Origins of the Vedic Religion and Indus-Ghaggar Civilisation

Invitation for Publication of “Origins of the Vedic Religion and Indus-Ghaggar Civilisation” 

Dear friends, 

I cordially invite you to the publication ceremony of my latest research book “Origins of the Vedic Religion and Indus-Ghaggar Civilisation” which is scheduled on Monday, 27th April, 2015. The book sheds light on our real cultural roots on the basis of latest archaeological, geological, genetic proofs supported by the literary evidences with unbiased view. I have taken independent view in the book and have used most of the available resources to solve the ever going debate over the Indo-European language and culture issue. I am sure the book will give new insight to the readers on our civilization, religions and cultural ethos.

Publication ceremony:

The function will be presided by Dr. Vasant Shinde, Vice-Chancellor, Deccan College and the chief guests will be Dr. Shruti Tambe, Prof. Hari Narke and Kapil Patil. Venue: Rajvade Hall, Bharat Itihas Sanshodhan Mandal, Pune. 27th April, 15, Evening 5.30 PM. Publisher: Prajakt Prakashan, Pune. The brief intro on the book is as under: 

Brief introduction:  The highly debated issue of the Aryan or proto-Indo-European language speaker’s homeland still is not reaching to any resolve. The European and some Indian scholars have been proposing drastically opposite theories to prove either Eurasia or Indian homeland, sometimes dramatically stretching the timelines to make one wonder how scholars can play with the archaeological proofs and the indications provided by the ancient scriptures to derive suitable meanings to meet their needs.  

 Mr. Sonawani has attempted to look at the ‘homeland’ scenario; taking cognizance of all the theories forwarded by the scholars so far, from fresh angle and has postulated that;  

1. The basis of Indo-European language group theory is migrations of the proto Indo-European language speakers from some homeland. Author challenges the hypotheses’ of such migration and from archaeological, anthropological and scriptural proofs suggests that there has been no massive migrations from any place since 10,000 BC to cause substantial impact on the cultures of other populations. With archaeological evidences he suggests that the people all over the globe had started settling down by 12,000 BC with the invention of early agriculture and process gradually was completed by quite before 10,000 BC, therefore it is out of the question that the so-called PIE speakers started migrating from the hypothetical homelands at about 2000 BC or 5000 BC to impact linguistic and cultural features of other civilisations, as postulated by the scholars.   

2. The author further suggests that, when early humans were foragers, period ranging from 60,000 BC till 12,000 BC, he already had learnt to move around in the known territories for his developed geographical consciousness and had already shared, developed rudimentary languages those took separate path when he settled down in the respective regions after invention of the agriculture. However early vocabulary and grammatical traits survived, showing some similarities even today in the territories in question. Such similarities are owed to the early human life and not to the movement of so-called Proto-Indo-European people.   

3. Author further proves, from all the results pouring in from the recent geological explorations conducted at Ghaggar basin, and from the careful analysis of Rig Vedic/mythological descriptions of the Saraswati River, the Ghaggar river cannot be at all equated with the Rig Vedic Saraswati.   

4. Mr. Sonawani in this book indicates that the many personalities mentioned in Rigveda and Avesta, including Zarathustra and his patron, were contemporary to the early phase of Rig Vedic compositions. This sheds light on the possible date of the Rig Veda and Gathas of the Avesta.  Further the author suggests, providing numerous scriptural and archaeological evidences, with in depth analysis, that the Rig Vedic geography is none but Helmand valley, Southern Afghanistan. He has, from Rig Veda and Avesta proved that most of the identifiable tribes mentioned in both the scriptures were and still are located in Iran, Afghanistan and north-west India (now Pakistan), and are speaking the descendent languages even today.   

5. Author also points out that the indigenous Vedic Aryan theory is unfounded for as there is no slightest affinity between the Vedic and Indus culture. He explains diligently that, how, even if Rig Vedic period is stretched back substantially, i.e. from presently accepted date of about 1500 BC, to as back as 3000 BC or even earlier, any association of the Vedic people with Indus-Ghaggar Civilisation is improbable. Thus Out of India Theory is untenable because there is no proof to show slightest connection between both the cultures. 

 6. Since Indus-Ghaggar Valley have not experienced any intruding immigrants from minimum of 7000+ BC, there is no any genetic or archeological proof to prove any foreign influx since then and so there also are not any proofs to prove so-called Vedic Aryans migrated from India to West, the vital question is raised by Mr. Sonawani…how Vedic religion was introduced to India? How it found space here to become a major sect in the later course of time? The author however substantially proves with presenting rows of evidences to show how the Vedic religion was introduced to India and how institutionally it was spread by the handful of disciples and early native converts. This revelation, supported by substantial proofs may help to change our traditional views to look at our ancient socio-cultural and religious history. Also Mr. Sonawani explains how most of the Indus religious and cultural practices show their continuity, though in modified forms, even today in Indus-Ghaggar regions. 

 7. The important aspect of the book is author points out at the sever social harm caused by the supremacist views taken by the European and Vedicist scholars since last two hundred years to solve non-existent mystery of origin, either of Aryan race or PIE language speakers’ migrations.   

8. This book explains the roots of the original Rig Vedic language and how it gradually was modified in ancient times to suite the changed linguistic environments, with providing the internal proofs from the Rig Veda and from the observations of Indian as well as European Sanskrit scholars. This shatters the myth of the Vedic dialect being mother of Sanskrit and other Prakrit dialects.    

Distorting human history to prove some humans are superior over others, racially or linguistically, is not the way to solve the puzzles of our ancient past, Mr. Sonawani stresses through this book.   “Origin of the Vedic Religion and Indus-Ghaggar Civilization” is an attempt to help us look back at our past with clean and unprejudiced vision. ————————————————————————-  

I humbly request to grace the occasion with your presence. . Thanks, With warm regards,

Your sincerely,

Sanjay Sonawani