[Revision Point] [Art & Culture] Religion in Harappan Civilisation


Are we certain about the religious life in Harappan civilization?

As is the case with the civilization of the ancient world, religion must have played an important role in the lives of Harappan people. However, nothing can be said with certainty about the religious life of the people of Indus valley civilization since our information on the topic is inadequate.

What inference can we make about the religious life from archeological evidence?

On the basis of information gathered from Harappan seals, impressions, terracotta and metal figures, cemeteries, etc., we can infer the following practices are religious:

  • Worship of Mother Goddess: A large number of excavated terracotta figurines are those of a semi-nudge figures which is identified with some female energy or Shakti or Mother Goddess.
  • Worship of Pashupati or Lord Shiva: The Pashupati seal in which the three faced male god is shown seated in a yogic posture surrounded by a rhino and a buffalo on the right, and an elephant and a tiger on the left, make us conclude that the people of those days worshipped Lord Shiva or Pashupati.
  • Worship of Trees: The worship of trees was widespread. The Pipal tree was considered most scared.
  • Other objects of Worship: People also worshipped animals such as the bull, buffalo and tiger. Besides animals, these people also worshipped the Sun, the Fire and the water.
  • Faith in Magic, Charms and Sacrifices: The discovery of amulets suggests that the Indus valley people had belief in magic and charms. Some seals have figures of men and animals in act of sacrificing.
  • Belief in Life after Death: The people of Indus Valley disposed of their dead either by burial or by cremation. They buried their dead together with household pottery, ornaments and other articles of daily use.
  • The Great Bath: The existence of public bath suggests that people believed in ritual bathing.

 Harappan religion and Hinduism

Modern Hindu religious faiths and practices bear resemblance to religious practice in Indus valley civilization. Thus, we can say that religion in Harappa laid the foundation on which the modern day Hinduism grew up.


 

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