discuss the nature of religion and religious practices of harappans

Hello Aspirant

The Indus Valley religion or the religion of the Harappans is made of many religions constituted. It is a mixture of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.

There are many seals which were found during the excavation which tell us about the Gods the Harappans Worshipped. Some seals show animals which resemble the two gods, Shiva and Rudra. Other seals depict a tree which the Indus Valley believed to be the tree of life which is an outgrowing symbol today in the realm of spirituality. The tree was guarded by a spirit to keep the evil forces away from the tree. The guardian was potrayed by many animals such as bull, snake, goat, or any other mythical creature or animal. The evil force is represented by a tiger. One seal shows a figure sitting in a position that may be similar to a yoga pose and is thought to be an early representation of a Hindu God.

The Indus people worshipped a Father God who may have been the forefather of the race. It is similar to the concept of Kuldevi or Kuldevta which exists in Hinduism. There was a Mother Goddess who was worshipped for fertility keeping the collective unconscious in the right place. They worshipped fertility symbols which were round or pierced stones, a practice that was performed before the worship of Shiva and Parvati in the form of Sivalinga . They may have believed in magical rituals, charms and amulets and also demons and spirits like all the early civilisations.

A figure of a male god in a seated posture carved on a small stone seal was found. The figure has a white steatite head and bust, clothed in a robe that is placed over the left shoulder, short beard with no moustache, hair cropped and parted in the middle, wearing a necklace, eyes half shut. This was considered as a sacred symbol. The Sun was regarded as one of the greatest gods. Another seal shows a horned figure surrounded by animals such as the deer, antelope, rhinoceros, elephant, tiger and buffalo. The horned figure is called Pashupati which means the lord of the cattle. Pashupati is similar to the gods, Rudra and Shiva.

Swastikas are a sacred symbol for good luck. The Harappans practiced a form of yoga and meditation. The Indus Valley people built bathhouses and practiced ritual bathing. The great bath of Mohenjo-Daro was probably a proto type of a kovil or sacred tank found mostly in ancient temples in southern India where people may have performed important rituals for special occasions.

During the early days of their culture, the Indus people buried their dead. Afterwards, they conducted cremations and kept the ashes in urns. They may have believed in life after death after the discovery of pottery items and ornaments in the burial grounds.

Although the religion of the Indus valley and their social practices were very unique to the countries around them, the people of the Indus valley did have some influences from their neighbours India and in particular Persia. Although many cultures developed due to contact with other civilisations such as Sumer and Egypt that were wealthy and progressive for the time the Indus valley flourished by themselves. Although religious practices were of Hindu basis, the Indus valley added and developed new traditions and elements of their religion making something particularly traditional their own.

The Indus valley developed very well indigenously. The people of the valley strategically avoided the rest of India’s destruction, fighting and confusion that came with their shared religious practices, devising and developing their own ideas and methods to progress in a sustainable and peaceful way.

They avoided these destructive outside influences, by the use of palaces and gathering places as a well-rounded and open place of religious practices rather than monumental statues and tombs that tended to cause controversy. The Indus valley also made sure to not link religion and warfare together to keep peace and avoid uprising, another prominent key to their success.

Hope it helps

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