The Indus Script and the Legend of Mahishi

September 28, 2024

The Indus Script and the Legend of Mahishi

Mohiniyattam is a Lasya-style classical dance form Kerala that draws inspiration from Dēvadāsi dance traditions. It is named after Mohini, the female incarnation of Vishnu, who uses her feminine charm to aid the devas defeat the asuras.

The fish symbol in the Indus Valley script has long intrigued me. In various Dravidian languages, including Malayalam, the word for fish is meen. Renowned epigraphist Iravatham Mahadevan suggested that this symbol acts as a rebus for min-nuka, meaning "to twinkle." This interpretation implies that the fish symbol in the Indus script could represent celestial bodies or divine beings. While I have explored similar ideas in previous work, certain variations of the fish symbol—such as the fish with rays or the fish with a roof—continue to puzzle me.

According to Mahadevan, divine beings in the Indus Valley culture could be either male or female, as indicated by the symbols paired with the fish sign (figure 1). A fish paired with an arrow represented female deities, while a fish with a jar denoted male figures. The fish symbol was associated with devadasis—female temple attendants revered as embodiments of goddesses during the Indus period. These devadasis were closely linked to fertility rites, temple duties, and rituals like dancing and singing, often centered around sacred water sites like the Great Bath of Mohenjo-daro. This association with water further underscores the link between the fish symbol and the devadasis. Furthermore, legends from Vedic literature about apsaras (celestial dancers) and their male counterparts, the gandharvas (derived from the Dravidian mana-(v)alan), who were celestial musicians, may trace their origins to the temple attendants of the Indus period.

In the matrilineal societies, the mother's lineage takes precedence, with children being raised by their mother and her sisters. This is reflected in legends like that of Murugan, who was nurtured by six mothers. Such practices may have originated in the Indus Valley, where royalty was born during fertility rites and likely raised by devadasis, the temple attendants. This tradition emphasizes the deep connection between royalty and divinity, where royal offspring were considered sacred and closely linked to fertility rituals and religious practices.

The matrilineal culture of Kerala, along with the achi tradition—notably exemplified by Unni-achi, mentioned in the 13th-century Unniyachi-charitham—points to a continuation of these ancient customs. The term achis refers to Nair women who served as temple attendants; a kuthachi is a temple dancer. It is believed that the Indus people migrated to the Malabar Coast after the decline of their civilization, carrying with them many of their cultural and religious practices.

The variations of the fish symbol (figure 2) provide further insights into these “divine” beings. For instance, the fish with a roof likely represents divine entities associated with the sky, while the fish with rays may symbolize beings linked to the stars. Mahadevan noted that the use of four strokes in the fish symbol (figure 3) could indicate a gender-neutral representation, akin to the term avar (meaning "they"). In Old Malayalam, terms like vana-(v)ar (those from the sky) and imaya-(v)ar (those from the stars) denoted celestial beings. Early Chera kings held titles like vanavar-anpan (beloved of those from the sky) and imayavar-anpan (beloved of those from the stars), suggesting potential connections between Indus symbolism and later South Indian cultural practices.

During my research, another possibility emerged when examining the hairstyles of Harappan women. Given that most Indus houses had flat roofs, the vaulted "roof" symbol may not literally represent a roof. Instead, I propose that this fish variant could depict a fan-shaped headdress, possibly made with black hair stretched over a bamboo frame, symbolizing a snake's hood (figure 4). The rays might also represent a headdress—or hair styled in a double-volute design (figure 5)—resembling buffalo horns.

Proto-Dravidian cultures held animals and plants in deep reverence, often incorporating totems into their spiritual practices. The term "Chera" is believed to mean "snake," likely referring to snake worshippers who styled their hair to resemble a snake’s hood. This hairstyle tradition, known as Kuduma, was common among the Nair caste of Kerala (figure 6). In fact, the word "Nair" (or "Nayan") is thought to be a variation—possibly due to nasalization—of Nagan, meaning snake. In the first-century BCE Nanaghat inscription, the term Nayan is used in place of Nagan. It is thought that Naga(n) and Chera(n) refer to the same group of people. The Sanskrit name Naga(n) is thought to be derived from the Malayalam/Proto-Dravidian word Chera(n), with both terms may apply to those who worship mountainous snakes. Some historians have even suggested that Kerala was once known as the "land of snakes”.

The legend of Parashurama bringing Brahmins to the Malabar Coast underscores this association with snake worship, as the Brahmins were initially reluctant to settle in a land filled with serpents. This tale gains more significance when considered in the context of migration, as the decline of the Indus civilization may have led the Chera people—snake worshippers—to move southward, carrying their symbolic and cultural traditions with them.

Similarly, the Indus people may have venerated buffaloes or oxen, as evidenced by the prevalence of bull seals. This practice likely developed as early hunter-gatherers transitioned to agriculture. Additionally, the worship of other animals—such as eagles, peacocks, roosters, and monkeys—played a significant role in proto-Dravidian religious practices, as I have previously discussed.

At this point, it is worth mentioning the folklore of Mahishi (figure 7), the buffalo-faced demoness from Kerala mythology, who was slain by Lord Ayyappa. This popular tale may have roots in ancient animal symbolism, suggesting that buffalo worship endured through the ages. The spiritual reverence for animals, deeply rooted in proto-Dravidian cultures, continued to shape the belief systems of later generations, especially those who migrated from the Indus Valley to southern India.

The symbolism of the bull and snake, especially as reflected in hairstyles, raises fascinating questions about their deeper significance. I was particularly struck by the appearance of these symbols in depictions of the god Shiva, who is traditionally associated with the bull (Nandi) and the snake (Vasuki). As Pashupati (figure 8), the protector of animals, Shiva may have served as a unifying figure among various proto-Dravidian clans, blending the spiritual beliefs of both hunter-gatherers and early agricultural communities.

In my analysis of the Indus script given below (figure 9), the fish symbol on the left, accompanied by two vertical strokes, likely represents pairs of devadasis. These devadasis may have worn headdresses resembling bulls, as suggested by the “fish with rays” symbol, indicating their religious affiliation or clan. As discussed in previous articles, the Indus language was likely proto-Dravidian, possibly related to Malayalam, and the migration of the Indus Velir clans to the Malabar Coast, bordered by sea and mountains, may have contributed to the preservation of their language and cultural traditions. A fish with a vertical stroke inside is thought to represent the divine lady of the morning, as "uth" in Malayalam means vertical rise and "uthayam" refers to sunrise. In contrast, a fish with slanting strokes likely symbolizes divine beings of the sunset, with "chayuka" meaning "to slant" and "chayum kalam" or "sayamkalam" referring to evening. Given that temple rituals are typically conducted in the morning and evening even today, the script appears to depict a pair of devadasis (as suggested by the arrow sign indicating female) engaged in these sacred practices, particularly at night.

The fish symbol and its various forms provide valuable insights into the religious and social practices of the Indus civilization, with connections that likely influenced later South Indian traditions. The migration of the Indus Velir clans to the Malabar Coast may have facilitated the transmission of these cultural practices, including the continued reverence for animal symbolism and the roles of sacred attendants. The Indus fish signs, therefore, not only symbolize ancient beliefs but also demonstrate the cultural continuity that shaped later Dravidian and South Indian religious traditions. These symbols, still shrouded in mystery, remain a profound area of study, shedding light on the interconnectedness of early civilizations and their enduring legacies.