Dear Historians on Indology:
I would appreciate your assistance as I edit a novel, What the Body
Remembers, scheduled for publication in Sept 1999, re the following
question:
Is there a consensus among historians about the Aryan invasion of India
that was taught when I was in high school in India in the seventies?
Lately I've been hearing more discussion about
the "Myth of the Aryan Invasion" (there is a book by that name,
published by Voice
of India in 1995), saying that Max Mueller in particular dated the Aryan
invasion at
3500 BC because of the prevailing Christian myth that the world was
created in
4004 BC at 4 pm (!), that the Aryan *language and colorism/ideas of
varna* may have
mixed with Indian language and culture via the passes, but that the
Aryan *people*
were not a tribe from the Caucasus, but were *indigenous* to India.
Bhagwan Gidwani's 1997 novel, "Return of the Aryans," is premised on
this theory. Another book, "In Search of the Cradle of Civilization,"
also a 1995 Voice of India publication, says, I believe (I haven't yet
read this book myself, however) that the Aryans did invade, only they
came not from the Caucasus but from Persia. How rigorous is the
scholarship and does it stand behind the hypotheses?
Do you think, as the reviewers of these writers seem to, that the story
was a myth concocted by the English to create a tie between the Brahmins
and themselves? The "white Brahmin" idea?
Or do you feel these people who say the Aryan invasion was a myth are
indulging in wishful thinking?
Where does the historical evidence point? Has there been carbon dating
of archeological remains at Taxila, Harappa, Moenjodaro, for instance?
What does it reveal?
Perhaps you have already discussed these new theories on Indology. If
so, please point me to the website where I may find the archives with
discussion on this topic. Thanks in advance for your assistance.
Shauna Singh Baldwin
--------------------
Dear Freinds,
A few days ago Mr Krishnan wrote an article on Thirukarthikai which falls
on Wednesday, 2 Dec98. Here is an artcile in English on the same topic.
Thirukarthikai
All Singapore Hindus celebrate the annual festival of lights or Deepavali
as it is called. The South Indian Hindus also celebrate another festival of
lights. Many Singaporeans will see little lamps made of clay being placed
at the doorways and windows of their Indian neighbours' flats. After
prayers at family altars or at the temples, the lamps will be lit and left
to burn throughout the night. The festival, called Karthikai Thiruvilakkedu
or Periyakarthikai, is usually celebrated on the full moon day in the Tamil
month of Karthikai.
The month of Karthikai has special significance to the Hindus especially
the Tamils. The importance can be seen through the mythologies surrounding
Lord Siva and His son Lord Muruga. Although most Hindus observe the
"Somavaram" fast on each Monday in honour of Lord Siva, the "Somavaram" in
the month of Karthikai is more religiously observed by all. This is because
it is believed that Siva gave refuge to the moon on His lock of hair on a
Monday in the month of Karthikai when the moon was cursed by Dakshan.
Mythologies have it that the moon married Dakshan's daughters, twenty-one
in all, but was particularly amorous to one daughter called Rohini.
Ofcourse the other wives were furious on being spurned by their husband and
complained to their angry father who it seems cursed the moon to wane. The
moon surrendeed at the feet of Lord Siva and begged Siva to save him. Siva
assured the moon that the curse of Daksha will only have effect for 15 days
and that the moon can continue to grow to its resplendent state for the
first 15 days of the month. Thus saying so Siva placed the moon on his lock
of hair so that he could be safe. The story, it is said, emphasises two
things. One is that curses uttered by sages cannot be completely removed
and secondly the devotee who surrenders himself at the feet of Siva will be
saved and protected.
Siva's son Muruga is also known as Karthikeyan. He is given the name in
honour of the six presiding deities of the constellation Pleidas. Called
the six Karthikai Devis they nursed and brought up Muruga. And when the
moon is in conjunction with the constellation Pleidas each month, devotees
of Muruga observe a fast. They also observe the same fast on an elaborate
scale in this month (Karthikai-Nov-Dec).
There is yet another mythology relating to the festival of lights
celebrated in the month of Karthikai. According to a story, once there was
a dispute between Brahma and Vishnu as to who was better and greater god.
they went before Siva to have their dispute settled. Siva appeared in the
form of a huge ball of fire and told them that whosoever was able to see
his head and feet shall be declared as better god. Lord Vishnu took the
form of a boar and tried to see the feet of Siva by boring his way
underground. However, he admittedly failed in his mission. Brahma on the
other hand, took the form of a swan and flew up to see Siva's head. While
up in the air, Brahma caught a falling flower of the screw pine
(thaalamppoo) from Siva's head. He conspired with the flower and lied that
he had seen Siva's head. For lying it is said, that Brahma has far less
temples any other Hindu gods. Similarly the flower of the screw pine are
forbidden from being offered to gods.
This particular story tells us that God is light or energy and that he is
formless. Arrogance and egoism as exemplified by Brahma and Vishnu prevent
us from realising the Godhead. This is further evidenced by the messages of
the great saints including Thirugnana Sambandar who in his works refers to
the incident involving Brahma and Vishnu.
The place where Siva took the form of a fire is called Thiruvannamalai,
which is in south India where the festival is celebrated with much pomp and
grandeur. The temple is situated on a mountain and when the great lamp is
lit it is seen by thousands of devotees in far away villages. In the
smaller temples the leaves of pine trees are burnt to create much light
symbolising that form that Siva took. This is called the burning of
Chockapanai. Chock refers to Siva and Panai refers to the pine tree. Here
in Singapore most temples also burn Chockapanai to celebrate the effulgent
state of Siva.
(This article appeared in the Oct-Dec 1992 issue of the Singapore Hindu and
is being reproduced with the permission of the writer, A Palaniappan)
------
Dear Mr.Barry,
My friends have also attempted a search on
your behalf, but there is no material available
on Naadi.
So there is only one way.
And that will be for me to translate my
articles on Naadi and subsequently answer your queries
as well. I am starting the project today itsel -
Inshallah.
Since its the Agasthiyar Naadi which guided
you to this quest, let the discourse take place in the
Agathiyar list itself.
I suppose, Agasthiyar would also want it that
way.
So whatever help I can give, I'll try to
give you.
See! The mysterious ways in which events are
guided!!!
Regards
Jayabarathi
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
At 09:20 AM 11/27/98 +1000, you wrote:
Yes, I do understand completely.
Perhaps you could be kind enough to pass on my query to those who you think
are interested.
For some reason the Agasthiyar Naadi reading says that I will bring the
Naadis to global. It is an immensely humbling thought. I trust that I
shall have the support of those relatively few persons who have important
knowledge of them already.
I regret that I cannot read either Old or Modern Tamil, so I trust that,
along the way, I shall be able to find highly competent and also genuinely
interested and trustworthy persons to translate for me the answers and other
points to be found in your Tamil writings on the subject. Could you be so
kind as to suggest some persons who I can approach, or else, at least,
enquire of them on my tentative behalf.
I my notes which I enclosed begin to unfold the topic in a way which, I pray
God, will bring these great writings to a wider sections of the
intelligentsia, in such a way as to relect something of India's fathomless
cultural and spiritual treasury.
Respectfully yours,
Barry Pittard
---------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Mr.Barry,
Thank you for your queries.
I have actually answered many of them in Tamil,
1 and 1/2 years ago in the Tamil.net.
Since there are a few others who are interested in
this subject, I hope you don't mind if I answer them in The
Agathiyam List.
Thus it will serve a greater number of intelligentia.
Thank you.
Regards
Jayabarathi
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