Vastu & the Saraswati-Sindhu civilization
That the “Aryan Invasion” theory stands thoroughly discredited today is probably no news for most readers of this blog. But when I recently stumbled on this article by Jayasree, I realised there may be a lot more that is yet to be discovered and explored here – particularly with regards to the unifying strands between the Saraswati-Sindhu settlements, the Vedic age and the later day culture of Bharat/India (In this context, please also read excerpts from a speech by Dr Subramaniam Swamy on “Defalsify India’s History“). As Shri Krishen Kak wrote in his essay, “The Idea of India“:
Macaulayan mythology denies BhÄrat through a false Aryan Invasion Theory and a false Aryan-Dravidian “racial†divide[10]; through false distinctions of “religionâ€[11]; a false history of caste and tribe[12]; a false claim of foreigners as our civilizers, saviours and educators[13]; and a grotesquely false interpretation of secularism[14].
Jayasree’s research is an attempt to set the record straight…Below, excerpts from Fish signs of IVC resemble Vaastu and Jalanaadi signs of astrology:
…The entire IVC presents a different picture when seen through the eye of an Indian. The structures remind one of the Vaastu principles of construction.
First take a look at the sites excavated. They show perfect town planning and architecture.
The drainage system in accordance with the slopes is the primary issue decided in town planning and house construction even today as per Vaastu principles. The square and rectangular shaped houses are first-rate Vaastu compliant ones. This immediately reminds me of the Graama Vaastu (of townships) and the graha Vaastu (of houses) principles.
The circular structures found in the excavations are supposed to be platforms for drying crops according to the researchers. But from Vaastu point of view, circular shapes known as Vrittakaara is ideal for education. Until recently education was imparted under tree shades in our country. A circular platform was constructed around or under a big and shady tree or a banyan tree where discussions and teachings were done.
According to Vaastu texts circular platforms were also meant for commanders. The local panchayats would be held in circular platforms under the shade of a tree. The circular plots and circular constructions were also suitable for temples, educational institutions and marriage halls. Houses in circular shapes were constructed in the extension of the villages while the houses in the villages used to be square or rectangular shaped ones. The pictures available on the internet on Harappan excavations show a similarity to Vaastu guidelines.
Vaastu is a not a new concept to India. It is an Upaveda of Atharvan veda. If we say that Vedas are the oldest texts, it also means that the Vaastu-upavada was as old as Vedas. Think of a habitation, construction or architecture, there can no other guide than Vaastu sastra in this country. The architectural methods are a continuing tradition in this country, devised by two noted schools of Vaastu – of Vishwakarma and Maya. No one knows their origins. The presently available books attributed to them, Vishwakarma Prakaashika and Mayamata, are revised editions done from time to time.
The very first job of the researchers on the Harappan excavations must have been to check whether the 3-way architecture of Vaastu of this country was found in the excavations. The 3 way are about the basis of measurements (angula pramana) used for
(1) houses, buildings, mansions, palaces, temples, townships, villages, roads etc
(2) water bodies such as wells, tanks, drainages, ponds etc and
(3) figurines, idols, dolls furniture etc.
There are a number of finer calculations of determining the ‘aya’ and the pada vaastu which can be applied in the excavated sites to know whether they comply with the rules of vaastu.
Researches done by the IIT Professor R. Balasubramanian established that the measurement scale continues to be the same in this country from Harappan times till today. He did the research in the Harappan structures and also in the Iron Pillar (the Vijay Sthupi of Chandragupta Vikramadhitya dated at 912 BCE) and the Taj mahal. He found out that the measurement and the engineering tradition had been the same in all these. Earlier posts on this topic can be read here :-
Continuing civilization from Harappa to Iron pillar and Taj Mahal was built with ancient Indian engineering
This structural similarity must have formed the backdrop of any further research in the Indus Valley. Instead of going in these lines, the researchers had proceeded from a hypothetical notion of Dravidian pre-presence and a subsequent Aryan invasion and gone to establish the same by trying to fit the words from Tamil texts to derive a connection between the words and the Indus symbols. I may sound rude by this comment, but I can not help it because as a Tamilian I don’t find any connection to the words, particularly the Tamil word for Fish (meen) with the fish symbols that form nearly half of the depictions.
…It must be remembered that the so-called Indus civilization is detected all along the river Saraswathy. From scientific images it is known that this river had sunk in the sands. The civilization weaned off due to scarcity of water. During the period that the people existed in the banks of sunken Saraswathy, they must have managed by identifying more places of water sources on the basis of natural factors given above. One can not ignore the Vaastu concepts fitting with the architecture of the sites.
In this back drop, connecting it to Tamil’s culture is something far fetched. Any interpretation of Tamil’s past can not be done independently of the textual information on Tamil’s past. We will see the textual information in the upcoming posts.
Given below are 2 articles on what Dr Parpola has said on Dravidian connection. In the first write-up it is shown that he has agreed that his interpretation is not final. Mr Karunanidhi has misused his research for political ends.
The 2nd article is about Mr Parpola’s admission that the habitants of IVC might have moved towards the South much before the “Aryans arrived”.
At a time when the Aryan Invasion theory is finding a natural death, this opinion from him by disconnecting Dravidian problem from the Aryans is welcome. Before embarking on when “Aryans arrived”, it is better to take a look at what underwater archeology says on civilization that existed around Gujarat 9,500 years ago. (click this link to read http://www.hermetics.org/cambay.html
*** End of Excerpts ***
Related Posts: Revising the “Aryan Invasion of India” Theory,  W’end Links: Saraswati, a 27-year war & spin doctors (outlining some of the links between Saraswati-Sindhu civilisation and the Vedic texts and references) and The Sarasvati-Sindhu Civilisation – More Distortions, More Un-Tru
Somewhat Related: Of Chitis, Yajnam and Athirathram
The Aryan invations theory certainly stands refuted but the Nationalists need to do much more to remove the feeling of Aryan-Dravidian divide. The issue of language is perhaps the most important.
How do you feel about Baba Ramdev’s demand that Higher education should be in Hindi?
On a more wider note, how many people/schools in Hindi speaking parts of India are encouraging kids to learn Tamil or Kannada? If there aren’t enough, how many feel that the situation needs to change?
Needless to say that you are doing a fantastic job of bringing out these issues of neglect of real Indian History, Shantanu! It is a great shame that most of us Indians are too busy in our superficial lives to give a damn to our glorious heritage. These jewels need to be further explored, authenticated and written and taught to our kids and future generations. Our ancestors accumulated this great wealth of our culture and traditions over a great period of time and it is our responsibility to pass this invaluable treasure to our kids, and if we don’t they will never forgive us! Shantanu, through this platform of yours, I appeal to all the Indians who along with me own this treasure, to come forward and make sure that we do not let it get destroyed like Bamiyan Budha, please help Shantanu in whatever way you can!
Read this remarkable research paper from IIT Kanpur on “Taj Mahal according to Arthashastra specifications” https://www.box.net/s/0fdb6a2fc135d2a98db1
Interesting article on measures and units in medieval times from which this excerpt:
Weights and measures from (medieval) inscriptions (in Tamil Nadu) are complex. They vary with region, dynasty and many kings created their own!
Different calculations
Weights and measures are frequently found in inscriptions that deal with gifts of land and produce to temples. The Chola and Pandya territories seemed to have had different measures but with many local variations. Some calculations can be made.
Land was measured in Kuzhi – which was one rod in length and one rod in width. Three Kuzhi made a Maa. 20 Maa made a Veli (sometimes called Sey as well). A Maa approximates to 33 cents. Because a rod length varied it’s difficult to say that a Veli in one part of the state was the same elsewhere. 1/80 of a Veli made a Kani and 1/320 of a Veli made a muntiri. Smaller land fractions went to as low as 2.81 sq.ft. Such small fractions were useful since land was taxed not just by spread but fertility as well. By colonial times, a Veli was equal to 6.6116 acres.
Grain was measured as eight Naazhi that made a pucca padi or a pattanam padi in the Pandya country. Surprisingly in Thanjavur, eight Naazhi made only half that quantity and was called a china padi. A marakkal was used to measure grain. A Nerai Naazhi approximated to a little less than a kilo, possibly 850-900gms.
Gold and gems had a separate calculation. One gold kasu (coin) was four kunrimani (a seed). Two Kunrimani made a manjadi and 20 manjadi made a kalanju. 2.5 kalanju made a sovereign of pre-independence proportions, around eight grams today.
Land measures are most commonly encountered. Several temples such as those in Kanchipuram (Varadaraja temple), Srirangam and others have alavu kols – lines etched into the stone wall that are a measure for land. These come in varying lengths, 12, 16, sometimes even 18 ft. The ends are differentiated with a zig zag or some decorative feature, and the alavu kol, usually has a name to it. Raja Raja called his, Adavallan after the Chola tutelary deity Nataraja of Chidambaram. These measures continued even in the 19th centuries, temples in the Pudukottai district have such measures from the reigns of the Sethupathis. The Kols were based on a human span – (chaan) or a foot (adi). A rod was named after the number of spans and feet it comprised. 16 span rods were most common but mostly in the northern districts. Foot rods become more popular in the 12th century. The 18 foot rod was more popular in the Pandya country. We have evidence of land surveys being conducted during the reigns of Raja Raja I and Kulotunga and Jatavarman Sundara Pandya I in the 11-13th centuries. The person responsible for it, being honoured with the title “Ulagalanda†or one who surveyed the world.