How the Aryan Invasion Myth Was Engineered?
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.69968/ijisem.2025v4i3164-175Keywords:
Aryans, Dasyus, DravidiansAbstract
In this study work, the highly contested theory that suggests an invasion or movement of Indo-Aryan peoples into the Indian subcontinent approximately 1500 BCE, displacing a previous Dravidian civilization connected with the Indus Valley, is rigorously examined. This paper explores the various connections to the Aryan Invasion Theory and how the Indian colonial rulers popularized it. The study also looks at historical, linguistic, archaeological, and genetic research as a modern and scientific approach.
The research employs an interdisciplinary approach that combines historical analysis:
- Reviewing colonial-era documents, writings of European Indologists (such as Max Müller), and missionary records to trace the genesis and spread of the Aryan Invasion Theory. [1]
- A Critical Examination of Linguistic and Archaeological Records: An assessment of modern archaeological evidence, genetic evidence, and linguistic research to identify the validity of the invasion account. [2]
- Ideological Critique: Examining the political and ideological pressures, including the colonial agenda that legitimized British rule whilst deepening cleavages in Indian society along lines of race and caste. [3]
The study establishes that the Aryan Invasion Myth was largely the creation of colonial ideology, with no strong archaeological nor genetic evidence to back the violent Aryan invasion of India. The story was concocted in defence of British imperial rule and to create societal divisions. While modern scholarship has debunked the myth, it lingers in some circles, justifying the compelling need for the proper re-evaluation and rewriting of history. [5]
References
[1] Aryan Invasion Myth: How 21st Century Science Debunks 19th Century Indology, A.L. Chavda, URL:https://indiafacts.org/aryan-invasion-myth-21st-century-science-debunks-19th-century-indology/
[2] Aryan invasion theory and Dravidian distortions, Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit, URL:https://sundayguardianlive.com/opinion/aryan-invasion-theory-and-dravidian-distortions
[3] The Myth of Aryan Invasion of India, Dr. David Frawley, URL:https://ia802904.us.archive.org/28/items/mythofaryaninvasiondavidfrawley_69_d/Myth%20of%20Aryan%20Invasion%20David%20Frawley.pdf
[4] The Acceptance and Proliferation of the Aryan Invasion Theory in India A Study into 19th Century Social Construction of Theory, Subrata Chattopadhyay Banerjee, URL:https://publications.rwth-aachen.de/record/722781/files/722781.pdf
[5] The Aryan Invasion Theory: The Final Nail in its Coffin, Stephen Knapp, ( (From a Chapter in "Advancements of Ancient India's Vedic Culture'), URL: https://www.stephen-knapp.com/aryan_invasion_theory_the_final_nail_in_its_coffin.htm
[6] How genetics is settling the Aryan migration debate, The Hindu, URL: https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/how-genetics-is-settling-the-aryan-migration-debate/article19090301.ece
[7] Orientalism and the Puzzle of the Aryan Invasion Theory, Marianne Keppens and Jakob De Roover, URL: https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/55762649.pdf
[8] Aryan Invasion in the Indian Subcontinent Facts and Fallacies the Physical Anthropological Perspectives, Subhash Walimbe, URL:https://www.academia.edu/85211678/Aryan_Invasion_in_the_Indian_Subcontinent_Facts_and_Fallacies_the_Physical_Anthropological_Perspectives
[9] Re-examining the Aryan Invasion Theory Through the Internal Evidence of the Ṛgved, Parimala V. Rao, doi: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/03769836251334005
[10] New DNA study challenges Aryan invasion theory, Kalyan Ray, URL: https://www.deccanherald.com/india/new-dna-study-challenges-aryan-invasion-theory-759635.html.
[11] Breaking India Book by Aravindan Neelakandan and Rajiv Malhotra, chapter 3 - Inventing the Aryan Race, 2011
[12] Myth of Aryan invasion theory, Dr. Madan Lal Goel, Professor Emeritus of Political Science, University of West Florida, URL: https://uwf.edu/media/university-of-west-florida/colleges/cassh/departments/government/goel-bio-/Myth-of-Aryan-Invasions-of-India--in-Brief.doc.pdf
[13] "Solid Evidence Debunking Aryan Invasion", David Frawley, URL: https://www.stephen-knapp.com/solid_evidence_debunking_aryan_invasion.htm
[14] 'All of us are descendants of Harappans': Archaeologist Vasant Shinde, URL:https://www.theweek.in/theweek/cover/2024/12/21/archaeologist-vasant-shinde-interview.html
[15] Rakhigarhi: A Case for "Indian Civilization", Anjali Kanojia, Ph.D. 2024,URL:https://academiaindica.com/rakhigarhi-indian-civilization/
[16] South Asia, the Andamanese, and the Genetic Evidence for an "Early" Human Dispersal out of Africa, Richard Cordaux, Mark Stoneking 1, doi: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1180321/
[17] The myth of the aryan invasion, URL: https://gosai.com/writings/the-myth-of-the-aryan-invasion
[18] The Horse and the Aryan Debate, Michel Danino, URL: https://omilosmeleton.gr/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/The_horse_and_the_Aryan_Debate.pdf
[19] Deciphering Indus script and Pashupati Seal of Indus Valley Civilization, Shahbaig Kahoor Khan, URL: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4900721
[20] Mahabharata much older, say ASI Archaeologists, Vasudha Venugopal, URL:https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/mahabharata-much-older-say-asi-archaeologists/articleshow/71658119.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst
[21] Dwarka: India's submerged ancient city, Mithun Pramanik, URL: https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20220113-dwarka-indias-submerged-ancient-city
[22] Destinations of Male Outmigration and their Drivers in Indian Sundarbans Shatabdi Saha and Rupak Goswami, URL:https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/3002/f1000ca52157c2a412742499a1e80c597f83.pdf
[23] Analyzing Indian Diaspora: Pyramid Impact on Reforms & Migration Pattern, Vrajlal K. Sapovadia, URL: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2589676
[24] Saurabh Shukla and Prabhat Kr. Dwivedi 2024. AI, Ancient Indian Scriptures, and Human Wellbeing: A Path to Sustainability. International Journal of Innovations in Science, Engineering And Management. 3, 2 (Dec. 2024), 52-58.DOI:https://doi.org/10.69968/ijisem.2024v3si252-58.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Prateek Pachauri
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Re-users must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use. This license allows for redistribution, commercial and non-commercial, as long as the original work is properly credited.
How to Cite
7
