By: RAJ KUMAR VERMA, HARI SHANKAR KUMAR
Gondi tattooing, also known as Godna, is a vital cultural and spiritual practice deeply rooted in the lives of the Gond tribe, one of India’s largest indigenous communities. This research examines the symbolic parallels between Gondi tattoo motifs and the iconography of the Harappan (Indus Valley) civilisation. Using an ethno-archaeological approach, the study explores how recurring symbols display striking similarities in both traditions. In Harappan contexts, these motifs are widely interpreted as representations of fertility, divine protection, cyclical time, and cosmic balance, and they carry comparable meanings in Gondi tattooing, where they serve as protective charms, clan markers, and spiritual guides. Notably, this art is primarily preserved and practised by women, highlighting its matrilineal transmission and its role in social structure and spiritual well-being. The study demonstrates how Godna functions as a living archive of ancestral knowledge, maintained through oral traditions, ritual practices, and artisan crafts. By examining these parallels, the research suggests that Gondi tattoo art represents a rare, living continuum of Harappan symbolic language, bridging the ancient urban civilisation and contemporary tribal identity. This inquiry emphasises the resilience of indigenous knowledge systems and the importance of viewing tribal art not as static folklore but as dynamic heritage embodying cultural memory and historical continuity. Recognising such connections deepens our understanding of India’s civilisational past and underlines the value of preserving these living traditions. The findings invite further interdisciplinary research to explore the intricate ways in which tribal practices sustain and transmit ancient cultural legacies.
