Study-Material

Religion of the IVC People

No temple was found in the IVC sites. Also no direct evidence could be found of any religion. The
contrast in this respect with the civilization of Mesopotamia (where one finds impressive
monuments, temples & royal burials etc) was obvious.

Yet, it would be simplistic to presume that the IVC people did not have a religion. Rather, the
obtained evidences suggest existence of vibrant religious practices & traditions.

I: RELIGION IN LIFE-STYLE: “PLAIN LIVING & HIGH THINKING”

The absence of any gigantic royal palace in the IVC sites deserves attention. This suggests that the
kings or rulers here had willingly adopted for themselves a life-style which was no different from
the life-styles of commoners.

Consider, in this connection, the image of the "Priest King" found in Mohenjo-daro. Admittedly, the
Mesopotamian concept of a Priest-king does not fit into this Mohenjo-daro image. Rather, seen
against the continuing Indian tradition, it looks appropriate to take this image as one of a Saintly
King or “Rajarshi” (meaning, a king who pursued and upheld a saintly way of life).

A “Rajarshi” (Saintly King) is one who positions himself as the “trustee” of his people & dedicates
his ‘self’ to the cause of peoples’ welfare.

Since the days of the Indus valley Civilization, this “Rajarshi” framework provided a normative
“model” to rulers in India in defining & discharging of their kingly responsibilities.

The principle had a clear depiction in the 1 st Jain tirthankar Rishabhadeva who to the Jains was the
First King (“Prathama Raja”) & also the First Teacher (“Adi natha”). The image was depicted in the
character of Rama in Ramayana [of c. 400 BCE – 400 CE], who sacrificed his personal pleasure for
the happiness and well being of his people. In the Maurya period, we see Ashoka- the Great [c. 268
to 232 BCE] pursuing a “Rajarshi” way of life.

Mahatma Gandhi [1869- 1948] sought to reenact the same principle within the “Trusteeship”
framework which he recommended for the rich & the wealthy.

The Priest-king image of Mohenjo-daro in fact enables us to trace the root of the Indian tradition of
“Plain living & high thinking” to the days of the Indus Valley civilization.

II. EVIDENCES OF THE “YOGIN” OR “SHRAMANA” TRADITION OF RELIGIOUS PRACTICE

Two parallel religious traditions were noticeable in early India. The first of these, which is
popularly called the “Yogi” or “Shramana” tradition, centered on an ascetic way of life. It focuses on
renunciation, non-violence, purification & expansion of self, unification & inclusion.
This line continued via the early-Jain, the Buddhist, Upanishadic & the Vaishnava traditions.

The seals, symbols & motifs recovered from the IVC sites establish that the “Yogi” or “Shramana”
tradition had a defining presence in both the Early Harappan & the Mature Harappan phases.

Take for instance, the Yogi motif in the clay tablet recovered from Ganeriwala or the Yogi image in
‘Asana’ mudra found in Harappa, or the Pasupati image in the seal from Mohenjodaro. Collective
bathing for ablution (Great Bath: Mohenjodaro) certainly formed part of this line religious
philosophy.

III. EVIDENCES OF THE “VEDIC”, RITUALISTIC OR “BRAHMANICAL” TRADITION

The other line of early Indian religious practices had a clear materialist inclination (“Bhogi”). This
line which involved detailed rituals and offering of animal or even human sacrifice before fire altars
continued via the Brahmanical, Shakta & Tantrik traditions.

The following evidences show the simultaneous presence of the Brahmanical ritualistic traditions
in Indus valley Civilisation:

(i) Fire Altars of Kalibangan

(ii) the recovered moulded tablet depicting buffalo sacrifice (before a deity/priest)

(iii) the image of an animal being led to a sacrifice before a Horned deity (Kalibangan)

IV. MOTHER GODDESS & FERTILITY CULT PRACTICES

Striking was the discovery of a very large number of Female figurines in various IVC sites. These
female figures possibly of mother-goddesses were obtained in households, not in community /
public places, which points to the association of Mother-Goddess with popular cult-practices.

The obtained earliest clay female figurines (Mehrgarh ) could date back to the 7 th millennium BCE
coinciding emergence of the first Neolithic settlement the region. Terracotta female figures were
also obtained from Harappa, Nausharo, and other IVC sites.

Without doubt, many of the female figurines represent fertility images.

However with the emergence of rituals and with introduction of the practice of animal sacrifice
before fire altars, the Mother Goddess cult practices also changed their forms.

Mothers no longer were mere symbols of fertility; they were viewed as perennial source of energy
(Shakti). In a motif obtained from Harappa, A female deity (Harappa) is seen standing above an
elephant and was battling two tigers. In a Seal from Kalibangan, a female figure appears like the
Goddess of War. She is seen holding the hands of two warriors in the process of spearing each
other.
In a seal from Mohenjo-daro, a horned image (possibly a deity) is seen standing amid a sacred fig
or pipal tree, and a second horned image is kneeling in front of the tree, presenting an offering of a
human head on a short stool. It looks like offering a human sacrifice for satisfying the goddess.

V. IVC: THE POINT OF ORIGIN OF HINDU TRADITIONS

The images, sealings & motifs recovered from IVC sites confirm that the basic edifice of what we call
classical Indian ethos took shape during the days of Indus valley civilization. This is evident from -

(i) The seated male in namaskara pose (Harappa)

(ii) The person in Yogic posture (Ganeriwala)
(iii) The shell bangles made of conch shells (Mehrgarh, Chanhudaro)
(iv) Seal with Swastika motif (Harappa)
(v) Application of vermillion at the partition of hair on female head (Mehrgarh & Mausharo).

These practices, which are still alive, certainly are integral parts of Indian ethos & traditions.