The history and traditions of India does not support an Aryan Invasion Theory

Dear Editor,

The history and traditions of India does not support an Aryan Invasion Theory

No one can deny the foreign invasions and military conquests of India by other races. However, what is strongly objected to is the ‘Aryan invasion theory’.

The notion of the Aryans being a race finds no support in Indian literature or tradition. The word ‘Arya’ in Sanskrit means ‘noble’. The authoritative Sanskrit lexicon, Amarakosha, gives the following definition: “One who hails from a noble family, good-natured and of righteous conduct.”

In the Ramayana (over 10,000 years old), Rama is praised as an “Arya, who worked for the equality of all, and dear to everyone.” In the Gita, over 5000 years ago, Arjuna was reprimanded by Sri Krishna for conduct ‘not becoming of an Arya’. The Rg Veda also uses the word ‘Arya’ thirty-six times, but never to mean a race.

An extraordinary feature of the history of ancient India is that its creators were neither Indians nor historians, but European linguists and colonial officials. Colonial interests, together with other factors that had nothing to do with ancient India have conspired to create a version of history in which it was claimed that all her achievements were the results of invasions.

Yours sincerely,

Pt. R. Balbadar