Tamil Nadu graffiti symbol – Swastika.

Figure 1 Graffiti symbols from Tamil Nadu.

The above pottery graffiti symbol is from Tamil Nadu. These figures are drawn after the illustrations from Rajan’s book. (1) The same swastika appears later in Hinduism and is used in a widespread way. However, the meaning is not clear in the IVC seals. In Tamil Nadu, these ancient pots are called ‘Mudhu Makkal Thali’ (Burial pots for dead people). It indicates that this symbol is associated with death. I have already stated that Indus symbols are associated with death. This swastika symbol on Tamil Nadu funeral pots further confirms my theory that the IVC sites were necropolises, not metropolises. (2) (3) (4)

Figure 2 Seal symbol from IVC.

The swastika is an ancient symbol in various cultures and religions, mainly Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism, representing divinity, spirituality, good luck, and auspiciousness. Its origins trace back thousands of years, with the term “swastika” derived from the Sanskrit words “su” (good) and “asti” (to be), signifying well-being. Unfortunately, in the 20th century, the symbol was appropriated by the Nazi Party in Germany, leading to a negative connotation in the Western world. Archaeological evidence shows the swastika’s origins in Europe, with examples found in Greek, Celtic, and Bronze Age cultures.

Wikipedia says that in Hinduism, the symbol has two forms: the right-facing swastika, representing prosperity and the left-facing sauvastika, associated with darker aspects, such as the goddess Kali. (5)

Figure 3 Swastika in association with Kali.

See the above-given Indus seal; it confirms the fact given by Wikipedia that the swastika symbol is sometimes associated with ‘Kali’. Here, the seal says the sacrifice was made to please Kali so she will not interfere with the heaven-reaching process for the dead man.

Now, analysing the information available in these Tamil Nadu graffiti, it is seen that the ladder and cone symbols appear in combination with the swastika symbol. That means the swastika symbol is associated with the idea of a dead man reaching ‘heaven’. I have already explained that the ancient Egyptians visualised heaven as a big iron plate in the sky with four legs. Please read my article, ‘Cone-ladder Symbols Indicate the Pathway to Heaven’, for more information. (6)

These Tamil Nadu graffiti symbols give more information than the IVC symbols. The swastika symbol appears only in two seals of IVC. The meaning is unclear in IVC seals, whereas Tamil Nadu graffiti gives more information. See the graffiti marked as ‘B” in the above figure. The swastika symbol has legs similar to the Egyptian iron plate (heaven). The only difference is that two iron plates are placed in a cross position and made into a circular format. My conclusion is that the swastika means ‘heaven’ in the Indian context and the Tamil Nadu context.

The idea of ‘heaven’ is also supported by information in the article on swastika in Wikipedia. It is mentioned therein that the Chinese believed that the swastika indicated ‘heaven’, which refers to the northern celestial pole. (5) In Greek, it was called ‘tetraskelion’, meaning ‘four-legged’, a symbol composed of four conjoined legs (compare triskelion/triskele). As I mentioned, the four-legged Egyptian iron plate (heaven) is indicated here. There are many meanings for the swastika used all over the ancient civilisations of the world. Read the Wikipedia article on the swastika symbol for more information. It generally indicates a joyous, prosperous idea. My idea of relating to the dead man is also not negative; this dead man is going to heaven, which is a positive aspect of this symbol.

See the seal above (side -a); the swastika symbol appears in the centre, flanked by the god Ayyappan on one side and the elephant on the other. Ayyappan was known as ‘Heh” in Egyptian civilisation. (God sitting in the branch of the tree) He could give a million years of afterlife to the dead man. The same idea of Egyptians is expressed here in IVC seals, and the swastika means ‘million years of afterlife’. Read my article, ‘The Difference between Ayyappan and Ayyanar,’ for more information. (7)

Figure 4 Picture courtesy – Marija Gimbutas.

The above picture shows the bee goddess associated with not one but many swastika symbols. This picture is from the book of Marija Gimbuta’s, ‘The Goddess and Gods of Old Europe’; as said earlier, the Indus bee symbol indicates the process of rebirth of a dead man as an intermediary form of a bee. Read my article, ‘Bee was another form of dead man’s resurrected soul’. (2) Here also, the swastika symbol indicates a happy, joyous state where the dead man’s soul transits.

The conclusion is that the swastika symbol of Tamil Nadu graffiti indicates a happy world where the dead man transits or lives peacefully. Here, the swastika has positive connotations, not negative ones.

References

1. Rajan., K. Thonmai Tamizh Iyal (in Tamil). Chennai : International Institute of Tamil Studies., 2018.

2. Jeyakumar(Book). Indus symbols dictionary. s.l. : Pothi Publication -Online, 2022.

3. Jeyakumar(Necropolis-theory). www.academia.edu. [Online] 2009. https://www.academia.edu/7773502/Necropolis_theory_on_Indus_Valley_Civilization.

4. Jeyakumar(funeral-ceremony). [Online] https://www.academia.edu/36000493/Indus_seals_inscriptions_revolve_around_Funeral_ceremonies_of_ancient_Hindus.

5. Wikipedia(Swastika). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swastika. [Online] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swastika.

6. Jeyakumar(cone-ladder-combination). https://archive.org/details/the-cone-ladder-combination-indicates-the-pathway-to-heaven-ver-2-feb-2025. [Online] https://archive.org/details/the-cone-ladder-combination-indicates-the-pathway-to-heaven-ver-2-feb-2025.

7. Jeyakumar(Ayyappan). [Online] 2018. https://www.academia.edu/31640471/Difference_between_Ayyappan_and_Ayyanar.