Flags: Indus Valley-Egypt similarity

[london swaminathan]

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( Tamil version of this article is already posted in the blogs: swami )

Picture shows Egyptian standards from Narmer palette

Carrying flags and standards in a king’s procession or God’s (statue) procession is practised even today in India. In Tamil Nadu, the emblems of Shiva or Vishnu are taken in the procession during the annual temple festivals. We are fortunate to have one seal or tablet showing a procession that went through an Indus Valley city thousands of years ago. Egypt has provided us still an older picture of a procession.

Narmer (Nara Meru also known as Menes/Manu) ruled Egypt in the Pre Dynastic period, 5000 years before our time. His palette shows four people carrying standards. The first two carry long poles with bird figures on the top. Next person carried a pole with the wolf God (Wepwawet) and the last one carried a bundle or a cloth. The king is walking behind the sandal bearers.

Indus valley seal of a procession is not complete. We could see only three people carrying three different things. The first one carried a cloth or a festoon like thing hanging from the top of the pole. This is similar to the first two poles of Egypt. The middle one carried a calf (Heifer). This is very clear. Israelites did this till Moses revolted against it. People who have watched films like Ten Commandments may remember the scene of breaking such golden calf statues.

The last person in the Indus procession carried a cult object. Many scholars have identified it with the vessels for extracting Soma Juice. Rig Veda has hundreds of hymns in praise of Soma. A whole Mandala is devoted to Soma Rasa. So it may be something to do with the Soamrasa. A lot of seals with the one horned animas have this symbol. Others think this is a cage with a live bird in it. In Egypt, the first two poles have bird figures. Whatever it may be, there is amazing similarity between Indus Valley and Egyptian standards.

If the cult object is Soma filter or extractor then it must be a Vedic civilization. But nothing is proved beyond doubt. I have made it amply clear in my earlier posts that the Indus civilization was influenced by Middle East and other neighbouring civilizations if we accept the current chronology. A god surrounded by many animals, one hero fighting two animals, the circular stone structures, the snake queen and many others have similarities with older cultures including Minoan civilization.

Please read my other articles on Hindu-Egypt links, Indus Valley seals, Hindu and Tamil flags. Out of my 300 plus articles, there are more than ten posts on Indus Valley and Egypt.

 

[N.R.Ranganathan]

Sir,

Do you have any information on the Indian fire temple at Baku caves in , I think it is uzbhekistan ?

I heard there is a panchagni temple and some indian saints lived there .

 

[london swaminathan]

I have read about it in wikipedia under Jwalaji. There is an inscription starting with I salute Ganesh dated 1745 AD. Scientists say the natural gas is leaking from the earth which gives the flame. But I have not studied it in detail. Long back there was one article in Manjari, Tamil monthly. I may have the cutting somewhere.

Even if is a natural phenomenon like Amarnath Cave,it must be a unique place in the world. Hindus always identify such places as divine manifestations. They never miss a single chance to say GOD EXISTS.

 

[N.R.Ranganathan]

Dear sir,

Many thanks for your immediate reply. I have also read quite a lot about it and have discussed this with one of
my friends who visited this place.

There are also images of Lord Siva'S TRISUL in the countries nearby and I have seen some articles abou it. This
gives us a clue that the people in those countries have worshipped Lord Siva.

By the way, I want to know from you one more thing. I read an article sometime in 1994 about the scientific
significance of Karthigai deepam in the month of december which is lit atop the hills/mountains. I think it is
Amudasurabhi or Kalaimagal, but they are not able to trace it.

 

[N.R.Ranganathan]

Dear sir,

I am sorry to bother you time and again. There is some research work connected with Vallalar's
works. A reference is made to some songs appearing in Thiruvadi perumai, which speaks of
particle physics. This is in the net and you will get to see it if you type Vallalar and particle physics.
Have you gone thru' it sir ? This may be of interest to all of us. I am looking for a Tamil translation.

 

[london swaminathan]

Dear Mr Ranganathan

Vallalar's connection to Particle Physics is interesting! But this is the first time I hear about it.
I will read it.

About Karthikai Deepam, I have read a few explanations. The bonfire ceremony is celebrated around the world almost at the same time. Here in Britain we do celebrate it with English people. It has been renamed as Guyfawke's night. Because of fire hazards still it is celebrated in the villages, but not in big cities in London etc.

The scientific reason for lighting fires is to kill the insects which destroy the crops. They are attracted to huge fires and die in thousands saving the crops. The second reason is, it gives warmth physically and mentally during cold winter. Third reason is man is basically Pyromaniac. That is why we celebrate Deepavali and Karthikai. A celebrated communist known as Dr S Ramakrishnanan (SRK), author of Kamban and Milton used to come to our house when we were school children. He lived just five houses away in North Masi Street, Madurai. He was the one who told us this pyromaniac theory.

We are all fond of fire and setting fire to something. This ,you might have noticed in youngsters. This is because millions of years ago, we lived in caves and the cooking and driving away the animals were done with fire only. The vestiges of the habit is the thing that makes us pyromaniac. If we dont give opportunities to youths like bonfire, crackers and sparklers, they will set fire to buses and buildings during riots. I fully agreed with that communist scholar's theory. To channelize youths tremendous energy, we have to set up some festivals like firing crackers, lighting up bonfires etc. There may other reasons too.

About that particular Kalaimagal article, I dont remember anything. We have Manjari volumes from 1964. We treasure them like gold bars. Kalki and Kalaimakal deepavali malars (souvenirs) are also collectible treasures!

 

[N.R.Ranganathan]

Dear Mr.London Swaminathan,

Many thanks for your detailed reply.

Sir, what I read about karthigai deepam is something like this. Even though I do not recollect what I read I venture to
write about it. During the months of November-December, the cyclonic storm is very active in the eastern part of
TamilNadu and the land near the eastern sea-shore is battered by winds of high velocity , thunderstorm, rain and waves
causing heavy damage to standing crops awaiting harvest and human lives and dwelling places.

Lighting at the top of the Hills like Tiruvannamalai and other places warms up the atmosphere and it has some effect on the
intensity of gale and rain. Perhaps you may throw some light on it , whether you have read the article or not. thanks.

 

[london swaminathan]

Dear Mr Ranganathan

I dont know about it. I will try to find out some more on this subject. But when we were at school we learnt that warm air goes up and the cool air comes to land to fill in the vacuum with rainy clouds and pour down rain. Going by that rule, bonfires and lighting lamps will bring more rains/storms. That is the principle behind doing Yaga to bring rain. Any way we will have to study more before jumping in to any conclusion.

 

[N.R.Ranganathan]

Dear Mr.London Swaminathan,
As I am a geography student at the university level, I also thought so, but this explanation has something
deeper, worth looking into it.

By the way, will it be too much if I request you to give url to your blogspot. Thanks.

 

[london swaminathan]

tamilandvedas.wordpress.com and swamiindology.blogspot.com