The Aryan race: the origin of the Myth
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Under the British Empire It was widely claimed that the Aryans were white people who had invaded India in ancient times
The term Aryan ("noble", "spiritual") originates with the Indo-Iranian self-designation arya, attested in the ancient texts of Hinduism. Under the British Empire, the British rulers exploited that idea in order to ally British power with the Indian caste system. It was widely claimed that the Aryans were white people who had invaded India in ancient times, subordinating the darker skinned native Dravidian peoples, who were pushed to the south.
Thus the foundation of Hinduism was ascribed to northern invaders who had established themselves as the dominant castes, and who were supposed to have created the sophisticated Vedic texts. Much of these theories were conjectures fueled by European imperialism. This styling of an "Aryan invasion" by British colonial fantasies of racial supremacy lies at the origin of the fact that all discussion of historical Indo-Aryan migrations or Aryan and Dravidian "races" remains highly controversial in India to this day, and does continue to affect political and religious debate.
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The Theosophical movement of Helena Blavatsky took inspiration from that Indian culture
The Theosophical movement - an early kind of New Age philosophy - founded by Helena Blavatsky , took inspiration from that Indian culture. Blavatsky argued that humanity had descended from a series of "Root Races", naming the fifth root race (out of seven) the "Aryan" Race. She thought that the Aryans originally came from Atlantis and described the Aryan races with the following words:
"The Aryan races, for instance, now varying from dark brown, almost black, red-brown-yellow, down to the whitest creamy colour, are yet all of one and the same stock -- the Fifth Root-Race -- and spring from one single progenitor, (...) who is said to have lived over 18,000,000 years ago, and also 850,000 years ago -- at the time of the sinking of the last remnants of the great continent of Atlantis."
Blavatsky used "Root Race" as a technical term to describe human evolution over the large time periods in her cosmology. However, she also claimed that there were modern non-Aryan peoples who were inferior to Aryans. She regularly contrasts "Aryan" with "Semitic" culture, to the detriment of the latter, asserting that Semitic peoples are an offshoot of Aryans who have become "degenerate in spirituality and perfected in materiality."
A paper from Sebottendorf founder of the Thule Society which began with a discussion of Hitler's racial ideology and its parallels to Blavatsky's esoteric thought shows the possible channels by which Theosophical thought might have reached Hitler and helped to determine his own racial ideology.
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But where's your hub :)
I agree with what you say about the Aryan myth!
Its not a myth. Its alternative theory for there are no takers. It may sound seductive not to belive in the aryan invasion theory. how do you account for the differences between north and south indians. Have you head of Asko Parpola, might want to read his explantion.
Yes the Race of Aryans originated in India, Iran and Central Asia. Lord Ram is Aryaputra (son of Aryans). Thus this topic is not worth dicussing. People (mainly foreigners) are trying to make things uncertain to remove the Aryan word from India.
Yea. Aryan race is a myth, in my opinion, mostly, because of the fact that all people who are blonde-haired and blue eyed do not all have a common ancestral origin. You can give birth to one person who is blonde-haired and blue-eyed and have another who is red-haired with green eyes and you can find blondes with blue eyes in various regions of Europe.
Some people say the whole idea of race is a myth, but I would contest that, simply, because white people can't have Black babies...unless they procreate with Black people. However, the idea that certain favorable health qualities can be isolated into one particular race...that, I would say, is pure fiction. Clearly, it has been proven that with proper training (educational, or athletic) a person can obtain the qualities they most desire.
Excellent hub!
Yes despite the assertion that Blavatski and the nodern "new age" movement in general is about universal love it IS in fact fascist to its core. The first book by William judge about Theosophy printed in 1893 in New York was printed under Aryan Press and had a picture of a swastica on its title page. So why is it fascist ? The Italian writer Umberto Eco has written a good definition of fascism and its characteristics. One of these characteristics is syncretism. Blavaskis books and all new age books after her contain whole sections on syncretism. There can be no advancement of learning in theosophy. The entire truth has already been spelled out. The "new age" of one syncrenistic religion and one world socialist government, and one world economic system is handed down from on high by god and can't be questioned. Funny how this by definition entails the wiping out or swallowing up of all ways of being that don't conform to this "truth". They call it social "unity" but in reality its total social conformity and the abandonement of all individual thought for the sake of the group. Every new age book published today has a section about how hitler was actually a really good guy doing gods mysterious work. Its all very dangerous 100% fascism. The Nazis also by the way seemd to think they were spreading peace and love and freedom and harmony with nature through their actions. go figure. This also points to the idea that fascism itself originated in the united states.
I forgot to add this so i post again.
Of course Theosophy and "new age" borrow and then bastardise ideas from other cultures. Its a form a colonialism. The taking of the resource of ideas from other cultures. This is because Threosphy and "new age" is racist. all new age books are about ancient tibettans or toltec indians from outer space. A bastardised absurd interpretation of something Hindu. A bizzare misinterpretetion of some native american ritual. It desn't mean Aryan wasn't real in some sense in India.
Example: Native americans write a book about how Jesus came in a puff of white buffalo woman smoke to some ancient Celts that were their ancestors and taught them how to make igloos to keep warm.
It doesn't mean there were no ancient Celts just because their version of the Celts is a little off the mark.
all races were one.division came about by selective breeding done by high priests.read your history books. the real ones.
aryan invasion theory is rational taking into account obvious differences between north and south indians.
c all this waste debates leads us nowhere first in the name of aryan all these stuff u waste the time,but try to understand that v r all gods children n especially humans first. v must try to live in present day world let us leave the confusion to the god who will take care of everything,y to debate over history which v just claim superiority one over the other and in the name of that v lose to understand who we really r v r divine souls immortality is in our breathe fight for it n u will get it thats the last resort for every indians the europeans,americans anyone,its the highest goal of man to seek god.
jai hind!!!!!! long live all of u oh immortals.
working
dr_sen says:
11 months ago
this is rubbish and contradictory to theosophical principles of madame blavatsky
she had maintained a lot about lemurians and the theory of gnosis wisdom.
please refer my hub