“Swastik” the word itself evokes a spiritual feeling as it holds a sacred dignity in our Hinduism. The Swastik or Swastika is a predominant feature of our culture and has a long history.
Mind it, its acceptance and allure is just not limited to Hinduism and India, but travelled across the nations and embarked upon foreign flags.
To know more let’s dive deeper into the history of Swastika.
Uncover the impeccable History of The Swastika:
Peerless sanctity of the symbol still continues in many countries, defining their rooted culture, persistently awakening divinity and spirituality. Without a doubt, this symbol plays an important role in many religions, including Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. Various Eurasian religions and cultures also honor it, and its presence extends to some African and American traditions.
The word ‘Swastik’ is derived from Sanskrit. Evidently Romanized to ‘Swastika’ which connotes ‘conducive to well being’. In Hinduism the right-facing or the clockwise structure called the swastika, symbolizes Surya (sun), prosperity and good luck, while the left or the counter clockwise refers to night or the tantric aspect of kali.
In Jainism, it indicates Suparshvanatha, – the seventh of 24 Tirthankaras, whereas in Buddhism represent the auspicious footprints of the almighty Budha.
Swastika is also a symbol of fire, lighting bolts and sun in various Indo-European traditions. The archaeological remains of the Indus Valley Civilization also fascinates With the remains of Swastik.
Structure of the Swastika
It is in the form of a cross, with arms that are equal in length and perpendicular to the adjacent arms, each bent midway at a right angle.
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Story of Swastika’s European Travelogue
Asian cultures, especially in India, still regard the Swastika as a symbol of good luck and fortune. However, the horrific acts committed by some European sects, including Germans, significantly tarnished its image.
Medieval European travelers who explored Asia were profoundly inspired by positive and ancient association. and grew eager to bring it back home. Surprisingly Swastik is more of European origin than most people believe.
To calm your curiosity you may visit Kiev, where the National Museum of the History of Ukraine has an impressive range of exhibits.
The beginning of the 20th century saw people embracing the Swastika as a symbol of good luck and positivity. A far-sighted Romanian politician, A. C. Cuza, became the first Westerner to use the Swastika as a symbol of auspiciousness, inspiring much of the Western world before World War I.
The world Loved the Swastika – until Hitler stole it, & resulting in World War II and Holocaust.
Adolf Hitler, the mastermind of the Jewish Holocaust used the Swastika in the flag using the nazian coloures red, black and white in 1920, which soon became the sole National Flag of Nazi Germany in 1935.
From the 19th century certain German Scholars who were translating ancient Indian texts, figured out similarities between their language and Sanskrit, conducting that Indians and Germans might be sharing ancestry and imagined a race of white god-like warious they called Aryans.
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Many European countries, including Germany, have banned the Swastika.
For most Jewish people the Swastika is a symbol of suppression, of fear, and of extermination. It’s a symbol that we will never ever be able to change, says a 93 year old Holocaust survivor.
The above-stated disheartening facts clearly show how the Nazis drastically transformed a symbol of good luck and prosperity.
