Bellringer

• “Delusion arises from anger. The mind is bewildered by delusion. Reasoning is destroyed when the mind is bewildered. One falls down when reasoning is destroyed.”

-Bhagavad Gita

India Today

Manipuri Bollywood

Early Civilizations in India and ChinaChapter 3 Section 2

Kingdoms of the GangesThe Ganges river is considered the most sacred body of water in India.

It sources comes from a Glacier that is located on the _____________mountains.

Myths:The Ganga was considered to be a goddess in ancient texts of the Vedas and Puranas. It is believed that Ganga descended from the heaven and is invoked in the religious books for graces to be bestowed.

ARYAN CIVILIZATION

Aryans

• The Aryans were an Indo –European people who migrated across Europe and Asia seeking water and pasture for their horses.

• What is the most appropriate term to label the Aryan civilization?

• The early Aryans built no cities or left no statutes.

• We are able to learn about the Aryans through the Vedas or a collection of prayers, hymns and religious teachings.

Divided by Occupation

• Brahmins – Priests• Kshatriyas – Warrior• Vaisyas – herders,farmers, artisans,

merchants.At first warriors at the top of the hierarchy then

because Brahmins claimed that they alone could conduct the ceremonies needed to win the favor of the gods.

Wealth

Vedas

Caste System

• The Vedas also reveal that the Aryans felt superior to the Dravidians, the people they conquered.

• The Aryans separated Dravidians and non-Aryans into a fourth and lower class known as the Sudras.

Aryan Religious belief

• Originally, the vedas document that the Aryans were polytheistic. For example, Aryans worshipped snake Gods and Monkey Gods.

• As time progressed, Aryans were believed to start moving toward the single notion of a brahman and mysticism.

From Nomads to Farmers

• Aryan tribes were lead by rajahs.

• Eventually they gave up their nomadic ways and settled into villages to grow crops and breed cattle.

• Aryans spread eastward to colonize the heavily forested Ganges.

• Tribal leaders fought to control trade and territory across the northern plain.

Epic Literature

• Mahabharata (India’s greatest epic)The Pandava brothers lose

their kingdom to their cousins in an 18 day battle. They then regain their kingdom.

• Ramayana• This story recounts the

deed of the hero Rama and his beautiful bride Sita. She is kidnapped by the demon king Ravana. Eventually she is rescued by Rama.

Review Questions

• 1. What do the Vedas tell us about Aryan religion?• 2. Who were the Dravidians? How did they encourage the

development of the caste system in Indian society?• 3. Why were the Brahmins at the top of the hierarchy instead

of the Kshatriyas ?• 4. Examining the caste system, compare and contrast the

sudras verses the vaisyas? Why would the sudras be beneath the vsaiyas?

• 5. What moral lesson can you infer were being taught by both the Ramayana and the Mahabharata?