Mohenjodaro 'Dancing Girl' statue is Parvati, says ICHR's latest research paper

The latest research paper of the Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR) published in the Hindi journal Itihaas states that the ‘Dancing Girl’ of Mohenjodaro is actually Goddess Parvati, reported The Indian Express .

In the research paper titled ‘Vedic Sabhyata Ka Puratatva (Archaeology of Vedic Civilisation)’, author Thakur Prasad Verma wrote that this proves that the people of Indus Valley Civilisation worshiped Shiva, a claim made by many “Right-leaning historians”, added the report. Verma writes that the ‘Seal 420’ and “trefoil pattern seen on the shawl of the ‘Priest King’” indicate Shiva worship in the Vedic period, stated The Indian Express.

The author then states that the bronze statue of ‘Dancing Girl’, which is on display at the National Museum, New Delhi, is Parvati because: “where there is Shiva, there should be Shakti”. 

Earlier in October, a Pakistani lawyer has moved the Lahore High Court, asking it to direct the government to bring back the ‘Dancing Girl’ statue from India.

The ancient bronze statue excavated from Mohenjodaro was sent for exhibition to India on the request of the National Arts Council, Delhi, some 60 years ago. New Delhi later refused to return the statue, the petitioner claimed, Express News had reported.

Barrister Javed Iqbal Jafree had made this request through a writ petition. He had claimed the statue was actually a property of the Lahore museum, and urged the high court chief justice to take suo motu notice of the matter and direct the government to get the statue back from India.

Jafree contended that the 5,000-year-old statue enjoyed the same historical importance in Pakistan as Mona Lisa in Europe. He pleaded that the bronze piece of art was Pakistan’s cultural heritage and needed to be protected.

With inputs from IANS