The Swastika’s Original Meaning

The swastika is an ancient religious symbol. It has been used by Buddhists, Jains, Hindus, as well as many indigenous peoples to represent the sun and its life-giving energy.

In the 1930s, Adolf Hitler appropriated it and turned it into an emblem for the Nazi Party. But several groups, including the Coalition of Hindus of North America, are now working on reclaiming it and its original meaning as a symbol of prosperity and good fortune.