Who Were the Aryans?

For many decades scholars have disputed the 'Aryan question' trying to decide when and how the Indo-Aryan tribes came to India. The question as to the original homeland of the Aryans also has been a subject of controversy.

Some scholars see the entry of the Aryans as the subjugation of backward aborigines by highly advanced Aryans who brought civilization to India and set up an advanced society there. Interpretations based on the race theory have stressed the racial differences, which supposedly existed between the 'racially genuine' Aryans and the people of India and have completely rejected the possibility of any independent development and progress on the part of the local population. According to these theories, it was only after the appearance of the Aryans that a highly developed society and civilization emerged and took shape in India.

The discovery of an advanced civilization in the Indus valley forced many scholars to review their earlier theories. The only people who can be classified as Aryans are the ancient Iranians and the ancient Indo-Aryans, who referred to themselves as Aryans and the regions in which they lived as the 'land of the Aryans'. The actual word Aryans, come from ari, which in the Vedic period meant 'foreigner' or 'stranger', while arya meant 'connected with newcomers' or 'favorably disposed towards newcomers' and later 'man of noble descent'.

Studies based on comparative linguistics and the findings of other sciences have shown that there was a time when the ancient Iranians and the ancient Indians did live together, constituting the so-called Indo - Iranian community. This is borne out by the close parallel in the languages of the two peoples and their literary heritage, so also the Avesta of the ancient Iranians and the Rig-Veda of the ancient Indians. Also, there is similarity in their religious beliefs and many of their ancient social institutions.

Some scholars believe that the original homeland of the Aryans, or the territory inhabited by the ancestors of the Iranians and Indians is Central Asia. So me others believe that their origin is from Southern Russia. But there is no confirmation available yet on the routes taken by them to arrive in India. It is strongly believed that their lengthy migration took place by two or more routes consisting of several waves of people.

The question that which parts of India these migrants penetrated first remains unanswered. But the written texts of the Indo-Aryans that have survived their cruel past mention that they settled in the eastern Punjab and the upper reach of the rivers, Yamuna and the Ganges. Contrary to the accepted belief, this shows that the Indo-Aryans tribes did not settle in areas that coincided with the main centers of the Harappan civilization.