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Discuss evidence of the Yoga practices in the Pre-Vedic Indus-Saraswati Valley

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 Discuss evidence of the Yoga practices in
the Pre-Vedic Indus-Saraswati Valley
Kasun S Jayasuriya
kasunjayasuriya9@gmail.com
kasunjayasuriya.sbs20@nalandauniv.edu.in

Table of Content

Period before indus valley civilization in india 3

Indus valley civilization era 4

Sculptures related to yoga in indus valley civilization 5

Conclusion 7

References 8
 ● Period before indus valley civilization in india
The world is considered to be the beginning of man 2.5 million years ago today(Jablonski & Chaplin,
1992). Humans are said to have left Africa 100,000 to 200,000 years ago(Groote et al., 2018). It is
believed that the man who left Africa may have migrated to India via Gujarat about 70,000 years
ago(Indus Saraswati - A Yoga History - Pt.2, 2020). India has a paleolithic period, Mesolithic period,
Neolithic period and a chalcolithic period according to the archaeological findings.

Prehistoric Cultures in India Timeline

Paleolithic Age 2 million BC – 10.000 BC
Mesolithic Age 10,000 BC – 8000 BC
Neolithic Age 8000 BC – 4000 BC
Chalcolithic Age 4000 BC – 1500 BC
Iron Age 1500 BC – 600 BC
(Prehistoric Cultures in India - Paleolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic, Chalcolithic, Iron Age - DataFlair,
2020)

Paleolithic is the first age that can be found according to Indian archaeological history. Normally as an
archaeological study, we can divide this age into three main categories which are called lower
paleolithic, middle paleolithic, and upper paleolithic. In India, the lower paleolithic data found from
the areas called Punjab, Kashmir, UP, Rajasthan, etc. The beginning of this period goes back to
500,000 years ago according to the sources in Britannica(The Indian Paleolithic, n.d.). Then the
middle paleolithic period in India dated back to 385,000 years ago according to the very few findings
by Shanthi Pappu and his colleagues(Akhilesh et al., 2018). The upper paleolithic era goes back to
40,000 years before the present. Those sites were discovered in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Central
Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, southern Uttar Pradesh, and South Bihar Plateau(The Paleolithic Age:
Characteristics and List of Sites, 2019).

Previously we talked about the paleolithic period in the Indian subcontinent. According to those new
readings, I was a little bit what we talked about before in the chart. but we can use those details as a
common detail in Indian Prehistoric periods. mostly all around the world in this paleolithic period, our
ancestors used stone tools. but in the mesolithic era, they tried to use some geometric stone
tools(microlithic tools like sharpen blades) for their huntings and other day-to-day uses. Also
designed bone tools they use as their weapons or instruments. Indian Mesolithic period goes back to
10,000 B.C to 4,000 B.C1. This Mesolithic Age was a transitional phase between the Paleolithic Age
and the Neolithic Age and the people of this age practiced painting. Their paintings depicted birds,
animals, and human beings. According to the researchers Bagor, Azamgarh, Bhimbetka, Mohrana
Pahara, and Langhnaj are the most common mesolithic sites in the Indian sub-continent(The
Mesolithic Age, 2018).

The Neolithic era was the period that we named the agricultural revolutionary era in human history. In
India, this period goes back to the 8,000 B.C or the 7,000 B.C in history. The new stone age period
was the time that neanderthal made his journey and also the major river base civilizations began in
this period. Worldly this era goes back to 10,000 B.C. Also, agriculture, wheel made potteries, and
animal domestication appeared at different times. From the Indian point of view, that we can divide
this period into 3 periods. one period goes back to 7, 000 B.C - 5500B.C, Second goes back to 5,500

1
Some websites say that the Indian Mesolithic period began in the 12,000 B.C and ended in 2,000
B.C(Ancient Indian History - Mesolithic Culture, n.d.).
B.C - 4,500 B.C and the third period goes back to 4,500 B.C to 3,500 B.C. In Gufkral, Burzahom,
Kanishkapura, Koldihawa, Mahagara, and the area of Kuchai excavations say more details about the
neolithic period in India([No Title], n.d.).

The Chalcolithic or Eneolithic Age is the transitional period between the stone age and the Metal age
in India. The earliest evidence of the Chalcolithic period in Indian history was found in the Ahar
culture around 2,800 BC. And the latest evidence of this culture has been found in various parts of
India since 700 BC. The most important metal of this era was copper. The earliest evidence of copper
use in India dates back to 1800 BC. The economy of this period was based upon agriculture, stock
raising, hunting, and fishing. In India, various archaeological findings can be found related to the
Chalcolithic period from these cultures.

● Ahar culture c. 2,800-1,500 B.C.

● Kayatha culture c. 2,450-700 B.C.
● Malwa culture c. 1,900-1,400 B.C.
● Savalda culture c. 2,300-2,000 B.C.
● Jorwe culture c. 1,500 -900 B.C.
● Prabhas culture c. 2,000-1,400 B.C.
● Rangpur culture c. 1,700-1,400 B.C.

(Chalcolithic Period of India, n.d.; GKToday, 2011)

But there is no information about the use of yoga in any of the above eras. The most important
information, especially from these eras, is the fossil record, and in addition to the cave paintings and
rock carvings found in the area, there is important archaeological evidence. But what is depicted in
these paintings is only the experience they had while hunting. On the other hand, the focus of man in
this age is on how to find food for the day. Man in these eras was centered on rock caves and lived in
small families, not in groups. Occasions of living in groups are very rare. Archaeologists are saying
that these prehistoric men traveled from one place to another after living in one place. According to
some Sri Lankan archaeologists, this happens because of the climate differences. The Chalcolithic and
Iron Age periods provide information on the settlement of permanent settlements.

● Indus valley civilization era

The Indus Valley Civilization can be identified as one of the Copper Age civilizations of Indian
history. This civilization began around 3300 BC. From then until 1900 - 1750 BC, the Indus Valley
Civilization was able to occupy a significant place in the history of North India. The world's earliest
known river valleys began to form around 4000 BC. Revelations have been made about four
civilizations that are currently being formed along the river.

● Mesopotamia - Tigris and Euphrates Rivers

● Egypt - Nile River
● Indus valley(modern india and pakistan) - Indus river
● Yellow River civilization(china) - Yellow River

The Indus Saraswati Civilization, also known as Harappan Culture or Mohenjo Daro and Harappa
civilization, begins in 3500 BC and develops to its height in 2600 BC, and eventual decline in 1900
BC.Mohenjo Daro and Harappa (2600 BCE) were two of the world’s earliest major urban settlements.
They were merchants and their ships sailed to ancient Egypt, the Persian Gulf, the Minoan Crete, and
Iraq. Their ivory and teak were taken as commodities. These cities were the capitals of a great empire
that stretched from the Himalayas to the Arabian Sea. It was also the largest civilization in the ancient
world with a population of about 5 million(Coningham and Young). Archaeologists from both India
and Britain have been conducting excavations on this civilization, and they have come up with similar
and contradictory views on this civilization. In 1900 BC, this Indus Valley culture mysteriously
disappeared. Archaeological remains of this modern civilization have been found in Pakistan and at
that time there were no present day borders. When British archaeologists discovered the site in 1922,
they were amazed at the intricate water and architecture. They found no mass graves or evidence of
war. It has been suggested that the collapse of this civilization was largely due to overcrowding or
frequent floods. However, surely war did not cause the destruction of this civilization. Archeology can
still show why the Indus cities died.

● Sculptures related to yoga in indus valley civilization

The beginning of yoga philosophy is 5000 years today(Indus Saraswati - A Yoga History - Pt.2,
2020). It can be stated with certainty that the origin of yoga is about 2500 years with the Upanishad
philosophy. Some of these modern humans settled in the Indus and Saraswati rivers in northern India.
These people are often referred to as Dravidians. A seal has been found in the city of Mohenjo-daro
that suggests it may be related to the yoga of this civilization. It is the seal of Pashupati(Gray, 1940).
Some scholars say that it is a prototype of Lord Shiva2(Image No. 01). Or it may be a sign of early
yoga practice. It looks like the figure is sitting in Mulabandhasana3. The image appears to be seated in
the Mulabandhasana. But if it is a seal belonging to the regimes, then the AD. It was not until the 13th
century that the posture was reported to have reappeared. Sometimes it should be the Celtic Horned
God, Cernunnos, on the Gundestrup Cauldron. God of fertility, life, animals.

Image No. 01

Some of the seals found in the Indus Valley show some of the postures used in yoga. Sujay Rao
Mandavilli has studied and published an article in this regard(Mandavilli, n.d.-a, n.d.-b)(Image No.
02). Another unique seal found in the Indus Valley is the seal depicting a woman holding a branch of
a tree. A design found in the original sculptures of Sanchi in the 2nd century. Ramaprasad Chanda
2
Srinivasan, Doris. “The So-Called Proto-Śiva Seal from Mohenjo-Daro: An Iconological Assessment.” Archives
of Asian Art, vol. 29, 1975, pp. 47–58. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/20062578. Accessed 5 Jan. 2021.
3
Mulabandhasana, also spelled moolabandhasana, is an advanced seated posture that requires
flexibility in the hips, knees, legs, ankles and feet. The name comes from the Sanskrit, mula, meaning
“root”; bandha, meaning “knot” or “lock”; and asana, which translates as “pose” or
“posture.”(Mulabandhasana, n.d.)
who supervised Indus Valley Civilization excavations, states that, "Not only the seated deities on
some of the Indus seals are in yoga posture and bear witness to the prevalence of yoga in the Indus
Valley Civilization in that remote age, the standing deities on the seals also show Kayotsarga (a
standing posture of meditation) position.according to archaeologist Gregory Possehl this indus valley
civilization is "a form of ritual discipline, suggesting a precursor of yoga". And also when we go
through with his ideas per recent findings, the Indus Valley Civilization is more than 10,000 years old
and the source of Yoga. This is the oldest of the three yoga; the Indus Valley civilization took up
Vedic Brahmanism around 1500 B.C.E. Some type of connection between the Indus Valley seals and
later yoga and meditation practices is speculated upon by many scholars, though there is no
conclusive evidence. The Indus Valley people practiced a form of yoga and meditation. These and
many other finds show the amazing continuity between the Indus Valley civilization and present day
Hindu society and culture.

Image No. 024

Image No. 035

4
Image drawn by Sujay Rao Mandavilli
5
https://www.harappa.com/blog/priest-king-diety-or-individual
 Conclusion
As mentioned above, the yoga philosophy in India dates back many years. Throughout history,
evidence suggests that as humans became accustomed to a way of life, they began to practice different
religions and practices. Man, who was accustomed to worshiping fire and natural objects, later
identified with the dead in times of humans such as Homo erectus. But the busyness of human
day-to-day life begins to decline to a certain extent as they build their settlements along the river
valley civilizations and become accustomed to an agriculturally based way of life. The Indus Valley
Civilization is one of the best examples of food surpluses found in major cities(India Indus Valley
Civilization Activity, n.d.; Mark, n.d.). It is clear that this gave them the opportunity to do some
in-depth study of life. The idea that the Indus Valley people operated a priestly kingdom(image
No.03) is a good example of this(Mark, n.d.). The extent to which man's spiritual strength is modern
has been identified in response to various scientific and non-scientific factors. At the same time, with
the exception of the Charvaka philosophy in India, the importance given to the practical activities of
the yoga philosophy in all other philosophical studies can be pointed out. If so, it can be speculated in
the above seal study that the inhabitants of these Indus Valley civilizations had a knowledge of these
practical yoga postures and had practiced them as mentioned above.

References

Akhilesh, K., Pappu, S., Rajapara, H. M., Gunnell, Y., Shukla, A. D., & Singhvi, A. K. (2018). Early

Middle Palaeolithic culture in India around 385–172 ka reframes Out of Africa models. In Nature

(Vol. 554, Issue 7690, pp. 97–101). https://doi.org/10.1038/nature25444

Ancient Indian History - Mesolithic Culture. (n.d.). Retrieved January 5, 2021, from

https://www.tutorialspoint.com/ancient_indian_history/ancient_indian_history_mesolithic_cultur

e.htm

Chalcolithic Period of India. (n.d.). Retrieved January 5, 2021, from

https://www.tutorialspoint.com/ancient_indian_history/ancient_indian_history_chalcolithic_perio

d_of_india.htm

GKToday. (2011, May 4). Chalcolithic Age in India - GKToday.

https://www.gktoday.in/gk/chalcolithic-age-in-india/

Gray, B. (1940). Antiquities from the Indus Valley. In The British Museum Quarterly (Vol. 14, Issue 2,

p. 41). https://doi.org/10.2307/4422211

Groote, I. D., De Groote, I., & Stringer, C. (2018). Out-of-Africa Origins. In Encyclopedia of Global

Archaeology (pp. 1–6). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-51726-1_673-2

India Indus Valley Civilization Activity. (n.d.). Retrieved January 5, 2021, from
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http://www.historyshistories.com/india-indus-valley-civilization-activity.html

Indus Saraswati - A Yoga History - Pt.2. (2020, May 10).

https://www.eltonyoga.com/blog/yoga-history-and-philosophy-2-indus-saraswati-civilisation/

Jablonski, N. G., & Chaplin, G. (1992). The origin of hominid bipedalism re-examined. In

Archaeology in Oceania (Vol. 27, Issue 3, pp. 113–119).

https://doi.org/10.1002/j.1834-4453.1992.tb00294.x

Mandavilli, S. R. (n.d.-a). Syncretism and Acculturation in Ancient India: A New Nine Phase

Acculturation Model Explaining the Process of Transfer of Power from the Harappans to the

Indo- Aryans Part Two. In SSRN Electronic Journal. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3680416

Mandavilli, S. R. (n.d.-b). Syncretism and Acculturations in Ancient India: A New Nine Phase

Acculturation Model Explaining the Process of Transfer of Power from the Harappans to the

Indo- Aryans Part One. In SSRN Electronic Journal. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3680414

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https://www.ancient.eu/Indus_Valley_Civilization/

Mulabandhasana. (n.d.). Retrieved January 5, 2021, from

http://www.yogapedia.com/definition/9942/mulabandhasana

[No title]. (n.d.). Retrieved January 5, 2021, from

https://study.com/academy/lesson/the-neolithic-age-in-india.html

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(2020, September 11). https://data-flair.training/blogs/prehistoric-cultures-in-india/

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