மகரவிடங்கர் - A Forgotten Religion from the Iron Age Tamil Nadu

2014-ல் வெளியாக இருக்கும் சிந்து சமவெளி நாகரீகம் - சங்கத் தமிழகச் சமயத் தொடர்ச்சி பற்றிய ஆய்வு நூலின் அறிமுகமாக ஆற்றும் சொற்பொழிவு. தாங்கள் கலந்துகொண்டு சிறப்பிக்க வேண்டுகிறேன்.

                     Special Lecture on

            Indus Valley Civilization Series

                            Invitation

The Institute of Asian Studies cordially invites you to participate in the Special Lecture on

          A Forgotten Religion from the Iron Age in Tamil Nadu:

             Crocodile cult in the Indus Valley Civilization

                      and its Later Survival

                                     by 

                          Dr. N. Ganesan

                      (Houston, Texas, USA)

on 17-01-2014, at 10:30 AM at the premises of the  Institute of Asian Studies, Chennai 600119

Dr. N. Mahalingam, Chairman, Sakthi Group of Companies has kindly consented to preside over this programme.

Institute of Asian Studies, 

Chemmancherry, Chennai- 600119

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About the Insitute of Asian Studies Lecture, Times of India published this report,
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/Crocodiles-help-scholar-link-Indus-Valley-Sangam-era/articleshow/29073088.cms

Crocodiles help scholar link Indus Valley, Sangam era
M T Saju,TNN | Jan 20, 2014, 01.36 AM IST

CHENNAI: Houston-based Tamil scholar Naa Ganesan has sought to draw a link between theIndus Valley civilisation and ancient Tamil cultureby drawing attention to the use of the crocodile as a symbol in both regions.

Ganesan's theory focuses on the crocodile deity inIndus, post-Harappan and Megalithic periods. "If you take a look at the seals on Indus Valley coins, you see crocodiles on many of them. Unfortunately, many historians overlooked it," said Ganesan, who is working on a book, Forgotten Religion of Crocodile (Makara Vidangar) and Proto-Durga as seen in Harappan and Post-Harappan Art.

There are strong Dravidian influences in the Indus Valley civilisation, according to Ganesan. "Makara month is the 'thai' month in Tamil. Makara comes from mokara due to the voracious eating habits of crocodiles. Even now, in Sind and Gujarat regions, the crocodile is worshipped as Mogara Dev," he said. The Tamil Brahmi inscription at Tirupparangundram has the words 'muu naakra-muu cacti' (the divine couple of crocodile and mother-goddess), he said. "The word, 'naakra' means crocodile in Sanskrit. It comes from 'nakar', the name for the Gangetic crocodile," he said.

He said the 'high-walk' crocodile seal on Indus Valley civilisation coins depicts the mugger crocodile from the southern region. "Nakar (or gharial) lives in large rivers such as Indus, Ganges and Krishna. Its legs are weak, and hence it cannot stand. What you see on the Indus seals is the makara or mugger crocodile," said Ganesan, adding that the early Pandya coins issued by Peruvazhuti show the makara crocodile.

The crocodile couple seen on an Adichanallur burial urn from 500 BC, along with the battle-axe bearing great god Mazhuvaal Nediyon in Sangam poetry indicate that the crocodile cult existed in the Bronze age's Indus Valley and Iron Age Tamil Nadu until the early Sangam period. But what happened to the cult? "When religions like Buddhism and Jainism started questioning beliefs about gods, the crocodile cult must have morphed into something else," said Ganesan, who was in Chennai to deliver a lecture, 'Crocodile cult in the Indus Valley Civilisation and its later survival' at the Institute of Asian Studies, Chemmencherry.

தினமலர் முதல் பக்கம்சென்னை நகரத்தில் நடந்தவை செய்தி
ஆய்வு சொற்பொழிவு

பதிவு செய்த நாள் : ஜனவரி 18,2014,00:00 IST

சென்னை: பழங்கால தமிழர்கள் வணங்கிய கடவுள்கள் குறித்தும், சிந்து சமவெளி நாகரிகம் குறித்தும் ஆய்வு சொற்பொழிவு செம்மஞ்சேரியில் நடந்தது. இதில் அமெரிக்க பல்கலைக்கழக பேராசிரியர் ந. கணேசன் சொற்பொழிவாற்றினார். உடன் இன்ஸ்டிடியுஸ் ஆப் ஏசியன் ஸ்டடிஸ் இயக்குனர் ஜான் சாமுவேல், தொழிலதிபர் பொள்ளாச்சி மகாலிங்கம்.