Dr. Ambedkar on the Theory of Aryan Invasion and their original homeland

Devendra Ingle Ever since the advent of the nineteenth century, many insurmountable questions about the Aryans are occupying the minds of the scholars of the history of the Ancient India. The Ceaseless debates are going on forever on this issue. These debates, prominently, revolve round the claims about the theory of Aryan race, their original homeland in the ancient times and the theory of the Aryan invasion on India, in the writings of the ancient Indian History. Thease debates have assumed virtually a picture of battlefield on account of the over enthusiastic scholars who try to seek justifications for their political ideologies. Dr.Babasaheb Ambedkar had his own clear understanding on this enigmatic issue. His position was fixed from a very logical and scientific point of view. Actually, he had not brought forth any independent and formal work on this subject at a stretch. Dwelling up on historical search on Shudras in his Who Were the Shudras he has broached some relevant points in connection with Aryan-enigma, but still, his position from the point of view of historiography is immensely valuable and revealing. On this topic; I have assayed here to put forth his thoughts in a cogent and systematic way. Overtaken by selfish political gains, some persons are trying to distort his thoughts on a large scale but I have tried here to disclose them in their true colours. Equally, it is a brief attempt on my part to underline the historical importance of the position of Dr.Babasaheb Ambedkar.

Senior Lecturer in History, M. J. College, Jalgaon, Maharashtra, India. PIN- 425002 devendra_i@rediffmail.com, ingledevs@indiatimes, ingledevs@gmail.com

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Aryan Debate: Background While interpreting the terms, Airya as appearing in the Avestha and Arya as appearing in the Rigveda, some European scholars have mistaken language and race with each other. They have formulated Aryan race theory on the foundation of the identity of language spoken by groups of people. In reality it was not a group of any human race but only a group of people speaking Aryan languages. Even now from the threshold of nineteenth century to this date some scholars are still intermixing language for race and continuing the same mischief. Actually language and race are not identical entities; because language is the cultural expression of human aspect whereas the race is connected with the human genetics, as reflected in human physiological and biological and heritage. It can

be seen that from the very beginning the concept of Aryan race has been mainly used to denote a superior human group of people excelling in intellectual and physiological human characteristics. In order to show the inheritance of racial superiority over others or to sustain the established top position in society, this theory was too convenient to be accepted by, many from Europe to India. Along with Aryan superiority, this theory has also propagated theories related to Aryan original home and theory of Aryan invasion. Its background in a nutshell is like this---- After his arrival to Goa in the year 1544, Saint Francis Xavier expressed his opinion that Sanskrit and Latin are equivalent languages. Afterwards in the year 1583 Fr Thomas Stephens, author of Christ Purana, has written in his correspondence that the structure of many languages of these places was allied to Greek and Latin. In 1585 Fillipo Sasseti (An Italian merchant in Goa) in letters to Europe described how how our language of today has a lot in common with Sanscruta. In 1667 Fr Gaston Coeurdoux a French Jesuit based in Pondicherry, pointed out the extraordinary similarity in vocabulary and grammar between Latin

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and Greek, on the one hand, and Sanskrit, on the other. He also suggested that this commonality was due to common origin. A British scholar Pritchard in the year 1845 has pointed out towards Aryan geographical extent as well as their racial similarities in his book, Natural History of Man. According to his opinion, nations who speak languages of cognate origin and who are proved by that connecting bond to be the descendants of one original stock, are spread from the mouth of the Ganges to the British Islands and the northern extremities of the of Scandinavia. These are collectively called Indo-European nations. Pointing to Indo-Iranian branch, Pritchard says that the great branch of this stock is divided into two principal stems and situated to the eastward and westward of the river Indus. These two stems one common name-Arians or Aryas, which is the ancient designation for both of the Persian and Indian branches. About 1848, a German Scholar, Crissen Lassen, using the term Arian in racial sense extended favorable background to Aryanrace theory. He acknowledged the fair complexioned especially high caste northern Indians as Aryans. While pronouncing the racial superiority of Aryans, he has also stated some characteristically Aryan attributes such as highly organized, the most enterprising, and the most creative, youngest and intelligent. Through his comparative philological studies, Robert Caldwell in 1856, distinguished Dravid race from Aryan race and endorsed Ary;an race theory. But the real credit for propagation of this theory goes to Maxmullar only. An essay written by him in 1851 increased the popularity of the theory of Aryan race. Straight sharp and beautiful nosed people means Aryans and flat-nosed or Anasas, means noseless people means Dasas or Anarya aborigines was his physiological setting to his pet theory. According to him central Asia might have been the original home of the Aryan race and one of its branch might have been have entered Iran. Thence again one branch separated and reached northern India

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via Afghanistan. And rest of the branchs migrated to Europe. The new comers in India vanished the original natives of land and imposed their Sanskrit language and Aryan culture upon them. Afterwards in 1888, Maxmullar clarified his position in his biography of words and the original home of the Aryans, by describing Aryan as a linguistic group and not a racial group. But by that time some racialists like Joseph Arthur Comte De Gobinaah of France had already started to uphold the Aryan race supremacy theory. In 1854 in his four volume work Essai sur linegalit des races humaines ( Inequality of Human Races ) he had divided human being in three races. According to him the Aryans are fair complexioned and superior to all and most influential race. He expanded Aryan race theory in this way by belittling other races. Here in India in 1856 A British Dr. Norman Chivers from Calcutta, While throwing light on the racial similarities of the English and Indians, had also pronounced the racial differences between Indian Aryans and tribal peoples of India. John Wilson is another one name who is recognized as an important propagator of Aryan race and invasion theory. His book India three thousand years ago published in 1858 endorses Aryan Invasion theory. He points out the conflict between Aryan verses Dravidian and sow the seeds of north-south conflict in India. He has also declared the Indian tries to be of non-Aryan race origins. Not only this, he differentiated Anaryas and stated that, The Aryans and ourselves, it is hence obvious, are cousin in the human family. The theory of Aryan Invasion gained more force after Stuart Piggott and Sir Mortimer Wheeler had declared some amputated human skeletons found scattered in the site of the excavation of Mohenjodaro, to bear the evidence to Aryan invasion.1 When European archeologist, anthropologists, historians, philologist were vehemently upholding the Aryan race theory, Aryan Foreign home and Aryan

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invasion on more or less scale it is interesting as much as illuminating to so see the response of the Indians to these theories. At the out set, these theories were embraced by the Brahmin Nationalist in India. In Europe, Maxmullar described the visit of Raja Ram Mohan Roy to England as an event of the, Meeting again of the two great branches of the Aryan race, after they had been separated so long that they had lost all recollection of their common origin, common language, and common faith.2 Before Maxmullar A Brahmo samajist leader Keshub Chunder Sen, had also given as sentimental call as that of Maxmuller to the all Aryan Brethern. In a public address in 1877, he declaired,Gentlemen, in the advent of the English nation in India we see a reunion of parted cousins, the descendenrs of two different families of the ancient race.3 Here in Maharashtra also Vishnushastri Chiplunkar and Tilak had accepted the theory of Aryan race supremacy and their foreign origin. Chiplunkar was also sure about the Aryan Brotherhood. He used to address the Britishers as Our Western Aryan Brothers.4 As for the original homeland of Aryans, he had conceded to the theory of the European Indologists. They fixed the original homeland of the Aryans to be some where between Europe and Asia. They scattered to both of the opposite directions from that place and reached far away places. One of such eastwardly tribe might have arrived to Iran and established these and the other moved towards Panchnad.5 In his opinion, the original residents of Iran belonged to Aryan Branch and ancient Hindus and Parsis might have been very closely connected in those ancient periods.6 Besides this, the narration of Mahatma Phule about the roots of the Iranians in his Gulamgiri arouses a sense of pride in Chiplunkar reflecting Brahmanical inclinations. He exults at a greatness of Aryans. According to him, the Brahmins were praiseworthy for their nobility. In his words, Who can excel them in nobility and greatness.

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They came from far away Iran to India, conquered India, handed hover the Kingdom to Kshatriya and crowned them, consigned commercial activities to Vaishas and chose for themselves forest life, and then what can be more obliging and great? They restored the kingdoms to subjugated Dasas and returned back to forests and become gain the lords of the roots and shoots, words fall short to praise their garland.7 On its contrary, Mahatma Phule and Ramswami Periyar from South, in Twentieth Century had given rise to a conflict theme of foreign invadors Arya Brhmin -verses- Anarya Dravid Shudratishudra. Through his critic on

Cultural History of India, Mahatma Phule narrates, The Brahmin folks are the natives of the country called Iran lying beyond the sea. Long ago, they were known as Irani or Arya folk. These Aryans came to India in very big nomadic tribal groups and invaded India. Their attacks followed one after another causing great perturbation in India. Our ancestors were conquered and enslaved by them.8 Ramswamy Periyar seems to have accepted the ideological position of Mahatma Phule. In one of his Public Address at Madras, he said, Brahmin folks are not original natives of this land. They came to India as nomadic tribe.9 During the same period, Swami Dayanand Saraswati, Yogi Arbindo and Swami Vivekanand had started to refute the theory of Aryan invasion, with a view to maintain superiority of the Aryan Culture. According to Dayanand Saraswati, the Aryans are the soverign rulers of the earth. Sanskrit scripts are cited by him in refuting the invasion theory. In his view, how can sensible people believe in the imaginary tales of the foreigners ---no Sanskrit book or history records that the Aryas came here from Iran,and defeating the inhabitants of the country in battles, drove them away and proclaimed themselves the rulers of the country. How can then the writings of foreigners be worth believing in the teeth of this testimony?10 Yogi Arbindo opines, the indications in the Veda on which this theory of a recent

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Aryan invasion is built are very scanty in quantity and uncertain in significance. There is no actual mention of any such invasion. The distinction between Aryan and un-Aryan on which so much has been built seems on the mass of evidence to indicate a cultural rather than a racial difference.11 While negating the invasion theory, Swami Vivekanand even invoked the scholars to come forward to oppose this theory. He says, ... the Aryans swooping down from some foreign land, snatching away the lands of the aborigines and settling in India by exterminating them, is all pure nonsense, foolish talk!12 Afterwards, V. D. Savarkar and Golwalkar Guruji stood on a very slippery ground when they declared that almost all belongings to Hindu religion are Aryans. Both of them were possessed with an excessive pride of Aryan race. It can be also felt from the following quotation of Veer Savarkar. He says, It is here on the holy banks of Sindhu where the valorous first tribes of the Aryans had kindled the first sacrificial fire long before the rise of Babylonian and the Egyptian cultures. --- By the time, the seceded from their creeds of Aryan Brotherhood, especially from Parsikas their settlements had spread up to the farthest boundaries beyond Saptasindus.13 Here, while claiming Aryan culture to be the most ancient, he has particularly called the Parsians as brotherhood caste. He says, Only Vedic Brahmin or Chandal was not the

problem. All those people who only shared similar culture, similar blood, one state, and one reign in common were recognized as Aryans 14..... We, all Hindus are one folk and also one nation chiefly because our blood is similar.15 The new creed called Hindu sprung from admixture of blood of the Aryans, Colereans, Dravids, who were all our ancestors.16 laying emphasis on the glorification of Aryan culture, Golwalkar Guruji like Savarkar had given more importance to organizing Hindu nation. He expressed the pride of Aryan culture as, - we are eternal we have established here a developed social life, great culture and unique social structure-

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All the rest of the human race is not more than a biped animal. We were called Aryans to show our uniqueness from the rest of the human.17 About foreign original home of Aryans and Aryan invasion theory he had to declare, This is the mischievous propaganda of cunning Britishers for their imperialistic gains.18 He was clearly aware that open pride of Aryanism may prove as an impediment in creating Hindu nation, therefore, he suggested all along to use Hindu in place of Arya.19 Though he refused the foreign home of Aryans, he was cautious not to harm the Arctic home of Aryas- theory of him revered hero Lokmanya Tilak. In order to show respect to this theory, he took a stand that, modern scientific research has shown the North Pole not to be stationary, and that quite long ago it was in that part of the world ---which is called Bihar and Orissa ay present.20 From all this discussion, it can be seen that positions taken by the Brahmin nationalists on the issue of Aryan Problem had undergone changes in accordance with the changed political sceneries. The main reasons behind the shifts in the positions of the Brahmin nationalists can be discussed as follows: a) The protagonists of the Aryan Race, Invasion and Foreign Home land were branded as invaders and barbarians by the satyashodhak movement of Mahtma Phule and later on by non-Brahmin movements. This anti - Aryan movements objected to the glorification of the Aryans. They threw a challenge before the Brahmins by proclaiming the shudratishudras to be the original native sons of the land. The rightful ownership of the motherland was a big moral challenge to be faced by the Brahmin nationalists. For dispelling this challenge, the Brahmin nationalists had to change their stand on the Aryan problems. b) Secondly, the Christians, the Mohammedans and all other non-Hindus were presumed to be non-Indians and anti-nationals due to the promulgation of the Father land - Holy land theory of Veer Savarkar. If Muslims were to be kept at

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bay in political battles because of their foreign origin, then it was consequently essential to disown role of invader, and the foreign home theories. Under the circumstances of playing anti-Muslim politics, it was very inconvenient for the Brahmins nationalists to keep abreast their prior theories of Aryan Invasion and Foreign Origin of Aryans. C) Independent India embraced parliamentary form of a democratic government after British ruler had left. Now political power would only be acquired through free elections only. On this background, it became openly impracticable to glorify the supremacy of Aryan race. Because, now in the arena of politics, there were Dalits, Adivasis, non-Brahmin and B.C.s in majority and to go against their interest would result into several blow to overall Brahmin hegemony. Therefore new stance was assumed by them as a matter of political strategy. In the name of Hindu nationalism and in avoidance of the conflict between Brahmin and Non-Brahmin castes they gave a call to all Hindu folds to unite under their leadership. As a part of their policy, they now started to praise the supremacy of Hindu religion and Hindu culture in place of Aryan race and culture. Under constrain of political necessity now they have undertaken the campaign of rewriting our history. The RSS fold is at its forefront. Established theories and facts in history which are inconvenient to their interests are being destroyed on a large scale. Special emphasis is laid on a refuting the Aryan Invasion and Aryan Foreign Origin. But they are unscrupulously distorting the history in a big way by forwarding the obverse theory that the Aryans are the native of India.21Most surprisingly some of the RSS scholars are taking recourse to the witness of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar to substantiate their obverse theory. The position taken by some of the RSS fold scholars implies that Dr. B. R. Ambedkar agrees with the opinion that Aryans were

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the original natives of India and indirectly, he justifies the Hindu nationalism.22Such propaganda is being carried out by them. The RSS fold scholars often cites the following extracts of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar in support of their obverse theory A) So far as the Rig Veda is concerned, there is not a particle of evidence

suggesting the invasion of India by the Aryans from outside India. ---so far as the testimony of the Vedic literature is concerned, it is against the theory that the original home of the Aryans was outside India.23 B) There is no evidence in the Vedas of any invasion of India by the Aryan race

and its having conquered the Dasas and Dasyus supposed to be natives of India.--There is no evidence to show that the distinction between Aryans, Dasas and Dasyus was a racial distinction.24 Do the above extracts really disclose any such meaning which the R.S.S. fold has contemplated? It may be the probable question to be raised. To answer it some more questions should be raised. Does it mean while negating the invasion then immigration has also been denied? Does it mean that in absence of any evidence in the Vedas means there is absolutely no possibilities of any evidence from other sources too? Does Dr. B. R. Ambedkar suppose the Dasa and Dasyus to be the aborigines of India? All these questions will have to be answered in negative. The above statements of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar only mean that the evidences sought for are present in the Vedic literature. Now it is necessary to observe the ideological position of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar in respect of the Aryan enigmatic issues, without which it is not possible to deduce any confirmed meaning of his statements.

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Refutation of the Theory of Aryan Race

Is there an Aryan race in the physical sense of the term? Putting up this question Dr. B. R. Ambedkar has analysed the various perspectives related with the issue of Aryan race.25 He has brought about the inconsistencies between the thoughts of Ripley and Prof. Maxmuller and opined on the basis of the Rig Veda samhita in an unequivocal word, The term Aryan which occurs in the Vedas have not been used in the racial sense at all.26 According to him, the conflict between Dasas and Aryas was not a conflict race.27 Dr. Bopp has assayed to prove the independent existence of the Aryan race on the basis of Philological proposition. According to Dr.Ambedkar, the coclusion drawn by Dr. Bopp is a sheer inference only.28 Since, the theory of Aryan race is not acceptable, Dr. Ambedkar aptly says that,The Aryans were not a race. The Aryans were a collection of people29 ---The theory of the Aryan race is just assumption and no more.30 Beside that he explains that,-- 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, while clarifying the matter; he remarks that, the Brahmin Scholar most willingly hails it. The Aryan race theory is not dead because of the acceptance by majority of the Brahmin Scholars.31But today, it has been generally accepted that the concept of Aryan race is false. Nevertheless, there are discussions on the Aryans original home and Aryan invasion by presuming the existence of the Aryan race. The protagonists of these theories believe in dual nationalism. They think themselves to be Aryans and relegate other Hindus to the race of Anaryas. The underlying cause is to share supremacy of race and take pride by establishing kindred relationship with the Europeans. Though Prof. Max Muller was a protagonist of these theories

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in his earlier days, later on he substantially displayed the misleading logic behind these theories (1880). But the abuse already had spread allover through the writings of British Historian J. R. Green, Thomas Carlyle and a French raciest Gobinaah by that time. Maxmuller writes that, --- if I say Aryas, I mean neither blood nor bones, nor hair nor skull.32 further he explains that the people speaking Aryan language is the only meaning he intends when he speaks of Arya. Romila Thapar has said that, The concept of an Aryan race fell apart. Race is essentially a social construct, although initially it was claimed to be based on biology. Recent genetic studies have further invalidated this claim. It is therefore more correct to refer to the Indo Aryan speaking people than to the Aryans--- It is important to emphasize that it refers to a language group and not to race, and language groups can incorporate a variety of people.33 Now the Scholars connected to RSS are also rejecting Aryan race theory.34 An American ethnological institute in its Dec. 1938 resolution had stated that, there is no racial significance attached to the terms Aryan and Semitic, from the racial point of view. They only denote two language families.35 UNESCO, from time to time, arranges conferences and seminars and organise committees of researchers and the expert scholars in order to probe racial problems from the biological point of view. A resolution was unanimously accepted at the conference of researchers and scholars from over the entire world organise on 12-18 August, 1964 at Mosco. Where in it was stated that, the entire human population of the World en-mass belongs to one race called Homosapian and thus belongs to one and only origin. --- In view of genetics, the phenomena called pure race is not in existence at all.36 In the manifesto on the subject of race and racial distinctions of the scholars from entire world at Paris on 26 Sept. 1968, It was stated that there is no scientific evidence to any racial theory

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and the present world population comprises of one biogenetic race and only one origin.37 On the above background, it can be seen that Arya is now understood as a cultural or a language group. In this context, it must be conceded that Dr. B. R. Ambedkar had assumed an extremely scientific point of view on this matter. Today it has been generally accepted that the conviction of the Aryan Race is False. Often, debates are carried out under the presumption of the existence of Aryan race and lots of talks are centered on original homeland of Aryas and Aryan invasion. Here, we have discussed Dr.Ambedkars opinion on the theory of the Aryan race in order to take heed of that mistake.

Critique on the Theories of Original Homeland As for the original home of the Aryas, Dr. B. R. Ambedkar has similarly assumed a very scientific and logical role. Dr. B. R. Ambedkar does not agree with the idea of inferring the existence of the Aryan race based on the idea of the Aryan linguistic cluster and thereby inferring their common original habitat. He says that common original habitat is an inference from inference.38 It is wrong and unscientific to reach to any conclusion based on wrong foundation or wrong inference. Benfey and Geiger have tried to search the original homeland of the Aryas with the help of common vocabulary of Aryan languages. Dr. Ambedkar has taken the cognizance of their studies. According to Benfey the location is the north of the Black Sea whereas Geiger puts it at more to the North-West of the Black Sea in Central and Western Germany. That was their inference about the home of the Aryans was in Caucasia. Dr. Ambedkar has also refuted the Caucasian theory39

which is based on the arguments of Replay. In this context, one important point

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must be kept in mind, that the main basis of arguments of Repley is the Aryan race theory. The so called physical characteristics connected with the Aryan race are taken for granted by him and on that basis he denied the Caucasian theory. Since the Aryan race theory originally proved to be unscientific, it is not possible to accept any conclusion drawn on this basis. By taking note of the astronomical and climatic phenomenon in the region and round about the North Pole Lokmanya Tilak has suggested that the original home of the Aryan race was in the Artic Region. The objection of Dr. Ambedkar on the theory of Lokmanya Tilak is that, the horse is a favorite animal of the Vedic Aryans. It was most intimately connected with their life and religion He raises the question, Was the horse to be found in the Arctic region. The decision given by Dr. B. R. Ambedkar on this point is, if the answer to this question is in the negative, then the arctic home theory becomes very precarious.40Dr. Ambedkar also indicates that ,---the horse was a rare and a necessary animal for the Aryans in their conquest of India.41

Horse cannot exist in the Arctic region

and also it cannot be traced in the archaic strata belonging to pre-Aryans times in India. The RSS fold has often put forward their claims of the existence of the horse but so far they have not been able to adduce their claim with the help of any substantial evidence that can be commonly accepted. Their trick of presenting the bull of Harapa as Horse is well known to all.42 On the archaeological evidences, the great historian R. S. Sharma has shown the commencement of horse to India.43 Accordingly, it is a fact that horse came to India only along with the Aryans. Dr. Ambedkar has denied the theory of Lokmanya on the criterion about the existence of horse. The same criterion must be applied to the theories of all who try to seek the roots of the Aryans in India. The theory, purporting India to be

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the original home of the Aryas collapses on the basis of the criterion which Dr. B. R. Ambedkar himself has applied, if the matter is to be adjudged in a fair way. At one place, Dr. Ambedkar has cited a reference from Prof. D. S. Triveda about the original home of the Aryas. According to Prof. Triveda, the Aryans have reverently mentioned the names of the rivers such as Ganga, Yamuna, Saraswati in the Rig Veda, therefore, they might not be foreigners44 but again we have to bear in our mind a very important point that when the Aryans moved on to new lands they brought with them their names of the rivers.45 Dr. B. R. Ambedkar has cited from the work of Mr. P. T. Shrinivas Iyengar in the context of the Aryan Invasion Theory. According to the Mr. Ayangar, the Aryans might have repeatedly pronounced themselves as invader and as a conqueror in Rig Veda but it could be hardly found so in it.46 Referring to Rig Veda Dr. B. R. Ambedkar mentions that there were, --occurrences of sporadic riots in between the two. It is certainly not an evidence of the conquest or subjugation. ----- These conflicts were, religious and not racial as is evidenced by the Rig Veda itself. ---- there is obviously no room for a theory of military conquest by the Aryan race of the Non-Aryan races of Dasas or Dasuyus.47 It clearly means that Dr. B. R. Ambekar does not deny the conflict between the Aryans against the Dasas and Dasyus. He denied the theory of military conquest. In this context, there is one extremely important point that even if he does not agree with the invasion theory he accepts the theory of migration of the Aryans. Romila Thapar has also casted her vote on the side of migration of the Aryans. She argued that,despite little archaeological evidence of a large scale Aryan invasion with a displacement of the existing cultures, there is linguistic evidence of the Indo-Aryan language belonging to the Indo-European family, having been brought to northern India from beyond the Indo-Iranian borderlands and evolving

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through a series of probably small-scale migrations and settlements.48 ------ The theory of an Aryan Invasion no longer has credence. The Rig Veda refers to skirmishes between groups. Some among those who identify themselves as Aryas and some between the Aryas and Dasas.49 Though he has discarded the theory of invasion, Dr. Ambedkar says that the theory of invasion is an invention .This invention is necessary because of its gratuitous assumption which underlies the Western theory. The assumption is that the Indo-Germanic people are the purest form of the modern representatives of the original Aryan race. Its first home is assumed to have been somewhere in Europe.50 Dr. B. R. Ambedkar has suggested here that the Westerners have constructed a theory of the Aryan invasion on India in order to secure their imperial interests. the Brahmin beleaves in two nation theory. ---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 nonBrahmins.51 this conclusion is given by Dr.Ambedkar.

Two Waves of the Aryans and the Theory of Migration Very important analysis is given by Dr.Ambedkar on the Aryan issue in the chapter entitled as an Aryans against Aryans of Who Were the Shudras. He denied the homogeneous nature of the Aryan people; and focused on their internal conflicts, diversities and their migrations. Citing some verses from Rig Veda as a reference, Dr. B. R. Ambedkar brings it to our notice that, there were two different communities of Aryans who were not only different but opposed and inimical to each other. The existence of two Aryan races is not a matter of conjecture or interpretation. It is fact in support of which there is abundant

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evidence. 52 The Atharvaveda was not recognised by the Brahmin as sacred as the Rig Veda for a long time. In the whole Brahminical literature, there are different ideologies, particularly, relating to creations and there are two different types of Aryas, i.e. one believing in Chaturvarna and the other not believing in it.53 Besides, at one place, they have also classified themselves as Vedic Aryas and Avedic Aryas.54 Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar has emphatically argued that there was not only a single group of the Aryans in India but there was two kinds of them and this preposition carries strong evidence in the anthropometry and history. Western theory speaks of one Aryan race; the Rig Veda speaks of the two Aryan races. It is implied here that race means a group of people who spoke Indo-Aryan language.55 Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar has justified his opinions by taking help from the anthropological studies of Sir Herbert Risley, Dr. Guha and Prof. Ripley. on this basis Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar has set up that the Indian Aryans are composed of two stocks that is (1) Mediterranean and (2) Alpine. These two stems are linguistically Aryans in the context of their original homeland. The remark of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar is of utmost importance, he says, about the Mediterranean race, it is admitted that its home was in European basin and from thence it migrated to India. From its localization it is clear that It must have come to India before the entry of the Alpine race. Dr. Ambedkar has agreed with the opinion of Prof. Ripley about original homeland of the Alpine race was in Asia somewhere in the Himalayas, especially of the Pamir region, the Western imalayan highlands just here on the roof of the world.56 Dr. B. R. Ambedkar has also explained the term, Aryan race, was used in a philological sense. Rajesh Kochar has also mentioned the existence of two waves of Aryans in his book.57

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Summing Up Now we can gisted here the ideas and the opinion of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar on the theories of Aryans origin and Aryan invasion. The points that come up as follows:1) 2) Dr. B. R. Ambedkar has completely denied the theory of Aryan race The term Arya denotes cultural or lingual groups of people and not a race. 3) 4) The theory of Aryan Invasion is unhistorical. The invasion on India by the Aryan has been denied by him, but he has suggested the migration theory. 5) There has been no homogenous existence of a community called Aryans in the history 6) The Aryans came to India in two streams i.e. (1) Mediterranean and (2) Alpine 7) 8) The Mediterranean Aryans hailed from the Europe The Alpines through Pamir region and Himalayan Highlands migrated to India 9) The stand taken by the RSS fold indicating that the Aryans are

native of India dos not agree with Dr. Ambedkars view but the scholars from the RSS fold are deliberately distorting the opinions of Dr.Ambedkar. He has nowhere said that the Aryans are the aborigines of India. 10) The position taken by Dr. Ambedkar on this issue is also not supportive to the stand taken by the non-Brahmin masses.

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In order to test the credibility of the above conclusions, we can resort to the other references and details from him who were the shudras. In this book he has not searched the roots of the Shudras of today. He searches the roots of the Shudras belongs to Indo-European communities. According to him, Shudras were originally the Aryans.58 But out of Shudras, Dasa and Dasyus none were the aborigines of India.59 It means all of them are Aryans then does it not behove that they are outsiders? We can answer this question assertively. According to him, the criterion of the horse is of immense value in deciding the original home of the Aryas. In the foregone discussion we have talked about the existence of horse along with the inception of the Aryas in India, showing their migration to India from outside. He has also clearly mentioned in a lecture delivered at Ludhiyana on 28 Oct. 1959 that, the Aryan came to India from foreign places.60 On appreciating his position on the enigmatic problems of the Aryas in Indian history, one thing comes before us very conspicuously that this is the very challenging and complicated issue in our Indian History. Therefore he agrees in this regards that, the matter is not quite so simple as Western Writers have supposed61 All must know it. Either propounding these theories in a shallow sense may be convenient for the politicians to grind their axe, but such stipulations are not helpful from the historical point of view. All such oversimplification of the history is not consistent with the position of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar. He has handled this issue in keeping with the extremely sensible truth seeking social scientists role. He avoided to gain a political milage out of this issue and prevented to succumb to political convenience and oversimplification. On the other hand he has applied logically scientific methodology to propagate his opinion. Since Veer Savarkar treats non-Hindus as unIndian as a matter of political policy, But in the opinion of Dr. Ambedkar it is not right on our part likewise to treat

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Brahmin as Foreign Invaders. He does not see to this problem from such narrow political strategy. His controlled and thoughtful stand on this issue today has been proved on the scientifically historical criterion. Even now the pro-Bahujan scholars and politicians regard the conflicts between foreign Aryan invader and the native non-Brahmin Bahujans as the main stay of their idiology. Actually, it is totally wrong to hold all the Brahmins as outsider Aryans. It is unhistorical even. In the progression of history some castes and tribes might have uplifted themselves in to Brahmin varna.. There are several evidences of this type and this fact should not be overlooked. It is the strong conviction of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar that not a single race in India exists in its pure form. All Indians inherit admixture of several races.62 Citing Dr. G. R. Bhandarkar, he has indicated that there is hardly a class, or Caste in India which has not a foreign strain in it.63 In our own interests we all shall have to concede to it and accept it. The conflict theme of foreign Aryans versus aborigines Dalit Bahujan is illusory and imperfect. Now in India the real social conflict is between exploiters class castes versus exploited class castes. Until we come to know this actually, the movements of the exploited class-castes will not be stands on its own strength. Now-a-days the exploiting class-castes under the influence of Brahminism has assumed a Fascist Facade and they are working as agencies of American Imperialism and the multinational companies. That way the intensity of exploitation has been increasing. In such situation it is hardly relevant to raise such questions as to who are the foreign invadors? Or who is the native aborigines of the land? All such questions are illusory and irrelevant. Point is to locate the exploiters and unification and freedom of the exploited masses.

Notes and Refferences

20

1.

This discussion on the role of European Indologists' in Aryan debate is based on following reference books.--a) Bryant Edwin; The Quest for The Origins of vedic culture - The IndoAryan Migration Debate ; Oxford University Press; India; 2001; p-13-56 & p. 267-297. in this book He offers comprehensive examination of this debate with plentiful details and Refferences. b) Kochhar Rajesh; The Vedic People-Their History and Geography; Orient Longman; India; 2002. c) Swarup devendra; Genisis of the Aryan race theory and its applications to Indian History; in "The Aryan Problem"(edited by- Deo S.B. and Suryakant Kamath); Bharatiya Itihas Sankalan Samitti, Pune 1993,p.3039

2)

Maxmullar; Biographical Essays; London,1884;p.13; quoted in- Kochhar Rajesh; The Vedic People-Their History and Geography; Orient Longman; India; 2002. p.9

3)

Sen Keshub Chunder; Philosopy and Madness in Religion;In lectures in India, Vol.1; Cassel and co.; London; p.325.--quoted in Kochhar Rajesh; The Vedic People- Their History and Geography; Orient Longman;India;

2002. p.10 4) 5) 6) 7) 8) Chiplunkar Vishnushastri; Nibandhmala (in marathi);p.1229 &1267 Chiplunkar Vishnushastri; Nibandhmala (in marathi);p.615 Chiplunkar Vishnushastri; Nibandhmala (in marathi);p.606-607 Chiplunkar Vishnushastri; Nibandhmala (in marathi);p.1029 Mahatma Phule Samagra Vaangmaya; 4th edition ( ed.Phadke Y.D.); maharashtra rajya sahitya sanskriti mandal, mumbai; 1991;p.143

21

9)

saravade

Bhimrao;

Periyar

Ramswami;

samata

prakashan;

Nagpur;1998;p.54 10) Bryant Edwin; The Quest for The Origins of vedic culture - The Indo-Aryan Migration Debate ; Oxford University Press; India; 2001; p-55 11) Bryant Edwin; The Quest for The Origins of vedic culture - The Indo-Aryan Migration Debate ; Oxford University Press; India; 2001; p-55 12) Bryant Edwin; The Quest for The Origins of vedic culture - The Indo-Aryan Migration Debate ; Oxford University Press; India; 2001; p-56 13) 14) 15) 16) 17) Savarkar V.D.; Hindutva(marathi); pub.-Damale G.V.;1947;p.7 Savarkar V.D.; Hindutva(marathi); pub.-Damale G.V.;1947;p.36 Savarkar V.D.; Hindutva(marathi); pub.-Damale G.V.;1947;p.42 Savarkar V.D.; Hindutva(marathi); pub.-Damale G.V.;1947;p.122-123 Golwalkar M.S.; Vichardhan(marathi); Bharatiy Vichar Sadhana; pune; 1987; 18) p.54

Golwalkar M.S.; Vichardhan(marathi); Bharatiy Vichar Sadhana; pune; 1987; p.78

19)

Golwalkar M.S.; Vichardhan(marathi); Bharatiy Vichar Sadhana; pune; 1987; p.92

20)

Bryant Edwin; The Quest for The Origins of vedic culture - The Indo-Aryan Migration Debate ; Oxford University Press; India; 2001; p-273

21)

R.S.Bist, Sitaram Goyal, N.R.Varadhpande, Sriram Sathe, S.B.Deo, S.R.Rao, Navratna Rajaram, Subhash Kak, Jemes Schophar, Mark Kenoyer, S.P.Gupta, Bhagwan Singh, B.G.Siddharth, K.D.Abhankar, P.V.Pathak, Srikant Talgeri, K.D.Sethana, S.Kalyanraman;

B.B.Chakravarti, Gorge Cuiersten, D. Frawale, Koenraad Elst, Bhiku Idate, Ramesh Patange, etc. these scholars belonging to RSS

Parivaar were collectively denying the foreign origin of Aryans. 22

22)

A special emphasis was given on the reinterpretation of the Vedic and Aryan culture through a special campaign undertaken by the R.S.S. fold. It was their prime motive to negate the foreignness of the Aryans and their quite put

invasion on Indian soil behind this campaign. Simultaneously a contrasting theory, that the Aryans are the native of this land is being forth and to fortify their say the R.S.S. testimony of the Dr.

fold straightway cite the

Babasaheb Ambedkar.

In this case one scholar from RSS Bhiku Idate, goes so far to say that "his (Dr. Ambedkars) theory that the original homeland of the Aryan was India is a vibrant example of deep patriotism and his research deserves value from the nationalistic point of view." (Idate Bhiku, "Dr.

immense

Ambedkaranche Rashtrachintan" in Karmarkar Arun, Ed.; Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Vayktidarshan, Bhartiya Vicharsadhana, Pune, 1990, p. 6-7) Another R.S.S. swayamsevak Ramesh Patange also took the support of Dr. Ambedkar to show the ethnic homogeneity of Indian people. He says that, "he (Dr. Ambedkar) has also stated that we the Indian people are singularly one and belong to a single race"( Patange Ramesh, Samajik Samarasata Vicharsadhana, Dr. Hedgewar Ani Dr. Ambedkar, Bhartiya

Pune, 1990, p. 25)

N. Mahalingam also referring to the book who were Shudras Written by Dr. Ambedkar; stated that "the Vedas do not carry any information to support the theory of an Aryan race or Aryan invasion The Regveda throws up evidence which denies the theory that the Aryan came from a region outside India." ( Mahalingam N., Home of the Aryans. "The Aryan Problem", DeoS.B. and Suryakant Kamat, Ed.; Bharatiya Itihas Sankalan Samitti, Pune 1993, P. 145). 23

23)

Moon Vasant, Ed., Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar writting and speeches (BAWS) Vol. 7, Edu. Dept. Govt. of Maharashtra, Bombay, 1990, p.74

24)

Moon Vasant, Ed., Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar writting and speeches (BAWS) Vol. 7, Edu. Dept. Govt. of Maharashtra, Bombay, 1990, p.85

25) 26) 27) 28) 29) 30) 31) 32)

BAWS,Vol.7;p.66-70 BAWS, Vol. 7 ; p. 70 BAWS, Vol. 7 ; p. 75 BAWS, Vol. 7 ; p. 78 BAWS, Vol. 3 ; p. 419 BAWS, Vol. 7 ; p. 78 BAWS, Vol. 7 ; p. 80 Maxmullar ; Biography of words and the Home of the Aryans.London, 1888, p. 120. Quoted in Bryant Edwin; The Quest for The Origins of vedic culture - The Indo-Aryan Migration Debate ; Oxford University Press; India; 2001; p.33

33)

Thaper Romila, The Penguin History of Early India. ; Penguine Books, India , 2003, p. 15

34)

As a example of this pls.see the Essays written by Sriram Sathe, N.R. Varahadpande, Devendra Swarup, S.R. Valimbe, K.K. Shastri, in . "The Aryan Bharatiya Itihas Problem", (ed.DeoS.B. and Suryakant Kamat,) ;

Sankalan Samitti, Pune 1993,)

35)

Rooth Benedict; Vansh Ani Vanshvad,(marathi transelation by Minakshi Dixit) ; Maharashtra Rajya Sahitya Sanskriti Mandal, Mumbai; 1984 ; p. 12

36)

Nesturkh M. P. ; manaavjati(hindi trans. By- Naresh Vedi); Pragati Prakashan; 1973, Mosco , p.121

24

37)

Nesturkh M. P. ; manaavjati(hindi trans. By- Naresh Vedi); Pragati Prakashan; 1973, Mosco , p.128

38) 39) 40) 41) 42)

BAWS, Vol. 7 ; p. 78 BAWS, Vol. 7 ; p. 71 BAWS, Vol. 7 ; p. 74 BAWS, Vol. 3 ; p. 174 See the article written by- Michel Vitzel ; Horse Play in Harappa ; in Frontline, Vol.17, No.19, Sept. 30-Oct. 13, 2000, p. 4-14. Sharma R.S., Looking for the Aryans, Orient Longman India 1995, P. 14- 32

43)

44) 45)

BAWS, Vol. 7 ; p. 75 Kochhar Rajesh, The Vedic people, orient Longman, N.Delhi, 2002, P. 140; Sharma R.S., Advent of The Aryans in India, Manohar Pub., N. Delhi, 1999, P. 67

46) 47) 48)

BAWS, Vol. 7 ; p. 74 BAWS, Vol. 7 ; p. 75-76 Thaper Romila, The Penguin History of Early India. ; Penguine Books, India , 2003, p. 15

49)

Thaper Romila, The Penguin History of Early India. ; Penguine Books, India , 2003, p. 105-107

50) 51) 52)

BAWS, Vol. 7 ; p. 78-79 BAWS, Vol. 7 ; p. 80 Dr. Ambedkar indicate towards following verses from Rigveda for convey that there were two communities of Arya 1) Rigveda, VI-33.3 - " Oh Indra Thou hast killed both of our opponents, the Dasas & the Aryans".

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2) Rigveda, VI-60.3 - "Indra and Agni these protectors of the good and righteous suppress the Dasas and Aryan who hurt us." 3) Rigveda, VII -81.1 - "Indra and Varuna killed the Dasas and Aryans who were the enemies of sudas and thus protected sudas from them." 4) Rigveda, VIII -24.27 - "Oh you Indra, who saved us from the hands of the cruel Rakshasas and from the Aryans living on the banks of the Indus, do thou deprive the Dasas of thier weapons." 5) Rigveda, X-38.3 - "Oh you much revered Indra, those Dasas and Aryas who are irreligious and who are our enemies, make it easy for us with your blessings to subdue them with your help we shall kill them" 6) Rigveda, X-86.19 - "Oh you Mameyu, you give him all powers who prays you with your help we will destroy our Arya and our Dasyu enemies. 53) 54) 55) 56) 57) 58) 59) 60) 61) - Quoted in "Who where the Shudras" BAWS, Vol. 7, P. 86.

BAWS, Vol. 7, P. 97. BAWS, Vol. 7, P. 107. BAWS, Vol. 7, P. 100. BAWS, Vol. 7, P. 98-99 Kochhar Rajesh, The Vedic people, orient Longman, N.Delhi, 2002. BAWS, Vol. 7, P.114-121. BAWS, Vol. 7, P.79. BAWS, Vol. 18,part-3, 2002, P.257. BAWS, Vol. 7, P. 100.

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62)

A)

Most of the Indian populations are of a mixed type. India has truly been a melting pot or a fishing net into which have been drawn almost all racial types which have mingled through the process of admixture and a smooth and unhindered gene flow in some regions. ( Singh K.S.; people of India- An Introduction, Vol.1, Anthropological Survey of India, Calcutta, 1992, p. 71.)

B)

With giving the testimony of the ethnologists Dr.Babasaheb Ambedkar indicates towards the fact that, ---the population of India

is a mixture of Aryans, Dravidians, Mongolians and Scythians. All these stocks of people came in to India from various directions and with various cultures, centuries ago.( BAWS, Vol.1, p.6.) and Now the ethnologists are of opinion that men of pure race exist nowhere and that there has been a mixture of all races in all parts of the world.(BAWS, Vol.1, p.48) 63) BAWS, Vol. 1. P. 48.

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