ADVENT OF ARYANS AND THE AGE OF RID VEDA

ADVENT OF ARYANS AND THE AGE OF RID VEDA

Original home and identity
The Aryans spoke the Indo-European languages, which are current in changed forms all over Europe, Iran and the greater part of the Indian continent.
Aryans seems to be lived somewhere in the steppes stretching from southern Russia to Central Asia
Certain names of animal such as goats, dogs, horses, etc… and certain plants such as pine and maple etc… are similar to all Indo-European
These words indicate fauna and flora of Eurasia
This shows Aryans were acquainted with river and forests
Their earliest life seems to have been mainly pastoral, agriculture being a secondary occupation
Aryans did not lead a settled life, with the result that they could not leave any solid material remains
Although Aryans used several animals, the horse plays an important role
On their way to India the Aryans first appeared in Iran, where the Indo-Iranians lived for a long time
Aryans are been lived in India from Rig Vedic period
It is the collection of prayers offered Agni, Indra, Mitra, Varuna and other gods by various families of poets or sages
It consists of ten mandalas or books
Rig Veda has many thing in common with the AVESTA which is the oldest text in the Iranian language
Little earlier than 1500B.c. Aryans appeared in India
Possibly they used socketed axes, bronze dirks and swords, discovered in north-western India
Aryans are found in these area like eastern Afghanistan, Punjab and fringes of western Uttar Pradesh
Possibly the Aryans obtained copper from the khetri mines of Rajasthan
Aryans first settled in India is called the LAND OF SEVEN RIVERS
The Rig Veda mentions the defeat of Sambara by a chief called Divodasa, who belonged to the Bharata clan
Dasyus in the Rig Veda represent the original inhabitants of the country, and an Aryan chief who empowered them was called Trasadasyu
The dasyus possibly worshipped the phallus and did not keep cattle for dairy products

TRIBAL CONFLICTS
Although we hear of many defeats inflicted by Indra on the enemies of the Aryans
In the Rig Veda, Indra is called Purandara, which means that he was the breaker of forts
But we cannot find the forts held by the pre-Aryans, some have been late harappan settlements
Aryans succeeded everywhere because they possessed CHAROITS driven by horses, and introduced them for the first time into west Asia and India
Aryans were engaged in two types of conflicts first they were with pre-Aryans and secondly they fought among themselves
Bharatas and the Tritsu were the ruling Aryans clans and they were supported by priest Vasishtha
The country bharatavarsha was named after the tribe Bharata, which appear first in the Rig Veda
Bharata clan was opposed by ten chiefs, five of whom were head of Aryans and another five were non-Aryans
Battle that was fought between the Bharata on the one hand and the host of ten chief on the other is known as the BATTLE OF TEN KINGS
This battle was fought on the river Parushni, identically with the river Ravi, and it gave victory to Sudas and established the supremacy of the Bharata
Of the defeated tribes, the most important was that of the Purus
Bharata joined with Purus and formed as kurus
They rule in the upper Gangetic basin where they played a important part in later Vedic

MATERIAL LIFE
We can form some idea of the material life of the Rig Veda Aryans
They owe their success in India to use their horses, chariots and also possible some better arm made of bronze of which we have very little archeological evidence
When they settled in the western part of the subcontinents, they possibly used copper supplied by the khetri mines in Rajasthan
They have better knowledge in agriculture; ploughshare is mentioned in the earliest part of the Rig Veda though some consider it as interpolation.
Possibly this ploughshare was made with wood
In spite of all this, there are many reference to the cow in the Rig Veda that the Rig Vedic Aryans were pre- dominantly a pastoral people
Cows seemed to be a most important form of wealth
Rig Veda mentions such artisans as the carpenter, the chariot-maker, the weaver, the leather worker, the potter, etc… this indicate that they practiced all these crafts
The term AYAS used for copper or bronze shows that metal-working was known
But we have no evidence of existence of trade
It is doubtful whether they were fought sea or ocean, because the word SAMUDRA mentioned in the Rig Veda mainly denotes ‘collection of water’
Recently a site called BHAGWANPURA has been excavated in Haryana and three sited in Punjab, and in all these cases PAINTED GREY WARE has been found along with ‘late Harappa’ pottery
The date assigned to the bhagwanpura finds range from 1600b.c. to 1000b.c, which is roughly the period of Rig Veda.
Although painted grey ware has been found at al these sites, iron objects and cereals are absent
Interesting to note that bhagwanpura a thirteen-roomed mud house has been discovered
This might indicate either a house for a large extended family or for a tribal chief
Cattle bones have been found in good quantity in all these sites