Various Religious Sects Progress in Haridwar, Kumaon, Garhwal in Kushan Age
History of Garhwal, Kumaon, Haridwar (Uttarakhand) - Part 54
Historical Aspects of Ancient communities of Haridwar -Kumaon-Garhwal (Uttarakhand), Himalayas-51
Historical Religious, political, administrative, social and cultural aspects of Kushan Era Part-VI
(History write ups are dedicated to great Historians Hari Krishna Raturi, Rahul Satyankritan, Badri Datt Pandey and Dr Shiv Prasad Dabral, K.P. Nautiyal, Jeewan Singh Kharakwal)
By: Bhishma Kukreti
Kushan Age: The Secular Era
All Kushana Kings were secular kings. Kanishka was Buddhist and Vasudev as a 'Shaivya' but they all Kushan Kings respected all religions and sects. The Kushan Era saw various sects and regions progress.
Vedic Yagya (Oblation): The Mathura inscriptions and other inscriptions suggest that there was custom of Vedic Oblation in Kushana Age. The animal offering at Vedic Alters was the system of religious ritual among Sanatanis.
Vishnu, Narayan Worship: Pratapaditya Pal writes (1986, Indian Sculpture: Circa, 500BC-700AD, page 25) that by the Kushan period, certainly in the Mathura region the cult of Vasudev-Krishna and Balram predominated. The Ashtadhyayi Vishnu, Lakshmi on Kamlashan and Ayudhpurush Balram idols of Kushan Age show the up rise of Vaishanva sect.
Shaivism: The last Kushana king Vasudeva was Shaivya. Shiva worshiping was more popular than other Sanatani sects (Hindu). The Linga incarnation worship was more popular among Shaivyas. The idols of Ganesha, Kartikey and Ardhnarishwar of Kushan Age are also found.
Yaksha Puja: Yaksha-Yakshini worship was also a way of life among many communities.
Nag Puja: Nag worship was common among common people.
Other goddesses and deities: Kartikey, Varun, Brahma, Kuver, Chandra, Surya, Dhanad, Ganga Ji deities/goddesses were also worshiped with devotion in Kushana Age.
Buddhism: Buddhism was part of life among many communities in Kushan Age. Kushan King Kanishka was Buddhist.
Buddhist Literature: the Buddhist started creating Buddhist literature in Sanskrit. Ashvaghosh wrote biography of Buddha, wrote dramas and poems.
Jainism: Jainism was one of the major religious sect in Kushan period.
Burial System: Burial system was common. Various products, food items, comfort proving items were put with dead person while burying.
Religions in Plains of Uttarakhand in Kushan Age
The inscriptions, ruins and coins of Kushan Age from Uttarakhand (Bijnor, Laldhang (Garhwal), Haridwar, Veerbhadra (Dehradun), Kashipur and Haridwar) show that Buddhism, Jainism, Shaivism, Vaishnavism religions present in plains of Uttarakhand in Kushan Age.
There is less literature available that show the religions in hills of Uttarakhand in Kushan Age. The Vedic way of sacrificing animals were common in plains and hills of Uttarakhand in Kushan period.
Same way, Nag puja was common in hills of Uttarakhand in Kushan age.
The old Sun temples of Uttarakhand suggest that Sun worshipping was also common there in Uttarakhand hills in Kushana age.
Definitely, the hill inhabitants of Uttarakhand of Kushan age had their many local gods and deities.
Copyright@ Bhishma Kukreti 26/05/2013
(The History of Garhwal, Kumaon, Haridwar write up is aimed for general readers)
History of Garhwal – Kumaon-Haridwar (Uttarakhand) to be continued… Part -55
Historical Aspects of Ancient communities of Haridwar -Kumaon-Garhwal (Uttarakhand), Himalayas-52
This chapter is part of religious History of Haridwar in Kushan Age; part of religious History of Mohad, Haridwar in Kushan Age; part of religious History of Biharigarh, Haridwar in Kushan Age; part of History of Sakrauda, Haridwar in Kushan Age; part of religious History of Bhagwanpur, Haridwar in Kushan Age; part of religious History of Roorkee, Haridwar in Kushan Age; part of religious History of Jaberhera, Haridwar in Kushan Age; part of religious History of Manglaur, Haridwar in Kushan Age; part of religious History of Pathri, Haridwar in Kushan Age; part of religious History of Haridwar in Laksar, Kushan Age; part of religious History of Sultanpur, Haridwar in Kushan Age.
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Bhishma Kukreti
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