in question the hero
is bridling tigers, not lions.