[Assam] Aryan Invasion Theory debunked by DNA evidence to thecontrary ?

Sat Oct 1 23:02:12 EDT 2005

Santanuda,

Actually there are significant questions of the Aryan
Invasion theory of significant academic merit. The
Aryan Invasion theory does not explain convincingly
enough certain points. 

The Aryan Invastion theory was propounded by European
historians at a time where their world view was
Eurocentric - and yes they did claim the legacy of the
tribes of the caucasus that spoke Indo European
languages.

Their claim is based on the common origins of the
language but the theory does NOT say specifically
anything about the direction of migration.

They cannot for example explain clearly enough why the
Vedas do not mention any other land (not one mention)
other than "India". They cannot explain the existence
of Aryan sources in the Indus valley civilization
relics. 

The theory and its downstream analysis explains Aryans
as fair-skinned and the Dravids as darkskinned who
become the lower classes. But the whole body of the
Vedas do not discriminate at all in terms of skin
color. Gods and goddesses of the vedic times were dark
skinned.

And then with further evidence and analysis coming to
the fore, many historians are coming around to the
view that the Indus Valley civilization died not
because of invasion but because water sources dried
out.

I don't see much in the Aryan Invasion theory that
plausibly explains these gaps. And as you say, any
theory that cannot explain and defend its hypothesis
needs to be probed further to see if other theories
answer the questions better.

Marxist historians laugh at the propositions put
forward by the opponents of the Aryan Invasion theory.
In most cases, they attack the individuals. But they
cannot provide a proper explanation on these points. 

When Galileo proposed the earth was round, I am sure a
whole continent load of people must have laughed too.

As you suggest Santanuda, a hypothesis for it to
continue to stand must provide explanations that are
defensible. The current Aryan Invasion theory does not
have all its legs right. Hence the need for a debate
on it. 

---------------------------------

From:  "Roy, Santanu" <sroy at mail.smu.edu>
To:  "Rajib Das" <rajibdas at yahoo.com>, "Chan Mahanta"
<cmahanta at charter.net>,"Malabika Brahma"
<malabikabrahma at yahoo.co.uk>,<umesh.sh05 at post.harvard.edu>,
<assam at assamnet.org>
Subject:  Re: [Assam] Aryan Invasion Theory debunked
by DNA evidence to thecontrary ?
Date:  Fri, 30 Sep 2005 13:51:39 -0500
>No, Rajib. All theories are working hypotheses and
are constructed for possible eventual refutation.
That's how science progresses. The trouble begins when
- like the so called exponents of Intelligent Design
in the US supposed to be challenging Darwinian
evolution - scientific theories are rejected by people
with extremely dubious credentials based on a
political or social agenda and not on the basis of
acceptable scientific methodology.
>And yes, to the best of my knowledge, there is no
serious scientific work that has cast doubts on the
theory of invasion of Indian mainlands by Caucasian
tribes from central Asia.
>Finally, I don't think this theory was developed to
show that Europeans are the credle of civilization.
Think about it logically - the invasion occurs a half
to one millenium much after the Indus Valley & early
Egyptian and early Mesopotamian world. Further, if the
Caucasian tribes were the forerunners of european
civilization, then that would still make central Asia
(and not Europe), the cradle.
>Santanu-da.
>
>
>
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Rajib Das [mailto:rajibdas at yahoo.com]
> > Sent: Friday, September 30, 2005 10:01 AM
> > To: Roy, Santanu; Chan Mahanta; Malabika Brahma;
> > umesh.sh05 at post.harvard.edu; assam at assamnet.org
> > Subject: Re: [Assam] Aryan Invasion Theory
debunked by DNA evidence to
> > the contrary ?
> >
> >
> >
> > Leave aside the motivations of the HIndutva guys -
> > What if this is really the truth - or even less,
worth
> > investigating? Should we let go of this theory in
the
> > face of evidence (if there are any) and continue
to
> > teach our children a false interpretation of
history -
> > fed by the colonizing Europeans (their version of
how
> > they are the cradle of civilization?). Weren't
they
> > the ones that came out with "A white man's burden"
as
> > the reason for colonizing the world?
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > --- "Roy, Santanu" <sroy at mail.smu.edu> wrote:
> >
> > > Oh, its even more than that. The so called "open
> > > minded debunkers of Aryan invasion" are also
proud
> > > to uphold the Aryan similarities between some
> > > Indians and the Caucasian Europeans & linguistic
> > > unities - which can therefore only be explained
by
> > > the reverse, namely Aryan invasion of Europe by
> > > Indians. India therefore become the cradle of
> > > Western & eastern civilization. And coming out
of
> > > Africa? - chi chi...we are the origin of all
white
> > > men...and only them.
> > >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: assam-bounces at assamnet.org on behalf of
Chan
> > > Mahanta
> > > Sent: Fri 9/30/2005 11:24 AM
> > > To: Malabika Brahma;
umesh.sh05 at post.harvard.edu;
> > > assam at assamnet.org
> > > Subject: Re: [Assam] Aryan Invasion Theory
debunked
> > > by DNA evidence to the contrary ?
> > >
> > > >How does it matter ?
> > >
> > > *** It matters a lot if one needs to prove that
> > > India is for Hindus,
> > > that it is their god-given homeland and theirs
alone
> > > and where them
> > > semitic invaders do not belong as the converts
to
> > > those semitic
> > > religions do not belong. And if they must live
among
> > > the natives,the
> > > Owners of the land, they better do as the
masters of
> > > the land
> > > dictate, or else!
> > >
> > > And so go the rules for them north-easterners.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > At 2:15 AM +0100 9/30/05, Malabika Brahma wrote:
> > > >How does it matter ? Human kind originated in
the
> > > water holes of
> > > >Africa. We are all African's. It all depends
how
> > > far back in time
> > > >you want to go back.
> > > >
> > > >Utpal
> > > >
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
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> > > assam at assamnet.org
> > >
> >
http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
> > >
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > assam mailing list
> > > assam at assamnet.org
> > >
> >
http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
> > >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > __________________________________
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