The Aryans and The Aryans and the Vedic Agethe Vedic Age

– Harappa and Mohenjo-daro were the largest cities

– Civilizations participated in long-distance trade

– Possible causes:• Monsoons destroyed irrigation and farming

prospects• Invasions• Long distance trade collapsed

Decline of the Indus River Valley Decline of the Indus River Valley civilizationscivilizations

AryansAryans

• Root of the word is arya meaning “noble” or “pure”

• Spoke an early form of Sanskrit– This Indo-European language is closely

related to Persian, Latin, Greek and modern Romance languages

– Nazis glorified Aryans as a superior race because they were credited with this important language development

AryansAryans

• Where did they come from?– Most scholars argue that the Aryans

descended upon North India through the Hindu Kush around 1500 BC

– Some scholars now think that they arrived much earlier, and perhaps descended from the Harappan

Aryans and VedasAryans and Vedas

• Vedas– A collection, in multiple volumes, of hymns,

rituals, and philosophies

• The vedas include stories that attempt to explain how the world was created, who the gods are, etc.– Thought to be the earliest written texts

Aryans and VedasAryans and Vedas

• Rig Veda– The earliest Veda– Originally was recited orally and passed down

generation to generation– Children began learning the Rig Veda at an

early age, would learn to chant each syllable in perfect order

Aryans and VedasAryans and Vedas

• Portrays Aryans as fierce warriors with military skill

• Aryans did not spread through India quickly, did not carry out well organized military campaigns

• Aryans were a collection of tribes who gradually, over generations of warring with each other came to power in North India

Aryans and Social OrderAryans and Social Order

• Each tribe was headed by a raja, or chief

• Priests were next in importance– They learned complicated rituals– Rituals typically focused on honoring or

appeasing the gods

Aryans and Social OrderAryans and Social Order

• Warrior class

• Farmers

• Non-Aryans made up the lowest class– They were not slaves– They were only allowed to perform the most

menial tasks

Early Indian SocietyEarly Indian Society

• 1000-500 BC

• Tribal rajas were no longer necessary because tribal life was in decline

• Kings controlled large pieces of territory

• The Aryan-influenced areas extended all the way to the Ganges River

Caste SystemCaste System

• The system of dividing society into hereditary groups that limited interaction with each other, especially marriage between castes

• The hierarchical strata into which Indian society was divided is called varna

Caste SystemCaste System

• Brahmans (priests)

• Kshatriya (warriors and officials)

• Vaishya (merchants and artisans)

• Shudra (peasants and laborers)

• Dalit, or untouchables – outside the caste system

Varna

ShudrasShudras

VaishyasVaishyas

Kshatriyas Kshatriyas

Outcasts [Harijan] Untouchables

BrahminsBrahmins Social Hierarc

hy

The castesThe castes

upper classupper class

BRAHMANBRAHMANThey are the priestly class, They are the priestly class, who are entitled to study the who are entitled to study the Vedas, which are the sacred Vedas, which are the sacred scriptures, and perform rites scriptures, and perform rites rituals for themselves and for rituals for themselves and for others. others. They are the men between the They are the men between the gods and the people. They are gods and the people. They are expected to show excellent expected to show excellent behavior and spend their lives behavior and spend their lives in the pursuit of divine in the pursuit of divine knowledge and preservation knowledge and preservation the traditions of Hinduism. the traditions of Hinduism.

KSHATRIYASKSHATRIYAS

They are the warrior class, who They are the warrior class, who are commanded to protect the are commanded to protect the people,  give gifts to the people,  give gifts to the Brahmins, offer sacrifices to Brahmins, offer sacrifices to gods and ancestors, study the gods and ancestors, study the Vedas, and dispense justice.Vedas, and dispense justice. It was their responsibility to It was their responsibility to protect the caste system and protect the caste system and the social order and lavish the the social order and lavish the priests with generous gifts at priests with generous gifts at every opportunity. every opportunity. 

The castesThe castes

middle classmiddle class

VAISYASVAISYAS

They are the merchant and They are the merchant and peasant classes, who are peasant classes, who are expected to tend cattle, offer expected to tend cattle, offer sacrifices, study the Vedas, trade, sacrifices, study the Vedas, trade, lend money and farm the land. lend money and farm the land.

They had the right to perform and They had the right to perform and participate in certain Vedic rituals participate in certain Vedic rituals but they were not allowed to marry but they were not allowed to marry women of higher castes. women of higher castes. 

The castesThe castes

lowest lowest classesclasses

SUDRASSUDRAS

The are the laboring class, whose The are the laboring class, whose only duty is to serve the other three only duty is to serve the other three castes. castes. They were not required to observe They were not required to observe any Vedic rituals. They were not any Vedic rituals. They were not allowed to study the Vedas or even allowed to study the Vedas or even hear the sacred chants. hear the sacred chants. They were not allowed to eat food They were not allowed to eat food in the company of higher castes or in the company of higher castes or marry their women. marry their women. 

The lowest of the sudras were called The lowest of the sudras were called harijan or the untouchables. They harijan or the untouchables. They were outside of the caste system were outside of the caste system because of their religious practices, because of their religious practices, rites and unclean habits. rites and unclean habits. In ancient times they were not In ancient times they were not allowed to enter a village or city allowed to enter a village or city during day time or walk in the same during day time or walk in the same street where men of other castes street where men of other castes walked. walked.

also called Untouchables

HARIJAN/DALITS

Even their shadow was considered Even their shadow was considered impure and seeing an untouchable impure and seeing an untouchable was considered bad luck. was considered bad luck. So they lived mostly on the edges So they lived mostly on the edges of society, unknown and uncared of society, unknown and uncared for, and working in graveyards or for, and working in graveyards or as hunters, butchers and as hunters, butchers and professional cleaners of human professional cleaners of human waste.waste.

HARIJAN/DALIT (cont)

Leprosy: A disease that still exists, butused to be considered a sign of uncleanspirits. Those infected were shunned.

It is a bacterial infection that causes openskin scores, and nerve damage.