Karuppa Swami was the gate keeper god.
‘Karuppa Swami’ was the ‘Gate Keeper God’
Figure 1: Gatekeeper god symbol. Symbol courtesy – Asko Parpola (1)
This symbol (Grapheme) intrigued me for a long time. I was trying to read each symbol separately. After many attempts, I got the idea that all these three symbols should be read together. Reading this grapheme was the first breakthrough in my efforts to decipher the Indus script. It gave the idea that the Indus script should be read in the ideograph way.
This ideogram conveys the meaning of ‘Gate Keeper’. He was the God guarding the gates to heaven. The son of the dead person has to appease this God by a bull sacrifice, then only he will allow the dead man’s soul to pass through into heaven. It is a good idea for any religious head; in fact, most of the religious leaders are controlling the keys to the sky. The best example is the case of “Saint Peter” holding the key to gates of heaven.
One crucial point to be noted here is that earlier I had assigned various sounds (syllables) to this grapheme. However, it turned out to be that Indus inscriptions are not written in ‘logo-syllabic’ way, but it is written in the ‘ideographic’ (idea) way of writing. Iravatham Mahadevan is alsotelling that these Indus inscriptions are written in an ideogramic way (2). However, the context in which the ideograms are being explained by him is debatable. Mahadevan interprets that all these Indus symbols were created by Dravidian society, in the context of their trade transactions with other traders. But my opinion is that these symbols are related to death ceremony and excavated Indus sites were necropolises and not metropolises as popularly imagined so far. (3)
Figure 2: Another example of Gatekeeper god. Picture courtesy (3)
Many seals contain this figure of a person holding a stick, I was reading the man with stick grapheme as ‘Palaka’ and assigned many possible meanings for those two ‘chessboard’ squares. Finally, it looks like that this ideogram indicates a ‘GateKeeper God’.
Figure 3: Inanimate object gate is holding the stick. Picture courtesy (3)
The above-given seal further confirms this word. Even though the craftsmanship is inferior in this seal, the idea conveyed is clear and loud. Earlier for a long time, I could not ascertain the meaning; only this seal depiction critically conveyed the meaning. See the grapheme; the gate is holding a stick. Is it possible for an inanimate object like a door to hold a stick? This grapheme conveyed the idea that these symbols together indicated a door and watchman.
Figure 4: Gate is looking like a shield.
This seal also shows a similar scene but gives an impression as if the God is carrying a shield (Keda). So, the interpretation is doubtful.
Figure 5: Gatekeeper god standing in between the open doors. Picture courtesy (3)
Finally, this seal clarifies the meaning of grapheme in a slightly better way; the God is standing in between the open gates. It can be safely assumed that he is a ‘Gatekeeper God’. The idea of ‘gatekeeper god’ still exists in rural areas of Tamil Nadu. These gods are earliest gods of Indian culture and still survives in small pockets, even though with reduced importance.
The 18- Aam padi Karuppu (Tamil God)
The Guardian god of Alagar Malai Temple, Madurai, Tamil Nadu is known as “18-Aam padi Karuppa swami“, which means ‘18-steps’ – Karuppa Swami. The entrance door is kept closed, there are 18-steps behind this closed door, and the door itself is worshipped as God. When the priests open the door once in a year, it can be seen that only one big aruval (Sickle) is planted behind the doors and nothing else, no statues. This God wields an “Aruval” (Sickle) which is a very significant weapon in Tamil Nadu and is considered, in itself, as a symbol of Karuppana Swami himself.
Figure 6:Main door of Karuppa swami temple, Alagar Malai, Madurai, Tamil Nadu. Reference and Photo courtesy – (4)
The main doors of the Karuppa Swami temple remain closed most of the year. It is believed that Karuppa Swami resides within them looking over the kshetra and the neighbouring areas. During this time, people worship the door itself as the guardian deity. People smear sandal paste over the doors to reduce the heat of Karuppa swami’s Ugram (heat generated due to his power) and make offerings of long forged swords. Some of the swords are double a man’s height and offer a very frightening sight.
Figure 7: See those huge sickles 10-15 feet in height.
The door is, however, opened once in a year during the Brahmotsava. Special poojas are offered to the open doors before they are closed again at night, never to open for another 365 days. (4)
Karuppa Swami also takes part in the day to day running of the temple. At the end of the day, the accounts of the daily activities are laid before him, and finally, he is also entrusted with the keys of the temple treasury at night. Note that the key is given to this God. Most probably he was holding the ‘Key to Heavenly doors’, gradually that idea has been reduced to keeping the keys of a treasury.
The ‘18 – Aam padi Karuppu’ worship has been modified to ‘Vaikuntha Ekadasi’:
The name ‘Karuppa Swami’ itself is a nickname; this word means ‘The Black God’. God is considered to be so powerful that people do not say his original name out of fear; such a practice has hidden the original name entirely. No doubt, we are not able to trace out the real name of ‘Gatekeeper God’ of Indus Valley people. Till the time reveals his name, let us call him as ‘Karuppa Swami’ (The Black God). (Or) Most probably the black God’s name was ‘Muran’ as said in ‘Padma Purana’.
It looks like that this worship of ancient god ‘Karuppa Swami’ has been transformed into ‘Vaikuntha Ekadasi’ in Vaishnavism. Read the article on ‘Vaikuntha Ekadasi’ in Wikipedia. The paragraph is produced as such for ready reference:
“The significance of Vaikuntha Ekadashi is mentioned in the Padma Purana. The legend says that the Devas were unable to bear the tyranny of ‘Muran’, a demon, approached Shiva, who directed them to Vishnu. A battle ensued between Vishnu, and the demon and Vishnu realized that a new weapon was needed to slay Muran.
In order to take rest and create a new weapon, Vishnu retired to a cave named for the goddess Haimavati in Bhadrikashrama. When Muran tried to slay Vishnu, who was sleeping, the female power that emerged from Vishnu burned Muran to ashes with her glance.
Vishnu, who was pleased, named the goddess ‘Ekadashi’ and asked her to claim a boon. Ekadashi, instead, beseeched Vishnu that people who observed a fast on that day should be redeemed of their sins. Vishnu thus declared that people who kept a fast on that day and worshipped Ekadashi would attain Vaikuntha. Thus, came into being the first Ekadashi, which was a Dhanurmasa Shukla Paksha Ekadashi.” (5)
Heavenly gate (Paramapada Vassal – in Tamil)
The Tamil month of ‘Margazhi’ is the best of times. It is during this month that homes add to their decor; the air is filled with music; the cup of devotion overflows, and the gates of heaven open.
Vaishnavite shrines celebrate the ‘Ekadasi’ in the waxing phase of the moon in the month of Margazhi as Vaikunta Ekadasi. Margazhi is considered the ‘Brahma Muhurtham’ for heavenly beings, and this period is utilized by people to prepare themselves for union with God. The Ekadasi festival stretches for 21 days in Vaishnavite shrines, with Pagal Paththu and Era Paththu, with the opening of the Paramapada Vaasal in between on Ekadasi (eleventh day). (6) generally, this festival falls in December, near Christmas Day.
Tirumala Venkateswara Temple also has a similar concept. Thirumala has an exclusive entrance called Vaikuntha Dwaram that encircles the sanctum sanctorum. The dwaram (passage) is opened only on Vaikuntha Ekadashi, and it is believed that any person who passes through this `Vaikuntha Dwaram’ on this particular day attains salvation. The temple witnesses’ substantial inflow of pilgrims and dignitaries for Vaikuntha Ekadashi.
Demon ‘Bes’ was the gatekeeper in ancient Egypt.
Bes was a household protector in ancient Egypt. He was assigned with such varied tasks as killing snakes, fighting off evil spirits, watching after children, and aiding women in labour by fighting off evil spirits, and thus present with Taweret at births. (7)
Figure 8: Image of Egyptian demon ‘Bes’. Picture courtesy -Wikipedia (7)
Images of the deity, quite different from those of the other gods, were kept in homes. Usually, Egyptian gods were shown in profile, but instead ‘Bes’ appeared in full-face portrait, ithyphallic, and sometimes in a soldier’s tunic, to look ready to launch an attack on any approaching evil. He scared away demons from houses, so his statue was put up as a protector. (7) It is likely, ‘Bes’ had been introduced into Indus valley civilization and transformed into ‘gatekeeper’ god.
The God shown in the above-given seal is decorated with a feather, which is the characteristic symbol of ‘Bes’. The above-shown God is gatekeeper god. The inscription in the seal read as ‘Yajna – terrible God (number three) -Karkida (crab symbol) – gatekeeper god (Two doors symbol). It is a satisfaction to see that the name of God is mentioned in the inscription. It is a rare occurrence, where we can correlate God with the inscription. Earlier, I had given the name ‘Karuppa-swami’ because the name of God was not known. Now, we can call him ‘Bes’ with his Egyptian name.
1. Parpola, Asko. Deciphering the Indus script. New York : Cambridge University Press, 2000.
2. Mahadevan.I. indus-script-early-form-of-dravidian. thehindu.com. [Online] 2014. http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/indus-script-early-form-of-dravidian-iravatham-mahadevan/article6600394.ece.
3. Jeyakumar(Necropolis-theory). Necropolis_theory_on_Indus_Valley_Civilization. www.academia.edu. [Online] 2009. https://www.academia.edu/7773502/Necropolis_theory_on_Indus_Valley_Civilization.
4. Sullivan, Sue. Indus Script Dictionary. s.l. : Suzanne Redalia, 2011.
5. Mahendravarman. the-guardian-lord-of-alagar-malai-. streetsmadurai360.blogspot.in. [Online] Feb 2015. http://streetsmadurai360.blogspot.in/2012/09/the-guardian-lord-of-alagar-malai-18am.html.
6. wikipedia. Vaikuntha_Ekadashi. wikipedia. [Online] February 2015. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaikuntha_Ekadashi.
7. The Hindu. when-the-gates-of-heaven-are-thrown-open/. www.thehindu.com. [Online] January 2015. http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Madurai/when-the-gates-of-heaven-are-thrown-open/article6744620.ece.
8. Wikipedia(Bes). Wikipedia.org/wiki/Bes. Wikipedia. [Online]