The Vedic period, or Vedic age (1500–c. 500 BCE), is the period in India's history between the end of the Indus Valley Civilisation and the beginning of a second urbanisation in the central Indo-Gangetic Plain 600 BCE, when the Vedic literature, including the Vedas (1300–900 BCE), was composed in the northern Indian subcontinent. The early Vedic period is said to have begun around the second millennium BCE. Following the fall of the Indus Valley Civilisation about 1900 BCE, tribes of Indo-Aryan peoples moved into north-western India and began to settle in the northern Indus Valley. This article will explain to you the Early Vedic Period or Rig Vedic Period (1500 BC – 1000 BC) which will be helpful in Ancient History preparation for the UPSC Civil service exam.

Origin of Aryans

• The early Vedic period is said to have begun around the second millennium BCE.
• Following the fall of the Indus Valley Civilisation about 1900 BCE, tribes of Indo-Aryan peoples moved into north-western India and began to settle in the northern Indus Valley.
• The Indo-Aryans were a sub-group of Indo-Iranian tribes that split off before the middle of the 2nd millennium BCE at the Andronovo horizon.
• The Indo-Iranians descended from the Sintashta civilization, which gave rise to the Andronovo horizon.
• The Indo-Aryans migrated to northwest India via the nearby Bactria–Margiana region (modern-day northern Afghanistan).
• This was followed by the development of the Iranian Yaz civilization around 1500 BCE and Iranian immigration into Iran around 800 BCE.
• According to astronomical calculations, the Aryans arrived from the Arctic area, according to Bal Gangadhar Tilak.
• The notion of southern Russia, on the other hand, appears to be more plausible and commonly recognized by historians. From there, the Aryans spread over Asia and Europe.
• They arrived in India around 1500 B.C. and were called Indo-Aryans. They spoke Sanskrit, an Indo-Aryan language.

Vedic Literature

• The term "Veda" comes from the root "vid," which means "to know." To put it another way, the phrase 'Veda' means superior wisdom.
• The four Vedas — Rig, Yajur, Sama, and Atharva – make up Vedic literature.
• The Rig Veda has 1028 hymns and is the oldest of the four Vedas. The hymns were written to honor numerous gods.
• The Yajur Veda contains a number of laws that must be followed during sacrifice.
• The Sama Veda is tuned specifically for chanting during sacrifice. The book of chants is where the origins of Indian music can be found.
• The Atharva Veda includes ceremonial information.
• Other sacred books include the Brahmanas, Upanishads, Aranyakas, and the epics Ramayana and Mahabharata, in addition to the Vedas.
• The treatises on prayer and sacrificial ceremonial are known as the Brahmanas.
• The Upanishads are philosophical works that address topics such as the soul, the absolute, the genesis of the universe, and nature's secrets.
• The woodland literature, or Aranyakas, deal with mysticism, ceremonies, rituals, and sacrifices.
• Valmiki wrote the Ramayana, while Vedavyas wrote the Mahabharata.

Rig Vedic Period (1500 BC – 1000 BC)

• The Rig Vedic period is another name for the Early Vedic period
• Originally, the Aryans lived in "Sapta Sindhu" (Land of the Seven Rivers). These seven rivers were as follows:
  • Sindhu (Indus), Vipash (Beas), Vitasta (Jhelum), Parushni (Ravi), Asikni (Chenab), Shutudri (Satluj) and Saraswati.
• The Indo-Aryans (c. 1750 BCE to 1000 BCE) believed mostly in pastoral pursuits, minimal agriculture, and a tiny economy throughout this time period.
• They reared cattle, sheep, and goats, which became emblems of riches and abundance.
• ​Between 1000 and 600 BC, the later Vedic era occurs.

Rig Vedic Period - Political Organisation

• The kula, or family, was the main unit of political structure.
• Several families came together to establish a community, or grama, based on their kinship.
• Grama's chieftain was known as gramani. Visu was a bigger entity made up of many settlements.
• During the Rigvedic period, the administration was divided into three levels:
  • the Griha (house) led by the Grihapati or Jaspati,
  • the Vis led by the Vispati, and
  • the Rastra led by the Rajan.
• The Rigveda discusses two types of states:
  • A state having a tribal character
  • A developed state with a territorial kingdom known as Rastra.
• The presence of Rastra is indicated by the Vaksukta. However, the term Rastra in this age was not the same as it was in the Later Vedic period.
• During this time, people were organized into tribes rather than kingdoms, and the chief of a tribe was known as Rajan, and his major role was to protect the tribe.
• The title Rajan in the Rigvedic period did not refer to a ruler with a defined territory, a powerful army, and so on. He likewise avoided pretentious titles and was known as Gopati and Vispati.
• The Rajan's authority was limited since he had to consult tribal councils known as Sabha and Samiti. These two bodies were partly responsible for the tribe's governance. The Rajan could not take the throne without their consent.
• Sabha was an older council that counseled the king on administration. It also served as a court of law, hearing criminal matters. The sabha's leader was known as 'Sabhapati'.
• Samiti was a people's assembly, and its leader was known as ‘pati’.
• The Samiti was primarily concerned with the state's political affairs. Vidhatha, another such assembly, was intended for economic, social, and military goals.

Rig Vedic Period - Social Life

• The society of the Rig Vedic was patriarchal. The family, or graham, was the main unit of society.
• The family's head was known as grahapathi.
• Polygamy was common among the royal and noble families, although monogamy was the norm.
• The woman was in charge of the household and attended all of the main events.
• Women were offered the same spiritual and intellectual growth chances as males.
• During the Rig Vedic period, women poets such as Apala, Viswavara, Ghosa, and Lopamudra existed.
• Women were allowed to participate in the popular assemblies. There were no child marriages, and sati was not practised.
• Cotton and woollen upper and lower garments were worn by both men and women.
• Both men and women wore a variety of ornaments.
• Wheat and barley, milk and its derivatives such as curd and ghee, vegetables and fruits were the main dietary items.
• Because the cow was a holy animal, consuming its meat was forbidden.
• The most popular hobbies were chariot racing, horse racing, dicing, music, and dancing.
• During the Rig Vedic period, social divides were less strict than they were later in the Vedic period.

Rig Vedic Period - Economic Condition

• The Rig Vedic Aryans were pastoral people who raised cattle as their major source of income.
• Their wealth was calculated based on the number of cattle they had.
• They began to cultivate agriculture after permanently settling in North India.
• They were able to remove woods and put additional territories under agriculture thanks to their expertise and usage of iron.
• Another prominent occupation was carpentry, which was profitable due to the abundance of wood from the cut woods.
• Chariots and ploughs were made by carpenters. Metal workers created a wide range of items out of copper, bronze, and iron.
• Spinning, which produced cotton and woollen cloths, was another major profession. Ornaments were created by goldsmiths.
• The potters created a wide range of home containers.
• Another key economic activity was trade, with rivers serving as vital modes of transportation.
• The barter system was used to conduct trade.
• Gold coins known as nishka were later utilised as a medium of trade in huge transactions.

Rig Vedic Period - Religion

• Earth, fire, wind, rain, and thunder were all revered by the Rig Vedic Aryans.
• They made gods out of these natural forces and worshipped them.
• Prithvi (Earth), Agni (Fire), Vayu (Wind), Varuna (Rain), and Indra (Thunder) were significant Rig Vedic gods.
• During the early Vedic period, Indra was the most popular of them all.
• Following Indra in significance was Agni, who was seen as a link between the gods and the humans.
• Varuna was intended to keep the natural order in place. Aditi and Ushas, for example, were female gods.
• During the early Vedic period, there were no temples or idol worship.
• The gods were prayed to in the hopes of receiving benefits; offerings included ghee, milk, and grain.

Conclusion

The Vedic civilization existed between 1500 BC and 600 BC. It is regarded to have been a significant period in Indian history. The Vedic Period is divided into two parts: the Early Vedic Period (c. 1500 BCE to 1000 BCE) and the Later Vedic Period (c. 1000 BCE to 600 BCE). The Aryans dwelt mostly in a region or land known as "Sapta Sindhu" or "the land of the seven rivers."