Mohenjodaro 'Dancing Girl' Is Goddess Parvati, Says New Study

The iconic ‘Dancing Girl’ of Mohenjodaro from 2500 BC is in fact Goddess Parvati, according to its latest research paper in the Hindi journal Itihaas, published by the Indian Council of Historical Research, as reported by The Indian Express.

As the excitement rises, author Thakur Prasad Verma, a retired professor of Banaras Hindu University, in his research paper titled ‘Vedic Sabhyata Ka Puratatva' (Archaeology of Vedic Civilisation), clearly proved that Shiva was being worshipped in those days by the people of Indus Valley Civilisation, as several artefacts indicate. This claim was made by many "Right-leaning historians", stated The Indian Express report.

According to Verma, the bronze statue of “Dancing Girl" is definitely Parvati because "where there is Shiva, there should be Shakti", a manifestation of the Goddess.

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This is the first time that the Dancing Girl, which is easily 5,000 years old, has been associated with the Hindu goddess.

Verma also argued that the 'Seal 420' (a seal of a horned figure sitting in yogic posture and surrounded by animals) and "trefoil pattern seen on the shawl of the 'Priest King'" indicate Shiva worship in the Vedic period, stated The Indian Express.

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'Seal 420' (Pic by The Indian Express)

“Dancing Girl” is on display at the National Museum, New Delhi.

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Historian and Jawaharlal Nehru University professor Supriya Verma told The Indian Express, “Till date, no archaeologist has ever interpreted the ‘Dancing Girl’ as a goddess, let alone Parvati. This particular artefact has always been seen as the sculpture of a young girl. It is difficult to say anything more than that. The elaborate terracotta female figurines were described by Marshall as mother goddesses, although he categorised some of the other terracotta female figurines as either toys or as being associated with magic.”

The archaeologist John Marshall in 1931 first claimed to see a “prototype of Siva” in this figure. Later, many historians have argued with this interpretation and some have even suggested that the figure is of a woman.

Feature Image Credit: The Indian Express

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