Arya Samaj

Shishya

Origin of Indian Civilization Subject of US Conference
by
Hinduism Today
gathered by
Hindu Press International
July 3, 2006

DARTMOUTH, MASSACHUSETTS: (HPI note: This is a press release received from Bal Ram Singh, Ph.D., Director, Center for Indic Studies, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth)

Comprehensive population genetics data along with archeological and astronomical evidence presented at June 23-25, 2006 conference in Dartmouth, MA, overwhelmingly concluded that Indian civilization and its human population is indigenous. In fact, the original people and culture within the Indian Subcontinent may even be a likely pool for the genetic, linguistic, and cultural origin of most of the rest of the world, particularly Europe and Asia. Leading evidences come from population genetics, which were presented by two leading researchers in the field, Dr. V. K. Kashyap, National Institute of Biologicals, India, and Dr. Peter Underhill of Stanford University in California. Their results generally contradict the notion Aryan invasion/migration theory for the origin of Indian civilization. Underhill concluded "the spatial frequency distributions of both L1 frequency and variance levels show a spreading pattern emanating from India," referring to a Y chromosome marker. He, however, put several caveats before interpreting genetic data, including "Y-ancestry may not always reflect the ancestry of the rest of the genome" Dr. Kashyap, on the other hand, with the most comprehensive set of genetic data was quite emphatic in his assertion that there is "no clear genetic evidence for an intrusion of Indo-Aryan people into India, [and] establishment of caste system and gene flow."

Michael Witzel, a Harvard linguist, who is known to lead the idea of Aryan invasion/migration/influx theory in more recent times, continued to question genetic evidence on the basis that it does not provide the time resolution to explain events that may have been involved in Aryan presence in India. Dr. Kashyap's reply was that even though the time resolution needs further work, the fact that there are clear and distinct differences in the gene pools of Indian population and those of Central Asian and European groups, the evidence nevertheless negates any Aryan invasion or migration into Indian Subcontinent. Witzel refused to present his own data and evidence for his theories despite being invited to do so. He was nevertheless present in the conference and raised many questions. Some of his commentaries questioning the credibility of scholars evoked sharp responses from other participants.

Rig Veda has been dated to 1,500 BC by those who use linguistics to claim its origin as Aryans coming out of Central Asia and Europe. Archaeologist B.B. Lal and scientist and historian N.S. Rajaram disagreed with the position of linguists, in particular Witzel who claimed literary and linguistic evidence for the non-Indian origin of the Vedic civilization. Dr. Narahari Achar, a physicist from University of Memphis clearly showed with astronomical analysis that the Mahabharata war in 3,067 BC, thus poking a major hole in the outside Aryan origin of Vedic people. Interestingly, Witzel stated, for the first time to many in the audience, that he and his colleagues no longer subscribe to Aryan invasion theory.

Dr. Bal Ram Singh, Director, Center for Indic Studies at UMass Dartmouth, which organized the conference was appalled at the level of visceral feelings Witzel holds against some of the scholars in the field, but felt satisfied with the overall outcome of the conference. "I am glad to see people who have been scholarly shooting at each other for about a decade are finally in one room, this is a progress," said Singh. The conference was able to bring together in one room for the first time experts from genetics, archeology, physics, linguistics, anthropology, history, and philosophy. A proceedings of the conference is expected to come out soon, detailing various arguments on the origin of Indian civilization.

(Source)

Deepan Abisuriya · Junior Member Joined: 13 Sep 2006 Posts: 66

Namaste,

Good one. In fact as per my knowledge of the Bible. The Vedic Dharma and its civilisation is the most ancient. Even before Abraham.

Deepan.

Prabhat · Posted: Mon Nov 06, 2006 11:14 pm Post subject:

Deepan Abisuriya · Junior Member Joined: 13 Sep 2006 Posts: 66

Yes, please

Prabhat · Posted: Wed Nov 08, 2006 12:49 am Post subject:

Namaste Deepan,

if it is not that much work, could you post a few lines of the bible. i would like to read it.
_________________
Namaste,
Prabhat

Deepan Abisuriya · Junior Member Joined: 13 Sep 2006 Posts: 66

Namaste friend,

I will post all this information about the greatness of our dharma, its history as per the Bible and how in the future it will rule the world. All this and much more in my new thread. I am compiling all for all your 'seva' Very Happy

.

Pls bear with me.

Thanks.
Deepan.

Prabhat · Posted: Thu Nov 09, 2006 12:41 am Post subject:

Namaste dost,
take your time, i am not going anywhere. i just found a lot of new family Wink

_________________
Namaste,
Prabhat

Prabhat · Posted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 5:32 pm Post subject:

where is
Deepan Abisuriya. i am stil waiting
_________________
Namaste,
Prabhat

Shyena · Posted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 5:45 pm Post subject:

Deepanji has been inactive for quite a while... I wonder why..
_________________

Krinvanto Vishwam Aryam meditate

Namaste

Prabhat · Posted: Sun Dec 10, 2006 5:51 pm Post subject:

i hope everything is alright with his study.
cristmas hollidays are comming, hope he will post again.
_________________
Namaste,
Prabhat

Mitra · Posted: Fri Feb 16, 2007 4:40 am Post subject: Indus Script

Namaste,
I found this article on the Hindu online edition about the Indus script by an expert , Mr. Iravatham Mahadevan.
http://www.hindu.com/mag/2007/02/04/stories/2007020400260500.htm

He says the Indus script is on the way to being deciphered ( its read from right to left !!! thats what they have claimed). Another point is that he refers to Aryan and Dravidian only as names of languages and not of races.

The main point in the article is that the Indus Script is neither Aryan nor Dravidian.

But I did not understand why the material from Indus Valley seals is being compared with material from Vedas . Are the two not far removed from each other in time? Are not Vedas universal and free of any geographical and historical references?
I want to know more about the subject when someone says that the Indus valley does not talk of horses which are prominent in Vedas and that Rigveda does not talk about urban life and is more pastoral.
_________________
Namaste
Manurbhava

Shyena · Posted: Fri Feb 16, 2007 11:14 am Post subject:

Mitra · Posted: Fri Feb 16, 2007 4:56 pm Post subject:

Namaste Shyena,

I also read the responses in the Hindu to Mahadevan's article . All of them opine that his article is scholarly and unbiased. If it is unbiased it should present the contrary viewpoints which you mention. I think these people are just appreciating that his one point that his studies do not support a racial divide but rather a linguistic divide only. But what is his point? there were no two race sbut two different languages spoken by the same people separated by geography? Why isn't the possibilty considered that there are two different languages spoken by people long after the Vedas. Why are they compelled to bunch up the Indus valley Civilization with the Vedic times ?

I have to read a couple of more articles from him - one is about Murugan being a Pan-Indian deity.

Could you tell me more about where were these bones of horses found in Indus valley?
_________________
Namaste
Manurbhava

Prabhat · Posted: Fri Feb 16, 2007 10:47 pm Post subject: Re: Indus Script

Shyena · Posted: Sat Feb 17, 2007 12:45 pm Post subject: