Aryan invasion theory and its early proponents and DMK's agenda.
Hi Satish:
Before I go further on this let me quote a statement by Paz regarding
Aryans and Indo-Europeans.I don't know what people make of it but I take it as clear attempt to muddy the waters,a diplomatic attempt to corroborate the predominant European interpretation of the events of history.I have no problem with this after all Paz was a diplomat.
(Again Indo-Europeans being Celts,Iranians,Germans,Greek and Romans at least according Geroges Dumezil whom Paz relies on for historical 'facts')
I don't know about you but I for one have have not found any relationship anywhere between Indian cultrue/civilization and the culture/civilization of Germany,Greece,Rome and Celtic with the exception of Iranian.Where is the evidence other than flimsy conjecture?
In my opinion the word 'Arya' has been transformed into to many things (other than its original meaning) by various interested parties to fit their agenda whatever that might be and the original meaning is left to wither away in the confusion.A more reasonable argument regarding various influences that the Indian civilization came to absorb over the years could be that of Iran,Turkey,Steppe (Central Asia in general),Mongolian,Moghul etc etc,I don't see any other figuring anywhere except in the mind of wishful thinkers of various colors,shapes and sizes mostly European in origin some desi as well, like the Communist Part of India (they tell me) and a some self proclaimed desi 'elite & intellectuals' along with possibly a segment of the Anglo Indian population.
''....(It is hardly necessary to make clear that, speaking of Indo-Europeans, I allude not a race but to realities and concepts that are
linguistic, cultural,and historical)'- Octavio Paz (In Light of India page 92)
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For one thing the credibility of the early proponets of the so called 'Aryan invasion theory' is close to zero and their motives are questionable.
Let us take a closer look:
'....In addition, those who proposed the theory were often ardent nationalists or Christians, opposed to anything that would glorify a great culture of non-European, non-Christian origin. Max Muller had set the date for Aryan invasion at 1500 BC But Muller's basis for such a date was completely speculative. "Max Muller, like many of the Christian scholars of his era, believed in Biblical chronology" (Frawley 1994). Given then that the world was created in 4000 BC and the flood occurred in 2500 BC, it was impossible to give the Aryan invasion a date earlier than 1500 BC Also, many of these scholars had dubious credentials and motives. "Max Muller in fact had been paid by the East Indian Company to further its colonial aims, and others like Lassen and Weber were ardent German nationalists, with hardly any authority on India, only motivated by the superiority of German race/nationalism through white Aryan race theory" (Agarwal 1995).
The questionable evidence
......
'The main evidence for an Aryan race came from the fact that Sanskrit, the classical language of ancient India, bore a striking resemblance to Greek, Latin, and other European tongues. This similarity gave rise to a new language group: the Indo-European languages. When, in the 1920s, the ancient cities of Harappa and Mohenjodaro were discovered in northwest India, they appeared to be abandoned for no apparent reason. The invasion theorists took this as evidence that an Aryan invasion had occurred, and had displaced the earlier civilization....'
'.....In formulating this theory, the proponents of AIT had very set ideas about race and culture. "European thinkers of the era were dominated by a racial theory of man, which was interpreted primarily in terms of color" (Frawley 1996). In this era of European expansionism and colonialism, Europeans had enslaved much of Africa, Asia, and the Americas. The European conquerors were primarily white, and the conquered peoples were primarily dark-skinned. Similarly, the Aryan Invasion was seen as a racial group with a common culture and language who came to India and dominated all those who were different racially or spoke a different language. They assumed that the original speakers of Indo-European language had to be lighter skinned; thus, the darker-skinned Hindus could not have been the original speakers. However, scholars are only now realizing that the simplicity of AIT does not explain the enormous complexity of Indian culture and society, nor does it even fit with the known facts. "The Aryan invasion theory is an example of European colonialism turned into a historical model" (Frawley 1994). AIT was certainly not the work of objective and open-minded scholars....'
stanford.edu
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The Aryan Invasion Theory and Hindu Politics
A recent Western academic paper argues that the Aryan invasion theory is wrong and that there is an indigenous development of civilization in India going back to at least 6000 BCE (Mehrgarh). It proposes that the great Harappan or Indus Valley urban culture (2600 - 1900 BCE), which it notes was centered on the Sarasvati river of Vedic fame, had much in common with Vedic literary accounts. It states that the Harappan culture came to an end not because of outside invaders but owing to environmental changes, most important of which was the drying up of the Sarasvati. It argues further that the movement of populations away from the Sarasvati to the Ganges, after the Sarasvati dried up (c. 1900 - 1300 BCE), was also reflected in the literature. It thereby proposes a complete continuity of cultural development in India revealed both through archaeology and through ancient Indian literature.
Perhaps more shockingly, the article states that the Aryan invasion theory reflects colonialism and Eurocentrism and is quite out of date. Such statements echo those about ancient India that various Hindus have been making since Sri Aurobindo nearly a century ago. Note the conclusion of the long article. The ie. notes and emphases were added by me.
"That the archaeological record and ancient oral and literate traditions of South Asia (ie. the Vedic tradition) are now converging has significant implications for regional cultural history. A few scholars have proposed that there is nothing in the 'literature' firmly placing the Indo-Aryans, the generally perceived founders of the modern South Asian cultural tradition(s), outside of South Asia, and now the archaeological record is confirming this. Within the context of cultural continuity described here, an archaeologically significant indigenous discontinuity occurs due to ecological factors (ie. the drying up of the Sarasvati river). This cultural discontinuity was a regional population shift from the Indus Valley, in the west, to locations east and southeast, a phenomenon also recorded in ancient oral (ie. Vedic) traditions. As data accumulates to support cultural continuity in South Asian prehistoric and historic periods, a considerable restructuring of existing interpretive paradigms must take place. We reject most strongly the simplistic historical interpretations, which date back to the eighteenth century, that continue to be imposed on South Asian culture history. These still prevailing interpretations are significantly diminished by European ethnocentrism, colonialism, racism, and antisemitism. Surely, as South Asian studies approaches the twenty-first century, it is time to describe emerging data objectively rather than perpetuate interpretations without regard to the data archaeologists have worked so hard to reveal."...
sit.wisc.edu
Is this the statement of a Hindu political ideologue? No, it is by a noted Western archaeologist specializing in ancient India, James Schaffer of Case Western University, who has nothing to do with Hindutva or even Hindu spirituality. It is part of his new article Migration,Philology and South Asian Archaeology soon to appear in Aryan and Non-Aryan in South Asia: Evidence, Interpretation andHistory, edited by J. Bronkhorst and M. Deshpande, University of Michigan Press 1998.
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This what I have found out about DMK,no mention of independence.Looks as though their agenda is Federalism and not sepration.Perhaps some of our Tamil friends can clarify.
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)-
The Genesis:
To liberate the Dravidian race from the shackles of superstition and religious dogmas, to revive and restore the ancient heritage of Tamil and Tamilnadu and to protect Tamil language from Hindi imperialism, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam - DMK was founded by Dr. C.N. Annadurai - better known as Anna (Elder brother) on 17th September 1949.
The History of DMK is the history of rational and reformist movement in Tamil Nadu. It is the history of Tamil renaissance. It is the compilation of the continuous struggle and concrete efforts taken by a political organisation to preserve the identity of a civilisation par excellence.
State Autonomy :
India is a federation of different communities and diverse cultures. DMK believing in the concept of "unity in diversity" is strongly convinced that true federation is the only solution for the unity and integrity of country. "Autonomy for the states and federalism at the centre" is the policy of DMK. Whenever the rights of any state is infringed or threatened, DMK raised its voice for the states' rights.
"Let us cooperate for cordial relations with the Centre
Let us fight for the States' rights" is one among the slogans of DMK.
He was the first Chief Minister since independence who constituted a committee viz Rajamannar Committee (1969) to study the centre - state relations and submit an official report on state autonomy. In April 1974, Dr. Kalaignar introduced an epoch making resolution in Tamil Nadu Assembly, advocating more powers for the states based on the recommendations of Rajamannar Committee.
The privilege of state Chief Ministers to unfurl the national flags in their state capitals on Independence days (since Aug.15, 1974) - a notable achievement of Dr. Kalaignar is a march towards State Autonomy.
thedmk.org
PS:I have, in the past, may links and articles on this subject on this thread so I will refrain from doing it again but here one that was able to find without much trouble.
itihaas.com |
