On Evidence of Vedic vis-a-vis Harappan
Sepulchral Structures
Dr B.R.Mani
Cremation was the most accepted last-rite during
the Vedic age, though other types were also
performed as mentioned in the Pitrimedha Sūkta of
Atharvaveda where the dead ancestors have been
invoked who were either buried, left in open air and
secluded place or cremated.
“Ye nikhātā ye paroptā ye dagdhā ye choddhitāḥ l
Sarvānstānagna ā vaha pitrin havishe attave
ll”
18.2.34
 The origin of the Buddhist relic stupas can be traced in
the Vedic age. Ṛgveda mentions stūpa in description of
flames (7.2.11) or tree (1.24.7) and also as the part of the
name of son of Angiras as Hiraṇyastūpa (pile of gold).
 As it is clear from the word itself, the original stupas were
constructed by pilling mud over the stone based platform and
the structure taking the shape of a semi-circular bubble or
aṇḍa with its flat top over which the harmikā was
constructed as the place for gods (deva-sadana).
 In the concept of Vāstu the top part becomes identical
with dyaus with the harmikā and chhatrāvalī enclosed within
a railing at the ground level with its four gateways or toraṇas
at cardinal points making the shape of the svastika suggests
the earthly world with sumeru as its centre.
At Lauriya Nandangarh where there is a series of
stupas noticed by Cunningham, one of them has a
wooden column in the middle of the top part. On the
basis of this it has been identified by V.S. Agrawala as
a smasana-chaitya and on the basis of evidence of
Sabhāparva of Mahābhārata (22.20) he has called the
wooden column as placed at the top of the stupas and
was called sthuna which rested over the corporeal
remains of the ancestors and whose top part suggested
the place of god Yama (Yama-sadana).
Muhammad Nagar Sealings
An early Stupa, Rajgir
The bricks, whether they come from Lauriya Nandangarh or
from newly exposed stupa at Rajgir, believed to be of the
period of Ajātaśatru, were of the same dimension which is
mentioned in the Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa (8.7.2.17) according
to which the chitis may have three lines on bricks of the size
of foot, hand and the largest one of the size of the thigh bone.
The average length of bricks of the size of thigh bone is
around 52 cm. This is size of bricks available at both the two
places - Lauriya Nandangarh and Rajgir. In a recent
excavation at a Harappan necropolis site Sinauli or Sanauli
near Delhi, a ritualistic platform enclosures has been
exposed with its one out of four walls with five course of
brick work, partially extant which has bricks of the same
size.
Sanauli 2006
The walls of the altar with five courses or layers of brick work
are mentioned in the Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa at a number of
places. Interestingly , a wall of 5 courses of bricks of the size
also mentioned in the text connected with a ritualistic platform
has been found at Sanauli necropolis.
Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa also mentions “Then these three
(materials), sour curd, honey and ghee, are poured together,
either into a dish, or a pot with a wide mouth; and he puts a
handful of sacrificial grass thereon.” (9.2.1.1) .
Such pots and dishes-on stand are found in the Harappan
burials and their residual analysis may bring to light the
evidence of material contained by them.
Harnol
Bricks – 72 x 45 x 9 cm
Mohenjodaro
Giovanni Verardi from the Oriental Institute at the
University of Napoli (Italy) has suggested in early
1980s in the Interim Reports Vol. 2 on field work
carried out a Mohenjo-daro that the stupa at the top of
the mound does not belong to the early historical
period but it is Harappan in origin. This requires
further investigation.
The stone circles with heaps of stone which were
sepulchral structures and sometimes earlier than the
sixth century BCE were also a type of chaitya or stupa
having their origin in the Vedic age.
Hirebenkal Megaliths
Sengalur Megalith
Koddumanal Megalith
An interesting evidence of a hemispheric tumulus in the
cemetery area of the Harappan site of Dholavira has been
excavated in 1997-98 which is quite akin to the stupas with
hemispherical aṇḍa with spokes. It is circular in plan; the
circular platform is made of bricks with white or pink plaster
on the outer face of the structure. Over it a structure of radial
walls, running towards the centre and the intervening spaces
being filled up with earth mixed with some stones, was
raised. In its central portion evidence of three pits cut in
different times was noticed and the excavator believes that
rituals of last rights were probably performed at the spot on
different occasions and the structure seems to be a later
Vedic Sārarathachakrachiti. Some gold objects were also
found while exposing the structure later.
Dagdhāh
 Human charred bones have occasionally been reported from
several Harappan sites including Kalibanga as informed by Mr.
A.K. Sharma (Personal Communication) who noticed them
from the section near the dried course of the river.
 This indicates the practice of cremation amongst
Harappans which is also inferred at the necropolis of Sanauli.
 It can also be suggested that the burials which do not yield
skeletal human remains and are generally called symbolic
burials might have been the pits where offerings were put for
the deceased before cremation.
 Stupa is an object of
veneration in its own right as a
replacement of Lord Buddha
himself, became very popular
 Stupa is, in fact, a sepulchral
monument, in which ashes of
the cremated bodies of the
saints were buried
It is a domical structure erected
on the ground or on a platform
At a later date a railing (Vedika)
was erected around it
 Stupas were also constructed as
memorial structures or votive
structures
Stupa
Stupas
Sarnath
Nagarjunakonda
Ambaran
Ambaran : 2000-01
Kushan structures- stupa-1 & votive stupas
The Relics
Reliquary
Reliquary
Gold leaves
Copper casket with lid
Contents of the Reliquary
Relics in gold and silver caskets
Beads
A Possible Inspiration in Rock
Cut Architecture
Ajanta Cave 26
Persepolis – Tomb of Artaxerxes III