10th September 2025 (16 Topics)
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Harappan Script Deciphering
Context:
The Union Culture Ministry will host an international conference from September 11–13 to discuss attempts to decipher the Harappan script and understand its underlying language.
Background
- Harappan Script: Found in Harappa and Mohenjo Daro (Indus Valley Civilization, c. 2500–1900 BCE).
- Undeciphered Language: Despite nearly a century of research, no universally accepted decoding exists.
- Significance: Understanding the script can reveal insights into trade, administration, religion, and socio-cultural life of Harappan civilization.
The Conference
- Dates: September 11–13, 2025
- Objective: Share findings, present papers, and explore the Dravidian, Sanskrit, and Adivasi language hypotheses.
Theories on Harappan Language
- Sanskrit Hypothesis: Some scholars argue the underlying language was proto-Sanskrit.
- Dravidian Hypothesis: Others link it to Dravidian languages, especially Santali and Gondi.
- Bilingual Object Hypothesis: Deciphering becomes easier if the script appears on bilingual artifacts (e.g., coins with Brahmi).
- Political Aspect: Tamil Nadu announced a $1 million reward for deciphering, highlighting the script’s political and cultural significance.
Challenges in Decipherment
- Short inscriptions, lack of bilingual texts
- Contextual ambiguity (e.g., trade vs ritual use)
- Interdisciplinary research required (linguistics, archaeology, anthropology, computational methods)
Notable Contributions & Methods
- Karuna Shankar Shukla, Prakash N Salame, and others have attempted decoding using Proto-Dravidian roots, tribal languages, and root morphemes.
- Computational and software-assisted approaches are being explored.
- Recent research matches Harappan symbols with Rigveda and other Vedic texts for possible linguistic links.
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