ANCIENT INDIA: INDUS VALLEY

CIVILZATION

UNIT 2.3 – GROWTH OF ARYANS

WEEK 2
 Learning Objectives

Discuss the civilization of Aryans and its impact on

01 sub-continent.
Ganges Valley Civilization/ The
Vedic Period/Aryans: 1500 BC
– 500 BC

Forerunners of Hinduism and

Buddhism
Ganges Valley Civilization (The Vedic Period):
1500 BC – 500 BC
• Also called as Age of Aryans.
• Early Vedic Period: 1500 BC – 1200 BC
• Later Vedic Period: 1100 BC – 500 BC
• Aryans: Indo-European peoples
• Migrated from Central Asia to India in 1500 BC.
• Defeated the Dravidians of Indus valley and
settled along with Indus river.
• Later spread themselves in Gangetic valley
• First divided into many tribes which was also
a political unit.
 Social Life
• Patriarchal
• Profession division not religious
Division of Society

Brahmans Kshatriyas Vaisiyas Sudra

Cultivators,
Priest: religious Princes and traders and Laborers
learning warriors artisans and serfs
 Culture
• Class was not determined by birth but by
profession
• Inter-marriages and inter-mixing was common
• Mostly lived in villages
• Chief occupation was agriculture
• Excelled in handicraft and jewellery arts
• Developed industry and commerce: pottery,
weaving, metal-work, boat-making and
chariot-making etc.
 Religious Life
• Polytheism
• Worshipped many features of nature as
gods
• Idol-worship was not there and also no
temples.
• Purohita (Brahman priest) used to conduct
religious rituals.
• Surya – sun god, Vishnu – sky god, Varuna – god
of rain, Indra – god of light, Agni – god of fire.
 Vedas

• Vedas are most prominent feature of Aryan

age.
• Religious books and fine pieces of
literature in Sanskrit.
• Collection of prayers and chants in poetry and
prose.
• Veda divided into two parts: Vedenta and Upan-
ishads.
• Vedenta developed in early Vedic period
Early Vedic Age
 Vedas
• Monistic beliefs and ideal life style
• Upanishads: Emerged in later Vedic period
• Deals with religious philosophy of Aryans.
• Gave concepts of Brahama (Universal Soul),
Maya (material life as illusion), Samsara (rebirth of in-
dividual soul), Karma (actions and deeds), and
Nirvana (attainment of eternal bliss).
• Vedas provided the foundation for Buddhism and Hin-
duism
Upanishad Age
 End of Aryans

• Around 500 BC, the age of Aryans

ended in India and followed by
beginning of two major religions; Hinduism
and Buddhism.
 Resources and References
• Reading material
- Glance of World History Across Time, The Early Ages – Kentucky Edition,
Chapter 6: Early India
- Ancient Civilizations – India by Wendy Conklin
- World History: Ancient Civilizations, Chapter 7: Ancient India
- The Culture and Civilization of Ancient India in Historical Outline by D.D. Kosambi
- The Hindu Traditions Part 1- India’s early Cultures, Chapter 1: The Indus Valley
Civilization
- The Indus Civilization by A. H. Dani and B.K. Thapar
 Resources and References
• Web
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Aryan
https://www.ancient.eu/Aryan/
https://www.eurocanadian.ca/2019/02/the-decline-and-f
all-of-aryan.html
• YouTube Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LYioyRKZT0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCzulW_kGMk