Murugan in Indus and Post-Indus Traditions
Murukan/kumaran The emaciated ascetic motif found in sites such as Harwan in Kashmir and Paharpur in Bangladesh has long intrigued scholars. These figures, bent and skeletal from severe austerities, are often shown squatting in a yogic posture similar to Utkutikasana. In Malayalam, this bent-over stance is called mooruka, from which comes the verb moorinivaruka—to stretch from a bent posture. The rebus here is striking: mooruka (to bend) resonates with muruk, meaning handsome or beautiful. When combined with a male honorific symbol (Fig 1), the ascetic figure transforms into Murukan, the youthful and handsome deity revered in Tamil traditions. Thus, the Indus symbols may encode Murugan through this clever play on homonyms. If we accept this reading, other references align naturally. The warrior symbol of Skanda (Kanda) followed by the ascetic figure (Fig 2) could denote Kandaswami, another name for Murugan. The tradition of kavadi—carrying a shoulder yoke in devotion to Murugan—...
