AryanDebateinIndianHistorybyS Kumbhojkar PDF

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ARYAN DEBATE in Indian History.
Presentation · September 2016

DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.16783.79528
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Shraddha Kumbhojkar
Savitribai Phule Pune University
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Presentation based on Thomas Trautman’s The Aryan Debate
Prepared for classroom teaching by
Dr. Shraddha Kumbhojkar
FOR - M. A. History Part II
Savitribai Phule Pune University, INDIA
shraddha@unipune.ac.in 1
Objectives
The course is designed to introduce the

student to some of the issues that have
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
i. Pre-State Formation – Mahajanapadas
ii. State formation – Mauryan State and
Gupta Empire
iii. Decline of the Mauryan State
 (b) Medieval State
i. Sultanate – Theocratic
ii. Mughals – Theocratic, Patrimonial-
Bureaucratic
iii. Chola and Vijayanagara –
Segmentary
iv. 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
(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
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.
 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.
 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:
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 wa
Guptakalin Rajasvapadhati, Diamond
Publications, Pune, 2006.
 Kosambi, D.D. tr. Vasant Tulpule,
Puranakatha ani Vastavata, Lokavangmaya
Gruha, Mumbai, 1977.
 Sharma, R.S., tr. Ranade Pandharinath,
Prachin Bharatatil Rajakiya Vichar ani
Sanstha, Diamond Publications, Pune,
2006. shraddha@unipune.ac.in 11
1. The Aryan Debate 04
Languages Civilization Theories

• Indo- • Hadappa • Racial
European • Vedic • Standard
• Indo-Aryan • Alternative
• Dravidian
 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.
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
theory of a common root of all Indo-European
languages.
 The Sanscrit language, whatever be its
antiquity, is of a wonderful structure; more perfect
than the Greek, more copious than the Latin, and
more exquisitely refined than either, yet bearing
to both of them a stronger affinity, both in the
roots of verbs and the forms of grammar, than could
possibly have been produced by accident; so strong
indeed, that no philologer could examine them all
three, without believing them to have sprung from
some common source, which, perhaps, no longer
exists; there is a similar reason, though not quite so
forcible, for supposing that both the Gothic and
the Celtic, though blended with a very different
idiom, had the same origin with the Sanscrit; and
the old Persian might be added to the same family.
 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.
 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
Family (1816)
Discovery of Hadappa Civilization
(1920)
Indo-European Migrations
William Jones
Sanskrit, Latin, Greek, Gothic,
Celtic, Old Persian
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
 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
roots
Different from Sanskrit
Also, Malayalam, Tulu, Kodagu,
Rajmahali
Historical Relations of Languages
 Connections existed among people even if
there is no collective memory
 Sanskrit is NOT the mother of all or Indian
languages but a sister.
 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.
Archaeological excavation
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
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
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.
 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.
 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. Aryans
The 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
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
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–Brahmins.
Ambedkar on Tilak’s Arctic Theory
 This is of course a very original theory. There is only one
point which seems to have been overlooked. The horse is a
favourite animal of the Vedic Aryans. It was most
intimately connected with their life and their religion. That
the queens vied with one another to copulate with the
horse in the Ashvamedha Yajna shows what place the horse
had acquired in the life of the Vedic Aryans. Question is :
was the horse to be found in the Arctic region? If the
answer is in the negative, the Arctic home theory becomes
very 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’s
article.
N. Jha and N.S. Rajaram, The Deciphered Indus
Script: Methodology, readings, interpretations, Aditya
Prakashan, New Delhi, 2000; pages xxvii + 269, Rs.
950.
Debunking of Jha and Rajaram’s
article by
Michael Witzel & Steve Farmer,
Horseplay in Harappa, Frontline
Volume 17 - Issue 20, Sep. 30 -
Oct. 13,2000 .
The Deciphered Indus Script, p. 177.
 “The 'horse seal' goes to show that the oft
repeated claim of "No horse at Harappa" is
entirely baseless. Horse bones have been
found at all levels at Harappan sites. Also...
the word 'as'va' (horse) is a commonly
occuring word on the seals. The supposed
'horselessness' of the Harappans is a
dogma that has been exploded by
evidence. But like its cousin the Aryan
invasion, it persists for reasons having little
to do with evidence or scholarship.”
Rajaram's Indology - ‘a path of study that
combines ancient learning and modern
science.’
The Rigveda rishis, we find, packed their
hymns with occult allusions to high-energy
physics, anti-matter, the inflational theory of
the universe, calculations of the speed of
light, and gamma-ray bursts striking the
earth three times a day. The latter is shown in
three Rigveda verses (3.56.6, 7.11.3, 9.86.18)
addressed to the god Agni.
The second Rajaram translates: "O Agni! We
know you have wealth to give three times a
day to mortals."
Plate XCV , Vol. II , Ernest Mackay, Further Excavations of Mohenjo-Daro New Delhi, 1937-8
 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.
 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 is
useless" - which Rajaram and Jha alternately read
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"; "The
breathing of an angry person"; "Rama threatened
to 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-gaura
wishes to groom the horses“
 "Food for the owner of two horses“
 "Arci who brought under control eight
loose horses"
 The current "revisionist" models contradict
well-known facts: they introduce horse-
drawn chariots thousands of years before
their invention; imagine massive lost
literatures filled with "scientific"
knowledge unimaginable anywhere in the
ancient world; project the Rigveda into
impossibly distant eras, compiled in urban
or maritime settings suggested nowhere in
the text; and imagine Vedic Sanskrit or even
Proto Indo-European rising in the Panjab
or elsewhere in northern India, ignoring 150
years of evidence fixing their origins to the
northwest.
 "out-of-India" proponents even
fanaticise an India that is the cradle of
all civilisation, angrily rejecting all
suggestions that peoples, languages, or
technologies ever entered prehistoric
India from foreign soil - as if modern
concepts of "foreign" had any meaning
in prehistoric times.
 N.S. Rajaram typifies the worst of the
"revisionist" movement, and obviously fails
on all counts. The Deciphered Indus Script is
based on blatantly fake data (the "horse
seal," the free-form "decipherments");
disregards numerous well-known facts ( the
dates of horses and chariots, the uses of
Harappan seals, etc.); rejects evidence from
whole scientific fields, including linguistics
(a strange exclusion for a would-be
decipherer!); and is driven by obvious
religious and political motives in claiming
impossible links between Harappan and
Vedic cultures.
 Whatever their pretensions, Hindutva
propagandists like Rajaram do not
belong to the realm of legitimate
historical discourse. They perpetuate,
in twisted half-modern ways, medieval
tendencies to use every means possible
to support the authority of relig ious
texts. In the political sphere, they falsify
history to bolster national pride. In the
ethnic realm, they glorify one sector of
India to the detriment of others.
 It is the responsibility of every serious
researcher to oppose these tendencies
with the only sure weapon available - hard
evidence. 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 Farmer.
 The historical fantasies of writers like
Rajaram must be exposed for what they
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.
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 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
history is used and misused for the sake of present day
political agendas.

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See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.

ARYAN DEBATE in Indian History.

Presentation · September 2016

Textbooks of History and Communalisation of Identity : A Follow Up Survey View project

Revista Científica Arbitrada de la Fundación MenteClara View project

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.

The course is designed to introduce the

6. 18th Century Debate 04

Languages Civilization Theories

His observations were later compiled and

 Thus, it is academically wise NOT to assume the

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