a comprehensive history of india lecture – 3 october 9- 2011 linguistic diversity

© 2011 Maharaj Mukherjee

A Comprehensive History of IndiaA Comprehensive History of IndiaLecture – 3Lecture – 3

October 9- 2011October 9- 2011Linguistic DiversityLinguistic Diversity

Maharaj MukherjeeMaharaj Mukherjee


What is common among these?What is common among these?

Lal Patthar Petrified Tree Petroleum St. Peter’s Cathedral

They all came from the same word which means – a rock

Pathar - Rock


Linguistic DiversityLinguistic Diversity

Lal Patthar-Hindi

Pathar - Bengali

Petra + OleumLatin

Peter –English

How come the same word is used in so many different languages?


Indo-Aryan (Indo-European) Indo-Aryan (Indo-European) LanguagesLanguages

Bengali

Hindi

Oriya

Kashmiri

Marathi

Guajarati

English

German

Italian

French

Parsi

Tara (Bengali) / Taraka (Sanskrit)/ Sitara (Hindi) /Star (English)/ Astra (Latin)

Bhana (Bengali, sanskrit)/ Bahn (German)/ Vehicle (English. Latn)


Indo Aryan MigrationIndo Aryan Migration


Caucasian MountainsCaucasian Mountains


Aryan Migration to India and EuropeAryan Migration to India and Europe

Why did the Aryans Migrate?

• Why do people migrate?• Basic Needs

• Food • Shelter• Population Pressure

• Pursuit of Happiness


Map of IndiaMap of India

Himalayas

Bay of BengalArabian Sea

Indian Ocean

Bindhya

Western

Gh

at

Eastern

G

hat

Indu

s R

iver

Ganges River

The Aryans also firstpopulated the Indus Valley


Hints of Reasons of MigrationHints of Reasons of Migration

• Indian Mythological Stories– Gods leaving the heaven because of the Asuras– Aryans in Iran (Aryan) worshipped Ahuras

• The River Indus was originally known as Sindhu– Sindhu means – a large body of water

• Sindhu > Hindu > Hindi > Indus > India

• The word Hindu was used by Iranians/Aryans to just distinguish themselves and refer to the tribe that were lost.

• The Indian Aryans – did not call themselves as Hindu-s.• The Iranian – Aryans called them Hindu-s and the name got

stuck

H S


What were the Aryans Like?What were the Aryans Like?• They were nomads• They did not have farms• They did not know how to write• They did not know how to build brick

houses or cities• They were great thinkers/inventors• They knew how to make iron

– That means they mined for coal and iron

• They learned how to use horse in war and hunting


The Spread of Aryans in IndiaThe Spread of Aryans in India

Aryavarta – Land of Aryans

Dakshinapath – The way of the South

• The Aryans moved along the river Ganges

• Their spread came to Bengal last

• Their spread was limited by Himalyas on the North, Vindhya on the South and Ganges+Bramhaputra on the East


The Spread of the AryansThe Spread of the AryansGandhara, Madra, Bahika:Afghanistan/ Punjub

Kuru: Delhi and surrounding places

Kosala: Bihar Uttar Pradesh

Panchala: Uttarpradesh

Videha, Anga: Bihar


The spread of AryansThe spread of Aryans

• The spread was along the Ganges Plains• As they spread they also fought and interacted

with people who were already in India:– Danavas – Big People (Indus Valley People ??)– Rakshashas – Demons (Native Hunter Gatherers)

• They learned farming• They learned to build cities • They learned to build states and empires

– Will be covered in the next lecture


Aryan way of LifeAryan way of Life

• Aryan Religion

• Division of Labor

• Life Style

• Quest for Learning


Aryan ReligionAryan Religion• They worshipped natural forces

– Indra – God of rain and thunder on a horse– Varuna – God of water– Agni – God of fire– Pavana – God of the wind– Ashwinis – God of the herbs– Surya – The Sun God– Soma – The Moon God– Bramhana – The God that created everything

• As they migrated they also adapted the gods of the natives– Durga, Shiva, Vishnu


Division of Labor (Barna)Division of Labor (Barna)

• Four Categories or Barnas:– Brahmins – Educators, Thinkers, Experts,

Priests– Kshatriyas – Soldiers, Rulers, Kings, Knights, – Baishyas – Traders, Business People,

Bankers, – Shudras – Farmers, Workers, Laborers

• People outside the Barnas – Untouchables– Mainly non-Aryans


Life Style - AshramaLife Style - Ashrama

• Four Stages of Life – Ashrama– Balya - Childhood

• Spent part at home followed by staying with the teacher in the school

– Garhastha – Home life• Working, looking after the family

– Banaprastha – Retired life– Sanyasa – Leaving the home and staying as

a recluse.


Quest for LearningQuest for Learning

• First wide spread public school system– They did not know how to

write – Spread knowledge from

the teacher to the student by learning

• First Literature – not written– Vedas– Upanishads


Aryan - LiteratureAryan - Literature

• Vedas: A collection of verses describing everything in life– Scientific process – how to lit a fire, proper

way of farming– How to lead a disciplined life

• Upanishadas: A more filtered version of Vedas dealing with more esoteric and spiritual quests


In the beginning there was neither existence nor non- existence; there was no atmosphere, no sky, and no realm beyond the sky. What power was there? Where was that power? Who was that power? Was it finite or infinite?There was neither death nor immortality. There was nothing to distinguish night from day. There was no wind or breath. God alone breathed by his own energy. Other than God there was... nothing.In the beginning darkness was swathed in darkness. All was liquid and formless. God was clothed in emptiness.Then fire arose within God; and in the fire arose love. This was the seed of the soul. Sages have found this seed within their hearts; they have discovered that it is the bond between existence and non-existence.Who really knows what happened? Who can describe it? How were things produced? Where was creation born? When the universe was created, the one became many. Who knows how this occurred?Did creation happen at God's command, or did it happen without his command? He looks down upon creation from the highest heaven. Only he knows the answer -or perhaps he does not know.Rig Veda 10:129.1-7

A quote from the VedasA quote from the Vedas


Sample Quiz QuestionsSample Quiz Questions

• What is common among these?

• – They all came from the same word

• Are Bengali and English related languages?– Yes

• Did the Aryans always lived in India?– No they came from the Caucasian Mountains


Sample Quiz QuestionsSample Quiz Questions

• Did the Aryans called themselves as Hindus?– No – the other Aryans/Iranians called them

Hindus

• What were the four division of labors?– Priests, Soldiers, Traders, Farmers

• Name one important Aryan literature– Vedas, Upanishads

a comprehensive history of india lecture – 3 october 9- 2011 linguistic diversity

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