#2 The Vedic Period - The Aryan Concept

[This writeup is contributed by Animesh.]

William Jones, a writer at East India Company by the end of the 18th Century first delivered the hypothesis of Indo European language family. Similarity between Rg Vedic Sanskrit, Greek, Latin, German – based on this theory of next 150 / 200 years historians / indologists developed the theory of Aryan race / Aryan language. This race was from Central Asia. They spoke the mother language – now termed as Proto Indo European language – one section of this Aryans migrated to Persia (Iran) and then from Iran to India.

It is difficult to develop a concrete defimation of Aryan and there is difference of opinion among the experts. This word was used in many Indo European language. However modern historians do not mix any race / ethnic group with Arya / Aryan. It is only a family of Aryan language speaking people.

From early 20th century series of historians contradicted the theory of genesis of Aryan from Central Asia as per their Aryan race / culture was originated from India and Harappan culture is part of Aryan / Vedic culture – date of Rg Veda is 3500 BC whereas Harappan culture is 3000 – 2000 BC ended by 1200 BC.

Controversy on Aryan Migration From early 20th century series of historians contradicted the theory of genesis of Aryan from Central Asia as per their Aryan race / culture was originated from India and Harappan culture is part of Aryan / Vedic culture – date of Rg Veda is 3500 BC whereas Harappan culture is 3000 – 2000 BC ended by 1200 BC.

Strongest point in favour of them is Saraswati River which was treated as main river both by Avesta amd Rg Veda. Debate is continuing about the dry river bed Saraswati River.

The language Present day philologists feels the development of Rg vedic sanskrit developed in following way.

1. Mother language – Proto Indo European language – one part known as Eastern Indo European language spread into Iran (Persia).
2. It is established that Indo Iranian language speaking people who separated from Persia and migrated towards India are now termed as Indo Aryan Language Speaking People. That was the language of Rg Veda. It is also known as Rg Vedic Sanskrit.

Harappan and Rg vedic culture comparison It is now accepted that Harappan and Aryan / Rg vedic culture lived side by side atleast for few hundred years – may be till end of 2nd millenium B.C. but then on clear demarcation between these two civilisation

1. Language – Harappan had script based language (still undeciphered) whereas Rg vedic language was pure phonetical without script. Philologists feels Harappan language was in the family of old Tamil/Proto- dravidian language. Old Tamil has similarity with Barki – a tribal language of Baluchistan.
2. Though horse bones has been found in Later Harappan stages – horse was not a common animal in Harappa whereas domesticated horse and chariot is the main feature of Aryan life.
3. It is told that concept of chariot was developed in 3000 B.C. in the Central Asia in the valley between Dneeper and Volga
4. Cremation – Burial was the main trend in Harappa whereas Indo Aryan preferred cremation.
5. Harappan used solid wheel. Aryans used spoke wheel.
6. Harappan were master of brick technology – vedic people did not use brick. In post Harappan culture brick was found not before 300 BC
7. Harappan culture was city based which presupposes surplus food production. However evidence of city is not available in Rg Veda. Different suktas of Rg Veda looked down to city and agriculture. Only in later suktas agriculture (paddy) got prominence. Cities were found only after 1000 B.C. (600 BC) during Yajur Veda time.

Later vedic period (1000 B.C. onwards) Periods of Yajur Veda and its appendix Satapada Bramanaha and Attraiya Bramanahas

1. Aryan speaking people slowly migrated to Himalayan foothill / plains and then to Western side to the gangetic plain through deforestation
2. It took longer time to migrate to gangetic plain mainly due to problem of deforestation of dense forest of gangetic plain. Deforestation took place either through fire or due to technological development and use of iron / better quality iron.
3. Himalayan plain gave birth of republics
4. Gangetic plain slowly developed to kingship / monarchy.
5. Cities started developing again in India (after Harappan culture)
6. Use of fertile gangetic plain and development of paddy replantation technique gave birth to surplus food – city – private ownership – trade with distance land (with South India) – coin as medium of exchange (known as punch marked coin)
7. Trading creates merchant community – histiorical gives birth of new social movement eg. Buddhism and Jainism
8. Clearly Buddhism / Jainism gave more importance to Kshatriyas and Vaishyas than Brahmanas.

Summing up

1. Due to migration to Himalayan plain and Gangetic Plain along with development of cultivation technology and iron making Aryans slowly changed themselves from pastoral / bajra cultivation to agricultural community with permanent settlement.
2. Orthodox Vedic practice developed more in Gangetic Plain along with monarchy.
3. Republicians grew more in less fertile Himalayan foothill.
4. Development of city was another milestone of the period.
5. Trade activities expanded with West Asia and South India. Consequently history of money started through punch marked coins.
6. Creation of surplus grain from fertile land gives rise to the eagerness for holding more territory of fertile land. Ultimately this leads to formation of monarchy based on territory / kingdom – Magadha dynasty of Bimbisara was one of the best example of this period.