aryan debate in indian history by s. kumbhojkar
TRANSCRIPT
Presentation based on Thomas Trautman’s The Aryan DebatePresentation based on Thomas Trautman’s The Aryan DebatePrepared for classroom teaching by
Dr. Shraddha KumbhojkarFOR - M. A. History Part II
Savitribai Phule Pune University, INDIA
ObjectivesThe course is designed to introduce the student to some of the issues that have been debated by historians and to been debated by historians and to introduce some perspectives with reference to Indian History.
Course content: 1. The Aryan Debate 04 2. The State in Indian History : Debates and Theories 08(a) Ancient State(a) Ancient State
i. Pre-State Formation – Mahajanapadasii. State formation – Mauryan State and Gupta Empireiii. Decline of the Mauryan State
(b) Medieval State i. Sultanate – Theocratic ii. Mughals – Theocratic, Patrimonial-Bureaucratic
iii. Chola and Vijayanagara –Segmentaryiv. Marathas
3. Urbanisation and Urban Decay 08
4. Feudalism 08 (a) Concept (b) ‘Feudalism Debate’
5. Orientalism 08 (a) Meaning (b) Contribution of Orientalist scholars (b) Contribution of Orientalist scholars (c) Critique of Orientalism
6. 18th Century Debate 04
Select Readings:Alam, M., and Subramanyam, S. (ed.), The Mughal State, OUP, 2000. Alavi, Seema, The Eighteenth Century in Alavi, Seema, The Eighteenth Century in India, OUP, New Delhi, 2002. Aloysius, G. Nationalism Without a Nation. Habib, Irfan, Essays in Indian History : Towards a Marxist Perspective, Tulika, New Delhi, 1995.
Hilton, Rodney, etc., The Transition from Feudalism to Capitalism. Gadgil D.R., The Industrial Evolution of India in Recent Times: 1860-1939, OUP, Dehli, Fifth edition, Fifth impression, 1982. Kosambi, D.D., Culture and Civilization of Ancient India in Historical Outline, Vikas, 1981.Ancient India in Historical Outline, Vikas, 1981. Kosambi, D.D., Myth and Reality Kulke, H. (ed.) The State in India, 1000-1700, OUP, 1998. Marshall, P.J. (ed.) The Eighteenth Century in India – Evolution or Revolution?, OUP, 2002.
Mukhia, H., Perspectives on Medieval India, Delhi, 1994. Said, Edward, Orientalism, Penguin, 1978.Sharma, R.S., Aspects of Ancient Indian Political Ideas and Institutions, Manohar, reprint, 1999.reprint, 1999.Trautman, Thomas, The Aryan Debate, OUP, 2007.
Sharma, R. S., Indian Feudalism, Calcutta, 1965. Sharma, R.S., Urban Decay in India, Munshiram Manoharlal, Delhi. Thapar, R., Ancient Indian Social History: Thapar, R., Ancient Indian Social History: Some Interpretations, Orient Longman, reprint, 1996. Thapar, R., Early India, Penguin, 2003. Thapar Romila (ed.) The Aryan Debate, National Book Trust
Dole Na. Ya., Rajkeeya Vicharancha Iitihas, Continental Prakashan, Pune, 1969 Jha, D.N., tr. G.B. Deglurkar, Mauryottar waGuptakalin Rajasvapadhati, Diamond Publications, Pune, 2006. Kosambi, D.D. tr. Vasant Tulpule, Kosambi, D.D. tr. Vasant Tulpule, Puranakatha ani Vastavata, LokavangmayaGruha, Mumbai, 1977. Sharma, R.S., tr. Ranade Pandharinath, Prachin Bharatatil Rajakiya Vichar aniSanstha, Diamond Publications, Pune, 2006. [email protected]
1. The Aryan Debate 04
Languages• Indo-European
Civilization• Hadappa• Vedic
Theories• Racial • StandardEuropean
• Indo-Aryan• Dravidian
• Vedic • Standard• Alternative
Gaston-Laurent Coeurdoux-In a Memoire sent in 1767 to the Academy of Sciences (France) he demonstrated the similarity between the Sanskrit, the Latin, the Greek and even the German and Russian languages.
Russian languages. His observations were later compiled and published by others in Europe.
William Jones' third annual discourse before the Asiatic Society on the history and culture of the Hindus (delivered on 2 February 1786 and published in 1788) marks the beginning of the published in 1788) marks the beginning of the theory of a common root of all Indo-European languages.
The Sanscrit language, whatever be itsantiquity, is of a wonderful structure; more perfectthan the Greek, more copious than the Latin, andmore exquisitely refined than either, yet bearingto both of them a stronger affinity, both in theroots of verbs and the forms of grammar, than couldpossibly have been produced by accident; so strongindeed, that no philologer could examine them allthree, without believing them to have sprung fromthree, without believing them to have sprung fromsome common source, which, perhaps, no longerexists; there is a similar reason, though not quite soforcible, for supposing that both the Gothic andthe Celtic, though blended with a very differentidiom, had the same origin with the Sanscrit; andthe old Persian might be added to the same [email protected] 15
father in English, Vater in German, pater in Latin and Greek, fadir in Old Norse and pitr in ancient Vedic Sanskrit. brother in English, broeder in Dutch, Bruder in German, braithair in Gaelic, bróðr in Old Norse and bhratar in Sanskrit. three in English, tres in Latin, tris in Greek, drei in German, twee in Dutch, trí in Sanskrit.German, twee in Dutch, trí in Sanskrit. is in English, est in Latin, esti in Greek, ist in Gothic, asti in Sanskrit. me in English, mich or mir in German, mik or mis in Gothic, me in Latin, eme in Greek, mam in Sanskrit. mouse in English, Maus in German, muis in Dutch, mus in Latin, mus in Sanskrit.
Discovery of Indo-European Language Family (1786)Discovery of Dravidian Language Discovery of Dravidian Language Family (1816)Discovery of Hadappa Civilization (1920)
William JonesSanskrit, Latin, Greek, Gothic, Celtic, Old PersianSo similar that they may have So similar that they may have descended from a common language which no longer exists.INDO-EUROPEAN
Branches of Indo-European Family Indo-Aryan languages of north India and Sri Lanka Iranian Languages such as Farsi Romance languages from Latin – French, Spanish Greek languages Greek languages Germanic languages such as English, German, Dutch from Gothic Celtic languages such as Irish and Welsh from ancient Celtic (Russian, Armenian, Albanian - Jones did not mention)
Francis Whyte Ellis (1816)Tamil, Telugu, Kannada- shared rootsDifferent from SanskritDifferent from SanskritAlso, Malayalam, Tulu, Kodagu, Rajmahali
Historical Relations of LanguagesConnections existed among people even if there is no collective memorySanskrit is NOT the mother of all or Indian languages but a sister.ट, ठ, ड, ढ, ण – Found in Dravidian and ट, ठ, ड, ढ, ण – Found in Dravidian and Indo-Aryan but not Ind0-European- shows the influence of Dravidian on Indo-Aryan.Indian languages and culture is a fusion of many different words and ideas.
Harappa Civilization Archaeologists since Cunningham (1853) had examined some Harappan sites, but did not realize their significance, as their focus was on Buddhist sites. Rakhal Das Banerji in 1922-3 found seals in Mohenjodaro beneath Buddhist monuments, similar Mohenjodaro beneath Buddhist monuments, similar to those from Harappa (Cunningham) Dayaram Sahni excavated Harappa.
John Marshal in Illustrated London News (1924) published the discovery of a ‘long-forgotten’ civilisation. Mesopotamian Archaeologists identified similar seals Mesopotamian Archaeologists identified similar seals from 3rd millennium B. C. A Civilisation was discovered and placed.
What does that mean? Harappan civilisation is Bronze Age 2600-1900 B. C. Language of Veda is similar to Iranian Avesta of 700 B. C. Even if Sanskrit speakers came to India before Vedas, it cannot be before 1500 B. C.cannot be before 1500 B. C. So, there is NO CONTINUITY between Harappan and Vedic Civilization. Harappan language is earlier than Vedas. So it could be Dravidian or Munda etc. This is the Standard View. Accepted by academicians.
Racialization of History Arthur de Gobineau (1853-5) Essay on the Inequality of Human Races White race is responsible for all the ancient civilizations. Decline everywhere is due to the intermixture of races. Decline everywhere is due to the intermixture of races. Of the Indo-European language speakers, only the Germanic Race (from whom French arristocracy claimed lineage) remains pure. Politics of racial hatred. World War II. Even today. Linguistic difference seen as racial difference.
Dr Ambedkar- Who Were the Shudras? Ch. 4. Shudras Vs. AryansThe Aryan race theory is so absurd that it ought to have been dead long ago. But far from being dead, the theory has a considerable hold upon the people. There are two explanations which account for this phenomenon. The first explanation is to be found in phenomenon. The first explanation is to be found in the support which the theory receives from Brahmin scholars. This is a very strange phenomenon. As Hindus, they should ordinarily show a dislike for the Aryan theory with its express avowal of the superiority of the European races over the Asiatic races. But the Brahmin scholar has not only no such aversion but he most willingly hails it. The reasons are obvious.
The Brahmin believes in the two–nation theory. He claims to be the representative of the Aryan race and he regards the rest of the Hindus as descendants of the non–Aryans. The theory helps him to establish his non–Aryans. The theory helps him to establish his kinship with the European races and share their arrogance and their superiority. He likes particularly that part of the theory which makes the Aryan an invader and a conqueror of the non–Aryan native races. For it helps him to maintain and justify his overlordship over the non–[email protected] 31
Ambedkar on Tilak’s Arctic Theory This is of course a very original theory. There is only onepoint which seems to have been overlooked. The horse is afavourite animal of the Vedic Aryans. It was mostintimately connected with their life and their religion. Thatintimately connected with their life and their religion. Thatthe queens vied with one another to copulate with thehorse in the Ashvamedha Yajna shows what place the horsehad acquired in the life of the Vedic Aryans. Question is :was the horse to be found in the Arctic region? If theanswer is in the negative, the Arctic home theory becomesvery precarious. Who were the Shudras?
Alternative View Indus civilization IS the Vedic civilization. Aryans ORIGINATED in India. Indo-European languages radiated OUT OF India. Example of ‘alternative’ view – Jha and Rajaram’sarticle.article.
N. Jha and N.S. Rajaram, The Deciphered Indus Script: Methodology, readings, interpretations, AdityaPrakashan, New Delhi, 2000; pages xxvii + 269, Rs. 950.
Debunking of Jha and Rajaram’sarticle byMichael Witzel & Steve Farmer, Horseplay in Harappa, FrontlineVolume 17 - Issue 20, Sep. 30 -Volume 17 - Issue 20, Sep. 30 -Oct. 13,2000 .
The Deciphered Indus Script, p. [email protected]
“The 'horse seal' goes to show that the oftrepeated claim of "No horse at Harappa" isentirely baseless. Horse bones have beenfound at all levels at Harappan sites. Also...the word 'as'va' (horse) is a commonlyoccuring word on the seals. The supposed'horselessness' of the Harappans is a'horselessness' of the Harappans is adogma that has been exploded byevidence. But like its cousin the Aryaninvasion, it persists for reasons having littleto do with evidence or scholarship.”[email protected]
Rajaram's Indology - ‘a path of study thatcombines ancient learning and modernscience.’The Rigveda rishis, we find, packed theirhymns with occult allusions to high-energyphysics, anti-matter, the inflational theory ofthe universe, calculations of the speed oflight, and gamma-ray bursts striking thelight, and gamma-ray bursts striking theearth three times a day. The latter is shown inthree Rigveda verses (3.56.6, 7.11.3, 9.86.18)addressed to the god Agni.The second Rajaram translates: "O Agni! Weknow you have wealth to give three times aday to mortals."
Plate XCV , Vol. II , Ernest Mackay, Further Excavations of Mohenjo-Daro New Delhi, [email protected]
Rajaram's "horse seal" was a fraud, created from a computer distortion of a broken "unicorn bull" seal. Indus Valley "Piltdown horse" - a comic allusion to the "Piltdown man" hoax of the early twentieth century. The comparison was, in fact, apt, since the "Piltdown man" was created to fill the missing link between ape and man - just as Rajaram's "horse seal" was intended to fill a gap between Harappa and Vedic cultures. cultures. Once the hoax was uncovered, $1000 was offered to anyone who could find one Harappan researcher who endorsed Rajaram's "horse seal." The offer found no takers. Michael Witzel & Steve Farmer, Horseplay in Harappa, Frontline Volume 17 - Issue 20, Sep. 30 - Oct. 13,2000 .
"It is the rainy season"; "House in the grip of cold“ "A dog that stays home and does nothing isuseless" - which Rajaram and Jha alternately readas: "There is raw meat on the face of the dog"as: "There is raw meat on the face of the dog" "Birds of the eastern country"; "One who drinks barley water"; "A hundred noisy crows"; "Mosquito"; "Thebreathing of an angry person"; "Rama threatenedto use agni-vaaNa (a fire missile)“ "A short tempered mother-in-law "O! Moneylender, eat (your interest)!"
"Water fit for drinking by horses“ "A keeper of horses (paidva) by name of VarSaraata“"A horsekeeper by name of As'ra-gaurawishes to groom the horses“wishes to groom the horses“ "Food for the owner of two horses“"Arci who brought under control eight loose horses"
The current "revisionist" models contradictwell-known facts: they introduce horse-drawn chariots thousands of years beforetheir invention; imagine massive lostliteratures filled with "scientific"knowledge unimaginable anywhere in theancient world; project the Rigveda intoimpossibly distant eras, compiled in urbanor maritime settings suggested nowhere inimpossibly distant eras, compiled in urbanor maritime settings suggested nowhere inthe text; and imagine Vedic Sanskrit or evenProto Indo-European rising in the Panjabor elsewhere in northern India, ignoring 150years of evidence fixing their origins to [email protected]
"out-of-India" proponents evenfanaticise an India that is the cradle ofall civilisation, angrily rejecting allsuggestions that peoples, languages, ortechnologies ever entered prehistorictechnologies ever entered prehistoricIndia from foreign soil - as if modernconcepts of "foreign" had any meaningin prehistoric times.
N.S. Rajaram typifies the worst of the"revisionist" movement, and obviously failson all counts. The Deciphered Indus Script isbased on blatantly fake data (the "horseseal," the free-form "decipherments");disregards numerous well-known facts ( thedates of horses and chariots, the uses ofHarappan seals, etc.); rejects evidence fromHarappan seals, etc.); rejects evidence fromwhole scientific fields, including linguistics(a strange exclusion for a would-bedecipherer!); and is driven by obviousreligious and political motives in claimingimpossible links between Harappan andVedic [email protected]
Whatever their pretensions, Hindutvapropagandists like Rajaram do notbelong to the realm of legitimatehistorical discourse. They perpetuate,in twisted half-modern ways, medievaltendencies to use every means possibleto support the authority of relig iousto support the authority of relig ioustexts. In the political sphere, they falsifyhistory to bolster national pride. In theethnic realm, they glorify one sector ofIndia to the detriment of [email protected]
It is the responsibility of every serious researcher to oppose these tendencies with the only sure weapon available - hardwith the only sure weapon available - hardevidence. If reactionary trends in Indian history find further political support, we risk seeing violent repeats in the coming decades of the fascist extremes of the past. - Witzel and [email protected]
The historical fantasies of writers like Rajaram must be exposed for what they are: propaganda issuing from the ugliest are: propaganda issuing from the ugliest corners of the pre-scientific mind. The fact that many of the most unbelievable of these fantasies are the product of highly trained engineers should give Indian educational planners deep concern. [email protected]
Thus, it is academically wise NOT to assume the existence of any Aryan Race. Whether they migrated to or from India is obviously immaterial. The Aryan Debate is important to understand how The Aryan Debate is important to understand how history is used and misused for the sake of present day political agendas.