Swastika

The swastika ( , Sanskrit:, SanskritDevanagari: स्वस्तिक ; 卐 or 卍) is an ancient cross-cultural geometrical symbol that has been used in many cultures and religions of Eurasia, as well as a few in Africa and the Americas, for thousands of years. The swastika was and continues to be used as a symbol of divinity and spirituality in several religions, including Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. In the Western world, it is predominantly associated with Nazism, being appropriated and widely displayed in Nazi symbolism. Most notably, it was used in the flag of Nazi Germany. This appropriation continues with the symbol's popularity among neo-Nazis around the world.

The English word swastika is originally of the Sanskrit language (, lit.'conducive to well-being'). In Hinduism, the right-facing symbol (卐) is called swastika, symbolizing surya, prosperity, and good luck; while the left-facing symbol (卍) is sometimes called sauvastika, symbolising night or tantric aspects of Kali. In Jain symbolism, it is a part of the Jain flag, and represents Suparshvanatha—the seventh of 24 Tirthankaras (spiritual teachers and saviours). In Buddhist symbolism, it represents the auspicious footprints of the Buddha. In different Indo-European traditions, the swastika symbolises fire, lightning bolts and the Sun. The symbol is found in the archaeological remains of the Indus Valley Civilization and the Neolithic-era Samarra culture of Mesopotamia. It has also been recorded in early Byzantine and Christian artwork.

The swastika was seen as a symbol of auspiciousness and good luck for most of the Western world until the 1930s. It was first used as a symbol of international antisemitism by far-right Romanian politician A. C. Cuza prior to World War I. Wider public perception would only change once the German Nazi Party adopted the swastika as an emblem of the so-called Aryan race. As a result of World War II and the Holocaust, Western societies continue to strongly associate the symbol with Nazism, antisemitism, white supremacism, or simply evil. As a consequence, displaying it is prohibited by law in several countries, with exceptions for religious symbolism. However, the swastika remains a symbol of good luck and prosperity in Hindu, Buddhist, Jain, and other Asian communities. It continues to be a peaceful cultural symbol in countries like Sri Lanka, Mongolia, India, Japan, China and Nepal. It carries various other meanings for people around the world, such as the Akan, Hopi, Navajo, and Tlingit peoples.