Historians debate chronology of Vedic literature at Delhi University meet

New Delhi: Amid a raging debate over incorporation of Vedic education in curriculum, Sanskrit scholars from various universities on Saturday engaged over a discourse over the origin of the Rig Vedas and on the influx of Aryans in the country.

The scholars also questioned the period of composition generally ascribed to the Rig Veda which is about 1,500 BC, placing it after the decline of the Harappan Civilization, during the national symposium on "Chronology of Vedic Literature- A Reassessment" at Delhi University here.

"The original date of Rig Veda has been debated for long. The Marxists have gone all out to establish that Indus Valley civilisation is older than Rig Vedic era. The fact that Aryans came to the plains of India and pushed the Dravidians southwards is also not true," said HOD, DU's Sanskrit Department, Ramesh C Bharadwaj, in his keynote address.

"Much before the Indus Valley civilisation, the plains of India had a flourishing culture of its own, which can be established through the Rig Vedic texts. The history needs correction and chronology needs to be fixed," he added.

Bhardwaj who has also submitted a project to Indian Council for Historical Research, seeking funding to conduct research on the subject, said, "Our dates do not match with the main stream dates established by the historians."

The scholars also dismissed the view-upheld by historians and archaeologists and presented in textbooks - as Marxist and "Max Muellerist."

Bhardwaj said there is evidence to suggest the Aryans never invaded but were indigenous and developed into the Harappan civilization.

"That is the only way to explain the highly evolved and urban culture of the Harappans. Marxist historians begin with Indus Valley but they can't provide information on what preceded the Harappan cities. This gap is filled by Vedic literature," he said.

The three-day meet at DU, is being supported by HRD Ministry and organised in association with Maharshi Sandipani Rashtriya Veda Vidya Pratisthan, Ujjain.