Fetus Symbol – indicates ‘growing embryo’ in the womb

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Fetus symbol- indicates growing embryo and thereby suggests the transmigration of the soul.

Abstract:

In ancient Indus Valley civilization, many ceremonies were conducted to protect the growing embryo. The ‘Valaikappu’ (Bangle ceremony) was one such ceremony.

The above-given symbol means the fetus symbol. Look at the shape of the logo; it looks like an aborted fetus. Ceremonies used to be conducted to protect the unborn child. Such traditions are still prevalent all over India, which is called as ‘Valai Kappu ceremony’ in Tamil Nadu. Similar ceremonies are held in other parts of India as well, and it is called as Dohale Jeevan by Marathi and Konkani people. The Punjabi, Sindhi and Marwari people call this function as ‘Godh-Bharai’ (1).
Fetus symbol Shield symbol (Sanskrit –Kedaga) Vulva symbol
fetus Protection Indicating mother goddess.’

Picture courtesy -Asko Parpola. (1) Page –111

This inscription in the above-given seal reads as ‘Fetus protected by mother goddess’.

Valaikaapu is a ceremony and celebration held by Hindu, Muslim and Christian women in Tamil Nadu, meant to bless a pregnant woman, celebrate her fertility, and ensure a safe birth. The pregnant woman’s parents host the ceremony, and the pregnant woman is brought to the parents home during the third trimester of the pregnancy.

It is believed that the bangle sound induces the child’s senses. The women put red and green glass bangles on the mother-to-be’s wrists, sing hymns and songs and put vermilion on her forehead. The woman then rests at her parents’ home for the final weeks of her pregnancy (1).

The purpose of the ceremony is to honour and protect the pregnant woman. Earlier times this ritual was simple, mainly limited to the exchange of bangles. But as valaikaapu became more widely practised, it grew more lavish, and since the 1980s has been celebrated by most, according to anthropologists who have studied the practice, with “magnificence and sumptuousness,”

with gifts including jewellery, saris, household appliances, mobile phones and gold ornaments (1).

Figure 4: Beehive symbol appears along with ‘fish symbol’. Picture courtesy – (4)

It is essential to understand the ‘the fish symbolism’ represents the ‘soul’ of a dead person and rebirth afterwards. Read my article on ‘fish symbolism’ for more information on the idea of rebirth in Indus culture. (2)

Here in the above-given seal, the picture shows the mother goddess with tiger body, the symbol of ‘fetus’ is appearing along with ‘honeycomb’ symbol. As discussed earlier, the fetus symbol is indicating the dead man’s soul under transmigration. Hence the

ceremony is for protecting the soul in rebirth, not merely protecting the child from the evil influences. So the idea has to be modified to that extent.

Bangles symbol suggest the idea of ‘protection’ as well as the mother goddess.

Picture courtesy – Sue Sullivan (3)

Asko Parpola says that the two rings symbol indicates

‘protection’. Further, Parpola says that the number three symbol indicates the three stones used to make a temporary fireplace for cooking. But, I have given a different interpretation of the number three symbol. Number three suggests the word ‘Dangerous god’ in Egyptian hieroglyphics. The same meaning is applicable in Indus seal inscription also. Read my article, ‘Number three specifies many gods and also dangerous gods’ for more information. (3)

Picture courtesy – Sue Sullivan (3)

The above seal inscription indicates that ‘bangles’ means ‘protection’ as well as the female goddess (Kali). The second symbol ‘Branch symbol’ suggests the word ‘Sastha’ (God). The

third symbol indicates ‘offering’. The meaning of the inscription is

‘offering to Bangle goddess’.

Acknowledgements

  1. All pictures of Indus seals are taken from the book of sue Sullivan

(4)

  1. All logos are extracted from the research papers of Iravatham Mahadevan, Asko Parpola (1) and Sundar (5) (6)

Bibliography

  1. Parpola, Asko. Deciphering the Indus Script. New Delhi: Cambridge University Press, 2000.
  2. Jeyakumar(Fish-symbolism). Fish_symbolism_in_Indus_Valley_Civilization. academia.edu. [Online] December 2015. https://www.academia.edu/19550772/Fish_symbolism_in_Indus_V alley_Civilization.
  3. jeyakumar(number-three). Number_three_specifies_Many_gods_and_also_Dangerous_gods. Academia.edu. [Online] https://www.academia.edu/41294661/Number_three_specifies_M any_gods_and_also_Dangerous_gods..
  4. Sullivan, Sue, Indus script dictionary. 2011.
  5. Sundar. -The-Indus-Script-Text-and-Context.pdf. http://45.113.136.87/wp-content/uploads/. [Online] http://45.113.136.87/wp-content/uploads/43-The-Indus-Script-Text- and-Context.pdf.
  6. Mahadevan.I. The Indus script -Text, Concordance and Tables. http://www.rmrl.in. [Online] http://www.rmrl.in/wp- content/uploads/2014/02/papers/5a.pdf.