Characteristics of IRVC Communities Harappa & Mohenjo-Daro Early Civilizations of India

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1 Characteristics of IRVC Communities Harappa & Mohenjo-Daro Early Civilizations of India From the Indus River Valley Civilization to Hinduism today Laid out on a grid-pattern Food storage warehouses Buildings of uniform baked clay bricks 3 miles circumference each Indoor plumbing System of weights & measures They had farming economies These are all evidence of what? Organized Central Government Wheat, barley, melons, dates 1st to grow cotton & weave it into cloth Used vast coastline to trade/export Evidence of them sailing up Persian Gulf to Sumer Use of seals Decline of the IRVC - Why? Religion Polytheistic Evidence of a mother goddess Worship of sacred animals including bulls Depletion of resources? Volcanic eruptions? Earthquakes? Flooding? Invasion? Illness? 1

2 Who are the Aryans? The Aryan Invasion Nomads from southern Russia in the Caucasus Mountains Before that, were they from Scandinavia? Blonde, blue eyes About 1500 BCE Who were the Aryans? Migrated to India through the Khyber Pass in the Hindu Kush Mtn. Range Had superior weapons Horse-drawn chariots (there were no horses in India before that) Nomadic, non-city-builders Very warlike Religion Polytheistic A mother goddess Worship of some sacred animals, especially bulls Rig Vedas: a collection of hymns, prayers & religious teachings, first passed verbally, eventually written down Racial Pride Aryan Social Hierarchy Called the dark-complexioned people they conquered the Dravidians Social division reflected their racial pride 2

3 The Caste System You are born into a social class and you can not change it Still practiced somewhat in India & the surrounding region Role of Women: Education for women Marriage after puberty Some participation in religious ceremonies Women wrote some of the sacred verses in the Rig Vedas Vedic Age The Aryans will eventually settle down In the Ganges River Valley Between BCE the Aryans combined their culture with other local people (probably people from the IRVC) During that time, a new religion evolves, mixing the traditions of the different groups Hinduism By 500 BCE Hinduism is in a similar form to what we know today It is a product of the Vedic Age 1000 years of turning the crank on the Vedic Age Hopper Monotheistic? Polytheistic? There is only one god force - wears many faces - avatars Each of them is equally and totally The point of the many gods is to make it easier for humans to understand 3

4 Every soul is a part of The point of life To achieve moksha Every soul was originally a part of, but was sent out into the world This is unlike Christianity, where man is made in God s image When the soul returns back to, it has achieved moksha Moksha-to become one with How can one achieve moksha? Somewhat similar to the idea of going to heaven Except it s not a place - it s reuniting with the god-force To achieve atman - your true self This can not be achieved in one lifetime Reincarnation You need many lifetimes to achieve atman Karma Dharmas - the duties you are expected to perform Based on your social status Karma - the idea that actions affect your reincarnation Do your dharmas Get good karma 4

5 Reincarnation & the Caste System Higher caste = more dharmas Your actions in this life affect what caste you will be in the next life Your goal is to move up the castes and eventually find your atman Then you can achieve moksha Reincarnation and the Caste System The connection between reincarnation and the caste system encourages cooperation with the system. Why? Other basic beliefs Ahimsa = non-violence Reverence of cows Direct connection to Priests not necessary Every place is holy Shrines in peoples homes Connection of mind/body/spirit Chakras/yoga Sects of Hinduism Jainism - focus on ahimsa Hare Krishna Vaishnavism - focus on god Vishnu Currently the most popular sect Shaktism - focus on creator goddess Buddhism 5