Essays

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 civilizations (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 pre Aryan. 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." Tins were 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.