The traditional decorative drawings are known by various names in different regions of India - rangoli/rangavalli/kolam/kolangal/madanae/chowkpurna/alpana/aripana/chowk, etc.
The optimistic ideal of a newer and better day is represented by these drawings. It represents freshness and celebration of the upcoming better time. This representation of celebration is seen in front of the home of every Hindu family, in front of puja mandir and also in front of celebrated luncheon table. The tradition is still practiced across India.
One of the most common symbol used for this is the Swastikah. The Swastikah symbol represents the same optimistic brighter future view. The Swastikah symbol is the best evident example of how strongly the people of India believe in the optimistic view of life. If we see how old the symbol is and it's strength to remain in use even in today's times shows how the Swastikah symbol has blended into the cultural heritage of India.
Swastikah is a Sanskrit word which etymologically traces to 3 root words - 'su', 'asti' and 'kah' - conjoining (samprukti) to form the 'v'-summation word - Swastikah. 'su' dhatu/root indicates 'good'. 'asti' root indicates 'is'. 'kah' root indicates '[that] which'. Together implying a sense of 'good is [that] which [prevails]'. The implications of [that] and [prevails] form the Nirukta (implied) part of vyutpatti (etymology) vyaakarana (grammar) that per rules, emerge implicitly. Hence the meaning cannot be taken crudely as 'which is good', but 'good is that which prevails'. Translations of root meanings of Sanskrit words to English may not look straight forward, but without the exact implication known, the crude translations would mislead one and steer the meaning of the word or phrase or sentence to deem it meaningless or improper if not at least incomplete.
The Swastikah symbol has been found in Indus valley civilization 'seals'. It is found in the old Sanskrit texts and literature that this symbol formed a 'royal go ahead' marking. Majesties have been using this seal of Swastikah to give a go ahead and bless a start of a good work. These 'seals' from Harappa have been c-14 dated (carbon dated) to as old as 3800 BC. This is the oldest available evidence of existence of the symbol in the Indian subcontinent region. Shatapatha Brahmana of Shukla Yajurveda and Prapathaka #3 of Yajussamhita (Taittiriiya) lists the different varieties of patterns that need to be followed while 'placing' the ishtikaa (ittige or bricks) while performing an isti (kamya yaaga - ritual with a desire). One of the pattern mentioned there is of a 5 layered Swastikah. These texts as Hindus know are newer when compared to texts like Krishna Yajurveda and Rg veda. Shukla Yajussamhita was envisioned by Rshi Yagnyavalkya to propose a doctrine in a different form than the then existing Krishna Yajurveda. So, here when it mentions the Swastikah pattern, it does so, not elaborately explaining the pattern - implying, the Swastikah was already a generally known pattern. So the Swastikah pattern must be older than the Yajussamhita scripts too!
Let us try to know the origins of this shape. See the pattern of the below image. THAT is the origin of the shape.
Now, getting into the details of it. Swastikah shape is the image as seen on 4 solar time-coordinates (sankramana - makara, mesha, karka, tula) with the pole star Dhruva at the center. The alpha (Kratu) and beta (Pulaha) stars of Saptarshi extend a isometric apparent line that points always to Dhruva. Over a period of 1 solar year, if one were to take 4 pictures of Saptarshi Mandala (Big Dipper constellation) on the solar transitions to the mentioned constellations and draw the apparent connecting points to all 7 stars and a line to extend it and meet the Pole Star (Dhruva), and place the images 'side by side' (no need to rotate the images), you will see the attached pattern which resembles the ancient Swastikah marking.
This Swastikah sign, if you keep drawing year after year, due to progression of equinoxes (ayana), the symbol would keep rotating very slowly (as slow as apparent equinox movement year after year). So, the image of the 4-collated-picture of this year will look exactly identical next year, but would seem to have rotated a little (54" a year). It takes 400 years for the image itself to rotate one time and came back to the exact position of the first image you took. 360 degrees has 21600 minutes and 400 times 54" would equal to that.
If you measure the celestial degrees between Pulaha and Dhruva it would be 27 degrees which forms the arm of the Swastikah symbol. Now, while alpha and beta and extended straight line point to Polaris, the gamma, delta, epsilon, zeta and eta forms an arc and the extension of that arc points to one of the 27 stars of Hindu nakshatra cycle. It is ideal to find the star that the arc points to during winter solstice (makara sankranti) early morning. The arc would point to a star in the east and you can see Pegasi star - Uttarabhadra currently. Over the few years no matter which day or night you are experimenting, as long as you can extend the arc to a star on zodiac belt (winter solstice mornings and summer solstice evenings, etc), it will continue to point to Uttarabhaadra star. This arc also does a 360 degree rotation pointing to different stars. This cycle takes 2700 years, almost 100 years directly pointing to one star. So, the one rotation of Swastikah has two time dimensions - 'arm' rotating at the rate of 400 years for 360 degrees and a 100 year cycle per star making 2700 years for the 'arc' to point directly to each of the star in the zodiac belt. It takes 6.75 rotations of Swastikah arm for the arc to be able to directly point to one of the 27 stars. So, this 6.75 rotations or 2700 years cycle is called a rshi-yuga.
Each of the 100 years - shatamaana is named after the star it points to. That way, the current shatamaana could be called Uttaraabhaadra shatamaana. This time calendar is called saptarshi calendar or rshi-yuga panchanga.
Swastikah has been the index of Saptarshi panchanga for ages. Bhaagavata purana calculates the 29th rshi yuga to be the time of the start of story - 78300 years. Dating the narration at 5200 years, 83500 years ago. Regardless if how the 29th cycle was arrived at, it at least points to the fact that if the cycle was indeed kicked off 83500 years ago, the concept of Swastikah is also that old.
The worst case scenario of this tracking being an imagination, the symbol is at least 6000 years old, given this narration 5200 years ago, Harappan seal of 3800 BC (6000+ years ago) and it's knowledge in earlier scripts of Yajur and Rg veda.
The time cycle repeats and treats every deviation of society and retains the goodness as if nothing has happened, year after year, day after day, with a fresh awakening on a beautiful sunny day with a Swastikah Rangavalli welcoming the goodness that prevails.
The optimistic ideal of a newer and better day is represented by these drawings. It represents freshness and celebration of the upcoming better time. This representation of celebration is seen in front of the home of every Hindu family, in front of puja mandir and also in front of celebrated luncheon table. The tradition is still practiced across India.
One of the most common symbol used for this is the Swastikah. The Swastikah symbol represents the same optimistic brighter future view. The Swastikah symbol is the best evident example of how strongly the people of India believe in the optimistic view of life. If we see how old the symbol is and it's strength to remain in use even in today's times shows how the Swastikah symbol has blended into the cultural heritage of India.
Swastikah is a Sanskrit word which etymologically traces to 3 root words - 'su', 'asti' and 'kah' - conjoining (samprukti) to form the 'v'-summation word - Swastikah. 'su' dhatu/root indicates 'good'. 'asti' root indicates 'is'. 'kah' root indicates '[that] which'. Together implying a sense of 'good is [that] which [prevails]'. The implications of [that] and [prevails] form the Nirukta (implied) part of vyutpatti (etymology) vyaakarana (grammar) that per rules, emerge implicitly. Hence the meaning cannot be taken crudely as 'which is good', but 'good is that which prevails'. Translations of root meanings of Sanskrit words to English may not look straight forward, but without the exact implication known, the crude translations would mislead one and steer the meaning of the word or phrase or sentence to deem it meaningless or improper if not at least incomplete.
The Swastikah symbol has been found in Indus valley civilization 'seals'. It is found in the old Sanskrit texts and literature that this symbol formed a 'royal go ahead' marking. Majesties have been using this seal of Swastikah to give a go ahead and bless a start of a good work. These 'seals' from Harappa have been c-14 dated (carbon dated) to as old as 3800 BC. This is the oldest available evidence of existence of the symbol in the Indian subcontinent region. Shatapatha Brahmana of Shukla Yajurveda and Prapathaka #3 of Yajussamhita (Taittiriiya) lists the different varieties of patterns that need to be followed while 'placing' the ishtikaa (ittige or bricks) while performing an isti (kamya yaaga - ritual with a desire). One of the pattern mentioned there is of a 5 layered Swastikah. These texts as Hindus know are newer when compared to texts like Krishna Yajurveda and Rg veda. Shukla Yajussamhita was envisioned by Rshi Yagnyavalkya to propose a doctrine in a different form than the then existing Krishna Yajurveda. So, here when it mentions the Swastikah pattern, it does so, not elaborately explaining the pattern - implying, the Swastikah was already a generally known pattern. So the Swastikah pattern must be older than the Yajussamhita scripts too!
Let us try to know the origins of this shape. See the pattern of the below image. THAT is the origin of the shape.
Now, getting into the details of it. Swastikah shape is the image as seen on 4 solar time-coordinates (sankramana - makara, mesha, karka, tula) with the pole star Dhruva at the center. The alpha (Kratu) and beta (Pulaha) stars of Saptarshi extend a isometric apparent line that points always to Dhruva. Over a period of 1 solar year, if one were to take 4 pictures of Saptarshi Mandala (Big Dipper constellation) on the solar transitions to the mentioned constellations and draw the apparent connecting points to all 7 stars and a line to extend it and meet the Pole Star (Dhruva), and place the images 'side by side' (no need to rotate the images), you will see the attached pattern which resembles the ancient Swastikah marking.
This Swastikah sign, if you keep drawing year after year, due to progression of equinoxes (ayana), the symbol would keep rotating very slowly (as slow as apparent equinox movement year after year). So, the image of the 4-collated-picture of this year will look exactly identical next year, but would seem to have rotated a little (54" a year). It takes 400 years for the image itself to rotate one time and came back to the exact position of the first image you took. 360 degrees has 21600 minutes and 400 times 54" would equal to that.
If you measure the celestial degrees between Pulaha and Dhruva it would be 27 degrees which forms the arm of the Swastikah symbol. Now, while alpha and beta and extended straight line point to Polaris, the gamma, delta, epsilon, zeta and eta forms an arc and the extension of that arc points to one of the 27 stars of Hindu nakshatra cycle. It is ideal to find the star that the arc points to during winter solstice (makara sankranti) early morning. The arc would point to a star in the east and you can see Pegasi star - Uttarabhadra currently. Over the few years no matter which day or night you are experimenting, as long as you can extend the arc to a star on zodiac belt (winter solstice mornings and summer solstice evenings, etc), it will continue to point to Uttarabhaadra star. This arc also does a 360 degree rotation pointing to different stars. This cycle takes 2700 years, almost 100 years directly pointing to one star. So, the one rotation of Swastikah has two time dimensions - 'arm' rotating at the rate of 400 years for 360 degrees and a 100 year cycle per star making 2700 years for the 'arc' to point directly to each of the star in the zodiac belt. It takes 6.75 rotations of Swastikah arm for the arc to be able to directly point to one of the 27 stars. So, this 6.75 rotations or 2700 years cycle is called a rshi-yuga.
Each of the 100 years - shatamaana is named after the star it points to. That way, the current shatamaana could be called Uttaraabhaadra shatamaana. This time calendar is called saptarshi calendar or rshi-yuga panchanga.
Swastikah has been the index of Saptarshi panchanga for ages. Bhaagavata purana calculates the 29th rshi yuga to be the time of the start of story - 78300 years. Dating the narration at 5200 years, 83500 years ago. Regardless if how the 29th cycle was arrived at, it at least points to the fact that if the cycle was indeed kicked off 83500 years ago, the concept of Swastikah is also that old.
The worst case scenario of this tracking being an imagination, the symbol is at least 6000 years old, given this narration 5200 years ago, Harappan seal of 3800 BC (6000+ years ago) and it's knowledge in earlier scripts of Yajur and Rg veda.
The time cycle repeats and treats every deviation of society and retains the goodness as if nothing has happened, year after year, day after day, with a fresh awakening on a beautiful sunny day with a Swastikah Rangavalli welcoming the goodness that prevails.