Socio-political Implications of the Aryan Invasion Theory
In recent times, Aryan Invasion theory was making news because the RSS uses the term Vanavasis for tribals and not Adivasis. The idea is to portray that all Hindus are original to India; and the Aryan-Invasion Theory divides the Hindus on caste lines. Further, there are attempts to push back the dates of the Vedic Era to prove that there was no “migration” attached the Aryans and they are original inhabitants of the country.
What is Aryan Invasion Theory?
The Aryan Invasion Theory, which says that the Aryans defeated “pre-Aryan” original inhabitants of India has been a controversial theory. As per this theory, the Harappan civilisation declined by 1800 BC and the Aryans appeared in north-west India around 1500 BC. Since 19th century, many scholars used the philological evidence, the overlap between Vedic Sanskrit, old Persian and ancient European languages to argue that the Rig Vedic Aryans came from outside.
What were socio-political implications of Aryan Invasion Theory?
The most important socio-political implication of this theory was that it gave the impression that North Indians are outsiders and Dravidians are original inhabitants of India. It also furthered the gap between lower and upper castes in the society and led to lower caste movements since the 19th century in Western and Southern India.
What is behind efforts to push back the date of Vedas?
The efforts to push back the date of Vedas is based on assumption that Vedic and Harappan people were the same and there was no Aryan migration. The use of archaeology does not take them before 3000 BC. However, use of astronomical calculations, based on the positions of stars and constellations at the moment Vedas were composed, is one of the tools to do so. Since Vedic culture was a yajna-based culture, the people of Vedic Civilization were aware of and performed the Yajnas at auspicious hours. Using the position of the planetary bodies, it is possible to calculate mathematically the date when those positions occurred in celestial.
