Essay/Term paper: Aryan invasion theory

Essay, term paper, research paper:  College Papers

The major theory that has been repeated throughout time, to interrupt
the evolution of India and migration of man, has been the Aryan
Invasion Theory. According to this account, India was invaded and
conquered by a nomadic tribe of Indo-European tribes from Central Asia
around 1500-100 BC. It was said that these light skinned nomads fought
a major battle with the darker skinned "Dravidian Civilization, from
which they took most of what later, became the Hindu culture." The
Aryan Invasion Theory is based upon ruins that were discovered in the
Indus valley. The Aryan people also cite how the Aryan Vedic
scriptures explain a war between the powers of light and darkness.
This was therefore interpreted throughout time, to mean that the war
occurred between a lighter skinned civilization (Aryans) and more dark
skinned civilization. Scholars believed that the Aryans came into
India around the time of 1500 BC, since the Indus Valley culture was
earlier than this, they concluded that it had to be preAryan. It was
also assumed by these same scholars, much of them who were of Christian
origin, and unsympathetic to the Vedic culture, that the Vedic culture
originated from primitive nomads from Central Asia. Thus, the Vedic
culture could not have found any "urban culture like that of the Indus
Valley." The Vedic culture was thus said to be warriors of Central
Asian decent who came into India with horse drawn chariots and iron
weapons. However, there was never any chariots or iron discovered in
Indus Valley sites. The whole idea of nomads with chariots has been
challenged. How could these nomads travel through rough mountain
valleys (in tough weather ) with these chariots? Horse drawn chariots,
were vehicles that were most likely used in lands that were mostly
flat. Therefore, it can be said that the metals and wheel fragments
that were discovered could come from the Vedic culture. Opponents of
the Aryan Invasion theory, point to many different flaws in the
theory. First off, some scholars now believe that it may have been
just a pure biased opinion that has been passed on throughout time.
The Aryan Invasion Theory served to divide India into a northern Aryan
and southern Dravidian culture, which were hostile to each other.
This theory also gave the British an excuse in their conquest of
India. They could claim to only be doing what their Aryan ancestors
had previously done. Lastly, by implementing the Aryan Invasion
Theory, the history and science of India was given a mostly Greek
basis, thereby discarding the Vedic culture and history. The Rig Veda
scripture describes its Gods as "destroyers of cities." This was used
also in to regard the Vedic as a primitive non-urban culture that
destroys cities and urban civilization. However according to Dr. David
Frawley, a Vedic scholar, there are many verses in the 'Rig Veda' that
speak of Aryans as having cities of their own. He points out that the
destruction of cities does not simply turn these people into nomads.
The destruction of cities happens in many modern wars. Therefore, the
idea of Vedic cultures destroying, but not building the cities, is
based upon ignoring what the Vedas actually say about their own
cities. Further excavation of the Indus Valley revealed that the Indus
Valley culture was not destroyed by outside invasion, but rather was
probably destroyed by a force of nature, most likely a flood. Most
recently there have been discoveries of new cities in the Indus Valley.
This may eliminate the so-called dark-age, that followed the pre-Aryan
invasion and "shows a continuous urban occupation in India back to the
beginning of the Indus culture." In regards to the war between light
and dark civilizations, it may be looked at in the light that the Vedic
civilization was the civilization of God or the sun, therefore, they
were the light skinned civilization. The Aryan Invasion Theory is very
interesting theory, that has been intriguing to research. The
acceptance of the Aryan Invasion Theory was the easiest way for the
Aryan race to implement their dominance of the world. The acceptance
of the view that this theory is wrong would change our view of
history. It would make ancient India perhaps the oldest, largest and
most central of ancient cultures. It would also mean that the 'Veda'
would be the most authentic record of the ancient world. Most
importantly, it would affirm the Hindu tradition that the Dravidians
were early offshoots of the Vedic people.