Rig Vedic Culture - Ancient India Study Materials

Rig Vedic Samhita is the earliest text that relates to the Early Vedic period.
The Early Vedic culture is placed between 1500 BCE and 1000 BCE.
The political, social and economic aspects of life of this period are reflected in the Rig Vedic hymns.

Geography

In the Indian subcontinent, the early Aryans lived in the area of eastern Afghanistan, Pakistan, Punjab and fringes of Western Uttar Pradesh.

The Rig Vedas speak about not only the Aryans, but also about the non-Aryan people, whom the Aryans encountered in India.
When the Rig Vedic people moved into India they came into conflict with people whom they referred to as Dasyus or Dasas.
Evidently the Aryans differentiated themselves from the dark native people who had different cultural practices, and sought to maintain their distinction.
The Rig Veda has references to several other groups.
Simyu and Kikata are grouped with the dasyus.
Sambara son of Kulitara is mentioned as a chief with 90 forts or settlements.
Varchin was another chief with many troops.
The Rig Veda mentions the defeat of a chief called Sambara by Divodasa of the Bharata clan.

The concept of polity developed in the Rig Vedic time.
Various units of habitation and divisions such as the janas, vis, gana, grama and kula are referred to in the Rig Veda.
The Vedas speak about the Aryans and their enemies and the battles they fought with them.
The battles were fought more for cattle and material wealth and the war booty acquired was shared.
They not only fought with the non-Aryans, but also fought among themselves.
They invoked the support of the gods in their battles.
They strongly believed that prayers, sacrifices and rituals could offer support in their mundane life.
The god Indra is called Purandara, which means destroyer of settlements, which were perhaps fenced or planned townships.
The term Jana means tribe.
The Bharatas and Tritsu were the ruling Aryan clans who were supported by Vasishta, the priest.
The region of India was named Bharata Varsha after the tribe of Bharatas.
The Bharata clan was opposed by ten chiefs and five out of them were Aryans. This battle was known as the Battle of Ten Kings.
The battle took place on the banks of the river Paurushni, identified with the river Ravi.
In this battle, Sudas won and he became important leading to the dominance of Bharata clan.
The Purus were one of the defeated clans.
The Purus and Bharatas formed an alliance and later they formed Kuru clan. Later the Kurus allied with Panchalas and established their control over the Upper Ganga Valley.