Harappan Script Debate: Sanskrit, Dravidian or Tribal Language?

Why in the News?

1. The Union Ministry of Culture is hosting an international conference (Sept 11–13, 2025) in New Delhi to present findings on the Harappan script.
2. Scholars from diverse fields, archaeologists, engineers, scientists, and officials, will present 20 research papers with differing conclusions.
3. The presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah highlights the political and cultural significance of the issue.

Key Highlights

1. The Enigma of Harappan Script
   1. The script, found on seals and pottery, has remained undeciphered since the discovery of the Indus Valley sites in the 1920s.
   2. Unlike Brahmi or Kharosthi, no bilingual inscription exists to aid decoding.
2. Competing Linguistic Hypotheses
   1. Some scholars argue the script represents Sanskrit or Vedic origins.
   2. Others link it to Dravidian languages like Tamil or Gondi.
   3. Certain studies connect it to Adivasi/tribal languages such as Santali.
3. Individual Research Contributions
   1. Bahata Mukhopadhyay suggests the script encodes rules on taxation and commerce, not phonetics.
   2. Karuna Shankar Shukla interprets seals as having Rig Vedic religious connections, though historians contest the chronology.
   3. Prakash N. Salame links it to Gondi (Proto-Dravidian), claiming 90% decipherment.
   4. Prabhunath Hembrom associates it with Santali based on Parpola’s work.
   5. International scholars also present mixed views: some claim links to Rigveda texts, others to tribal symbolism.
4. Political Dimensions
   1. The Dravidian movement sees decipherment as proof of Dravidian antiquity, strengthening Tamil Nadu’s cultural claims.
   2. The Sangh Parivar supports a Sanskrit/Vedic interpretation to connect Harappans with Vedic people and challenge the Aryan migration theory.
   3. State-level initiatives, such as Tamil Nadu’s $1 million award, add competitive layers to the debate.
5. Academic Perspectives
   1. Historian P. Ray stresses the need for interdisciplinary, evidence-based work.
   2. She cautions that linguistic diversity across the vast Harappan region makes one-language theories problematic.
   3. Context (where and how inscriptions were found) is crucial for valid interpretation.

Key Terms

1. Harappan Script
   1. A system of symbols used by the Indus Valley Civilization (2600–1900 BCE).
   2. Contains ~400–600 unique signs.
   3. Mostly short inscriptions, averaging 5 characters.
   4. Written right-to-left in many cases.
   5. Still undeciphered, making cultural interpretation difficult.
2. Indus Seals
   1. Square or rectangular stone pieces with engravings.
   2. Often depict animals (unicorn, bull, elephant) and inscriptions.
   3. Likely used for trade, ownership, or ritual purposes.
   4. Found across Harappan cities and even in
   5. Key evidence for Harappan economic and cultural networks.
3. Ghaggar-Hakra River System
   1. A seasonal river in northwest India and Pakistan, often linked with the Vedic Saraswati.
   2. Hosts the largest number of Harappan sites.
   3. Central to debates on Aryan migration vs. continuity
   4. Paleo-hydrological studies suggest it dried up around 2000 BCE.
   5. Its decline possibly contributed to Harappan urban collapse.
4. Dravidian Hypothesis
   1. Suggests that Harappan language belonged to the Proto–Dravidian family.
   2. Supported by scholars like Asko Parpola.
   3. Strengthens South Indian cultural claims to antiquity.
   4. Contrasts with theories linking Harappans to Indo-Aryans.
   5. Politically relevant in Tamil Nadu’s identity politics.

Implications

1. For Archaeological Research
   1. Encourages renewed global focus on the Harappan civilisation, India’s earliest urban culture.
   2. May lead to better interdisciplinary collaboration between linguists, archaeologists, and scientists.
2. For Indian Politics
   1. Decipherment could reshape regional identity politics (Tamil Nadu vs. North India narratives).
   2. It may become a symbolic marker in debates over India’s cultural origins.
3. For Education and National Identity
   1. Findings could influence school curricula, heritage narratives, and public memory.
   2. Adds weight to how India projects its civilisational history
4. For India’s Global Image
   1. A successful decipherment would showcase India’s academic leadership in ancient studies.
   2. Could attract international scholars and tourism to Harappan sites.
5. For Future Research
   1. May inspire technological tools like AI-based pattern recognition for script analysis.
   2. Could improve conservation and study of other undeciphered scripts worldwide.

Challenges and Way Forward

Conclusion

The Harappan script remains one of the world’s greatest archaeological mysteries. While the Culture Ministry’s conference reflects India’s growing interest in reclaiming its ancient past, decipherment demands scientific rigor rather than political alignment. A balanced, interdisciplinary approach alone can uncover whether the script encodes Sanskrit, Dravidian, or a yet-unknown linguistic tradition.