Laurent Droz

Outline of Indian History

A Modern Map of India

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But before coming to these modern developments, let’s go through a number of the invasions and different cultures India has know throughout its history. They are still very important, as they actually explain the incredible diversity in India, be it from the point of view of religion, culture, language, origin, etc.

The original inhabitants of India are the Indus (or Dravidians), a highly sophisticated culture dating back to 3000 BC, with fairly big towns (up to 30'000 inhabitants), very well planned and organised, and a written language.

The first invaders of India arrived probably around 1500 BC, they are know as the Aryans and came from the north. it often is said that the Dravidians were, and still are, the dark-skinned people while the Aryans were, and still are, fair skinned. The Aryans brought strong cultural elements with them, many of them still being alive today. Their written language was the Sanskrit, which served for the transcription of the first indian literary texts, the Vedas.

In parts, the Aryans pushed the Dravidians southwards and in parts they lived side to side, the Aryans being the conquerors, thus having the control of the society. The Aryans also brought with them the caste system, which was then taken over by the Indus – or, to be more precise, they submitted to it, as the highest casts (priests (Brahman), aristocracy (Kshatria) and the businessmen (Vaisia) were limited to Aryans – and the basis of the Indian religions, Hinduism[1].

These two original folks still exist today and form the most basic division of the Indian society, north Indian Aryans and south Indian Dravidians; even if in parts, the two cultures also live side by side nowadays. They broadly represent 28% of the population for the Dravidians and 72% for the Aryans.

Other invaders then came: aroung 500 BC, the Persian kings Cyrus and Darius conquered the Indus valley (northwest of