Question

Indus Valley people worshipped

• A. Mother Goddess
• B. Vishnu
• C. Buddha
• D. Ganesha

Hint:

Religious Practices of Indus Valley Civilization: - Prominent worship of a Mother Goddess (fertility cult). - Worship of a male deity, possibly a Proto-Shiva (Pashupati). - Animal worship (e.g., unicorn, bull). - Tree worship (e.g., Pipal tree). - Possible evidence of fire worship/rituals (fire altars). - Amulets and possible belief in magic/charms. - Burial practices suggest belief in an afterlife.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: Recall the religious beliefs of the Indus Valley Civilization (Harappan Civilization).
Archaeological evidence from Indus Valley sites suggests various religious practices.

Step 2: Identify the primary deities or forms of worship.
- Mother Goddess: Numerous terracotta figurines of female deities have been found, suggesting the worship of a Mother Goddess, associated with fertility and nature.
This is a prominent aspect of Harappan religion.
- Proto-Shiva (Pashupati Seal): A seal depicting a figure seated in a yogic posture, surrounded by animals, is interpreted by some scholars as a prototype of the Hindu god Shiva in his aspect as Pashupati (Lord of Animals).
- Animal Worship: Seals depict animals like the unicorn, bull, elephant, rhinoceros, and tiger, suggesting they held religious significance, possibly as totems or deities.
- Tree Worship: Figures depicted on seals suggest worship of trees like the Pipal tree.
- Fire Altars: Structures identified as fire altars have been found at sites like Kalibangan and Lothal, suggesting ritualistic use of fire.

Step 3: Evaluate the options.
Option (1) Mother Goddess: Worship of the Mother Goddess is strongly indicated by archaeological finds.
This is TRUE.
Option (2) Vishnu: While some proto-forms of later Hindu deities might have existed, the worship of Vishnu as known in later Puranic Hinduism is not clearly established for the Indus Valley Civilization.
Option (3) Buddha: Buddhism originated much later (around 6th-5th century BCE), while the Indus Valley Civilization flourished much earlier (c.
2500-1900 BCE).
So, Buddha was not worshipped by Indus Valley people.
Option (4) Ganesha: The worship of Ganesha as a prominent deity developed in later periods of Hinduism.
There is no direct evidence of Ganesha worship in the Indus Valley Civilization.

Step 4: Identify the worshipped deity.
The worship of a Mother Goddess is a well-attested feature of the Indus Valley people's beliefs.
This matches option (1).