Vedic Sarasvati and civilization continuum
Identifying Vedic people
http://sarasvati2.googlepages.com/seatedfigures.doc shows a statuette of a person wearing uttareeyam leaving right-shoulder bare. The word for penance in Prakrit is: kamad.ha This kamad.ha posture shown on many seals and tablets is read rebus: kampat.t.a 'mint', the workshop of vis'wakarma metal-workers of Sarasvati civilization.
Can the Vedic people be identified archaeologically? -- An approach by B.B. Lal *From Indologica Taurinesia, Vol XXXI, 2005, Torino (Italy), Pages 173 to 192
http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=ajhwbkz2nkfv_670f8n6sn
This article by Prof. BB Lal can be further elaborated.
The memory of Vedic rishi's is an abiding tradition in Bharatam which is a Vedic-Sarasvati civilization continuum.
Rishi as'rama for rish tarpan.am and annual melas held even today at the following places:
- SriKolayat ji (Kapila,),
- Jageri (Yajnavalkya, S'aunaka),
- Daad Madesar (Kardama),
- Diyatra (Dattatreya),
- Chundi (Cyavana),
- Pehoa (Prthudaka) (Vasishtha),
- Des'nok (Sikarnimaata),
- Hanumangarh (Gogajimela, Bhadrakali; archaeological sites of Kalibanga, Pilibanga, Rangmahal).
- Somasarovar, Kapalamochan: Rinamochan mela remembering Pandavas
- Markanda nadi: Markandeya Ashram
Sarasvati sarovar has been created as a tirthasthana near Somb nadi, Adi badri, 20 kms. from Jagadhri. This sarovar is 5 kms. from Kapalamochan.
The parallels between the funerary rites described in the Rigveda and those gleaned from the archaeological site of Harappa have been noted by the excavato, Madhu Swarup Vats.
http://www.hindunet.org/saraswati/tradition/Image85.gif Worship of S'ivalinga is as old as Sarasvati civilization, a tradition unparalleled in human civilization. This s'iva is referred to eka vraatya in Atharva Veda.
Ekavra_tya: Rudra-s’iva: Plate X [c] Lingam in situ in Trench Ai (MS Vats, 1940, Excavations at Harappa, Vol. II, Calcutta): ‘In the adjoining Trench Ai, 5 ft. 6 in. below the surface, was found a stone lingam [Since then I have found two stone lingams of a larger size from Trenches III and IV in this mound. Both of them are smoothed all over]. It measures 11 in. high and 7 3/8 in. diameter at the base and is rough all over.’ (Vol. I, pp. 51-52).
See also links related to s'ankha kr.s'aana mentioned in Rigveda and the tradition of wearing sindhur at the parting of the hair at http://www.hindunet.org/saraswati/dharma/history1.htm
Kalyanaraman (27 June 2007) http://protovedic.blogspot.com/