Which of Us are Aryans? by Romila Thapar (PDF)

Description

The question of which of us is Aryan is one of the most contentious in India today. In this eyeopening book, scholars and experts critically examine the Aryan issue by analysing history, genetics, early Vedic scriptures, archaeology and linguistics to test and challenge various hypotheses, myths, facts and theories that are currently in vogue. Romila Thapar tackles the definition of the ‘Aryan’ in her inimitable style by tracing the origins and progression of the ‘Aryans’ from old Iranian texts such as the Zend-Avesta, archaeological excavations and colonial interpretations made by Max Müeller. She also touches upon the following fields of enquiry: historiography, archaeology, linguistics, comparative mythology, social anthropology and, more recently, genetics. Michael Witzel investigates the origins of the early ‘Aryans’ within and outside India. Jaya Menon examines data from excavations of Harappan culture. Kai Friese lucidly explains the Rakhigarhi research which has been talked about a lot in the recent past and Razib Khan provides insights arising from research into genetics.

User’s Reviews

Reviews from Amazon users which were colected at the time this book was published on the website:

⭐Very poorly written book

⭐‘Which Of Us Are Aryans?’Have you wondered about this since you last read about it in your school textbooks?I most definitely have!This book is a collaborative effort of 5 authors, Romila Thapar, Michael Witzel, Jaya Menon, Kai Friese and Razib Khan, who hail from various disciplines such as Historiography, Linguistics, Journalism and Genetics.They have tried to figure out the concept of ‘Aryan’ and it’s effects on the History, Anthropology and the Politics of India and beyond.Facts are meticulously laid out with respect to the likely origins and meaning of ‘Aryan’, interpretations and misinterpretations, and the subsequent effects of ‘The Aryan Theory’ on the social and political fabric of the Indian subcontinent.Substantial light has been shed on approaches taken to decode the ‘Aryan Question’ by collecting and interpreting data from archaeology, linguistics, population genetics, Vedic texts, religion, astronomy, hydrology and even mythology.This book is like a case study, where data from various sciences has been presented and analysed in depth.The last time I read about the ‘Aryan Theory’, ‘Indus Valley Civilisation’ and the ‘Rigveda’ was in school.Now, I was fascinated to read about Iranian, Central Asian and European links to this theory.The uncanny similarities between the ‘Rigveda’ and the ancient Iranian text ‘Avesta’ leave me surprised!The mention of the excavations at Rakhigarhi, Haryana and the scope it has provided in unravelling this theory, has increased my interest in this topic and I hope to follow up on it in the years to come.My key Takeaway from this Book is that India is a geographically and culturally diverse country, it would be foolish to establish a single point origin and manipulate it for political and religious gains.“Cultures of any consequence do not evolve in isolation”- Romila ThaparPick this book up if you have been fascinated by ‘The Aryan’ concept and it’s consequences in shaping the Indian Subcontinent!

⭐The book is an eye-opening work. A much-discussed topic, for which this book provides ample recent facts and multiple perspectives. Though it is still difficult to arrive on one conclusion, nevertheless this book shows the path for further researches. The writers have written their bit from different angles, and the consolidation is nice.

⭐The title of the book is eye catching! As one goes through the chapters it is reputation of recent genomic data feeding various fields with great promise. Except for Romila Thapar and Michael Witzel, the other contributions are limited by questions that a reader of history would like to engage in. And above all the question whether or not there were Aryans, is further drawn into ambiguity, by adding a prefix Indo-!

⭐Although there is a tendency to let their political agendas affect their interpretations (thus costing them a star), this compendium contains articles by some of the most influential scholars in the field. It is an excellent short summary of the latest thinking from the mainstream side of the debate.

⭐The book is good. A collection of essays which analyse the idea of Aryans from various standpoints and no one theory seems to fit right.

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