Home » National News » ICCR's latest project -- Swastika's '11,000-year-old' history
 
SPEED NEWS

ICCR's latest project -- Swastika's '11,000-year-old' history

Speed News Desk | Updated on: 7 July 2016, 19:30 IST
QUICK PILL

The Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR) is an autonomous organisation of the Government of India, involved in the nation's external cultural relations, through cultural exchange with other countries and their peoples.

However, the ICCR, which usually assists institutions, universities and NGOs organises seminars and conferences on subjects such as Indian literature, Buddhism, etc, is now set to do something completely different. In a departure from convention, it will provide its premises to a group of researchers to hold an exhibition extolling their latest claim about the Swastika; namely that the ancient Indian symbol which was also used by Hitler to promote fascism, may be much older than we know.

A team of researchers - from educational institutes across India - who have claimed that the Swastika is at least 11,000-years-old will reportedly show how the Swastika moved from India through the various routes and gained the spiritual significance on 8 July.

While deviating from its original objective of fostering and strengthening cultural relations and mutual understanding between India and other countries, it seems like ICCR is all set to promote saffronisation and go back to the holy traditions of India while claiming to glorify ancient Hindu cultural history.

According to a Times of India report, the researchers said that the four-pronged symbol even pre-dates the Indus Valley Civilisation.

The daily quoted the researchers as saying that the earliest depiction of the Swastika was found in Mezine, Ukraine. Reports suggest that the symbol was carved on an ivory figure found in Ukraine, which dates back to over 12,000 years. The researchers in fact claim, the Swastika can also be traced back to the Neolithic Southern European cultures.

The researchers plan to make an announcement about their findings through this exhibition at the ICCR. In the exhibition, the team will also reportedly show how the Swastika moved from India through the various routes and gained the spiritual significance.

First published: 7 July 2016, 19:30 IST