A Brief Overview of the Post dated-Established Religions of the Indus Land – Some Common Features and their Link with Indus Valley Civilization

Abstract

The documented religious history of the sub-continent begins with the Vedas scriptures of the Hindus written in approximately 1500 BCE, but the question that arises is who were the Hindus? When and where did they live? In order to answer questions about the origin of the Hindus, Jim Wills (2007: 268-9) gives us two theories based on recent archaeological discoveries. According to one theory the Indo-European Aryans either invaded or migrated to India through the Khyber Pass (into present[1]day northern Pakistan), where they found a stone-age people whose agricultural way of life was already ancient. Archaeologists have discovered many goddess figurines associated with these people, indicating religious affiliations with agricultural and fertility practices. But they also found an ancient seal engraved with a figure sitting in a yoga position. According to another theory based on more recent archaeological excavations and data found in the northwest of India (present day Pakistan) Hinduism just might prove to be much older than what scholars initially thought, and might have arisen completely independent of the Aryan cultural influence. In short, Hinduism predates the Aryans by centuries and could have a historical identity with the Indus Valley civilization.