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List of ancient Indo-Aryan peoples and tribes

From the second or first millennium BCE, Indo-Aryan Vedic tribes turned into most of the population in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent – Indus Valley (roughly today's Pakistani Punjab and Sindh), Western India, Northern India, Central India, Eastern India and also in areas of the southern part like Sri Lanka and the Maldives through and after a complex process of migration, assimilation of other peoples and language shift.

Ancestors

Vedic tribes

  • Alina people (RV 7.18.7)
  • Anu (RV 1.108.8, RV 8.10.5)
  • Āyu
  • Bhageratha
  • Bhalanas
  • Bharatas- The Bharatas are a major Aryan clan, especially in Mandala 3 attributed to the Bharata sage Vishvamitra. The entire Bharata clan is described as crossing over, with their chariots and wagons, at the confluence of the Vipash (Beas River) and Shutudri (Satlej). The Bharatas are mentioned as the protagonists in the Battle of the Ten Kings in Mandala 7 (7.18 etc.), where they are on the winning side. They appear to have been successful in the early power-struggles between the various Aryan and non-Aryan clans so that they continue to dominate in post-Rigvedic texts, and later in the (Epic) tradition. "Bhārata" today is the official name of the Republic of India (see also Etymology of India).
  • Chedi
  • Dasa
  • Dasyu
  • DṛbhÄ«ka
  • Druhyus (Rigveda, RV 1.108.8, RV 8.10.5)
  • Gandhara
  • Guṅgu
  • Ikshvaku dynasty
  • Krivi
  • KÄ«kaá¹­a
  • Kuru
  • MahÄ«na
  • Malankhara
  • Maujavant
  • Matsya
  • Nahuá¹£a
  • Pakhta
  • Panis
  • Pārāvata
  • Parsu (Parśu)
  • Puru (PÅ«ru)
  • Ruśama (RV Mandala 8)
  • Sārasvata
  • Srñjaya
  • Tritsu (RV 7.18, 7.33, 7.83)
  • Yadu: Of Indo-Aryan origin,Yadu is one of the five early Rigvedic tribes (panchajana, panchakrishtya or panchamanusha) mentioned in the Rigveda. The Yadus had a tribal union with the Turvasha tribe, and were frequently described together. The Yadus were a Aryan tribe. By the time of the arrival of the Puru and Bharata tribes, the Yadu-Turvashas were settled in Punjab, with the Yadus possibly residing along the Yamuna River.In Mandalas 4 and 5 of the Rigveda, the god Indra is stated to have saved the Yadu-Turvashas from drowning when they crossed rivers. In Mandala 6, the Yadu-Turvashas are stated to have been "brought from far away" by Indra. The Yadu-Turvashas are treated relatively positively in Mandalas 5, 6, and 8, and are stated to be the occasional allies and enemies of the Puru-Bharatas. In the Battle of the Ten Kings, the Yadus were defeated by Bharata chieftain Sudas.

Pancha Jana (Five tribes)

(पञ्च जना – Páñca Jánāḥ / Pancha-janah) The pancha Jana are five tribes inexplicitly listed together during the (Āryāvarta of this time, c. 1700–1500 BCE, roughly corresponds with the Punjab and closer regions) (see the map of Early Vedic Period)

  • Anu (in the southwest part of early Āryāvarta)
  • Druhyu (in the north part of early Āryāvarta)
  • Puru (ancestors of the Paurava) (in the centre and east parts of early Āryāvarta, including Sarasvati river region)
  • Turvaśa (Turvasha) (in the centre and south parts of early Āryāvarta): The Turvashas (, ) were one of the five major peoples (panchajana, panchakrishtya or panchamanusha) mentioned in the Rigveda. The Turvashas had a tribal union with the Yadu tribe, and were frequently described together. The Turvashas were a partly Indo-Aryan-acculturated Indus tribe. By the time of the arrival of the Puru and Bharata tribes, the Yadu-Turvashas were settled in Punjab. By the time of the Shatapatha Brahmana (7th-6th centuries BCE), the Turvashas are linked to the Panchalas. Alfred Ludvig first conjectured that TurvÄ«ti and Vayya could have been connected with the Turvasha tribe, a notion that is still considered only speculation according to Witzel. In Mandalas 4 and 5 of the Rigveda, the god Indra is stated to have saved the Yadu-Turvashas from drowning when they crossed rivers. In Mandala 6, the Yadu-Turvashas are stated to have been "brought from far away" by Indra. The Yadu-Turvashas are treated relatively positively in Mandalas 5, 6, and 8, and are stated to be the occasional allies and enemies of the Puru-Bharatas.
  • Yadu (in the southeast and south parts of early Āryāvarta)

Early Janapadas (c. 1700–1100 BCE)

After roughly 1700 BCE Indo-Aryan peoples and tribes were swiftly expanding through ancient northern India, therefore the number of peoples, tribes and clans was increasing (as well as the number of Indo-Aryan language speakers) and Āryāvarta was becoming a very large area (see the map on the right side).

  • Aja – (Madhya-desha Āryāvarta – Central Āryāvarta)
  • Ambaśṭha – (Madhya-desha Āryāvarta – Central Āryāvarta)
  • Aṅga – Prachya Āryāvarta – Eastern Āryāvarta (Madhya-desha and Prachya Āryāvarta – Central and Eastern Āryāvarta in Vamana).
  • Anu – is a Vedic Sanskrit term for one of the 5 major tribes in the Rigveda, RV 1.108.8, RV 8.10.5 (both times listed together with the Druhyu) and, much later also in the Mahabharata. In the late Vedic period, one of the Anu kings, King Anga, is mentioned as a "chakravartin" (AB 8.22). Ānava, the vrddhi derivation of Anu, is the name of a ruler in the Rigvedic account of the Battle of the Ten Kings (7.18.13) and at 8.4.1 with the Turvaśa (tribe). The meaning ánu "living, human" (Naighantu) cannot be substantiated for the Rigveda and may have been derived from the tribal name. (Pratichya Āryāvarta – Western Āryāvarta)
  • Āyu
  • Bhajeratha
  • Bhalana – The Bhalanas were one of the tribes that fought against Sudas in the Dasarajna battle. Some scholars have argued that the Bhalanas lived in South Central and Western Pakistan, and that the Bolan Pass, around which live the Brahui people, are the Bhalana people and abode. (Pratichya Āryāvarta – Western Āryāvarta)
  • Bharadvāja – (Madhya-desha Āryāvarta – Central Āryāvarta)
  • Bhrigus
  • Bheda – (Madhya-desha Āryāvarta – Central Āryāvarta)
  • Bodha – (Madhya-desha Āryāvarta – Central Āryāvarta)
  • Druhyu – The Druhyu were a people of Vedic India. They are mentioned in the Rigveda, usually together with the Anu tribe. Some early scholars have placed them in the northwestern region. The later texts, the Epic and the Puranas, locate them in the "north", that is, in Gandhara, Aratta and Setu. (Vishnu Purana IV.17) The Druhyus were driven out of the land of the seven rivers, and their next king, Gandhara, settled in a north-western region which became known as Gandhāra. The sons of the later Druhyu king Pracetas too settle in the "northern" (udÄ«cya) region (Bhagavata 9.23.15–16; Visnu 4.17.5; Vayu 99.11–12; Brahmanda 3.74.11–12 and Matsya 48.9.). The word Druid (Gallic Celtic druides), is partially derived from Proto-Indo-European vid "to see, to know' It has also been alleged that the Rg Veda and the Puranas describe this tribe as migrating North. However, there is nothing of this in the Rigveda and the Puranas merely mention that the Druhyu are "adjacent (āśrita) to the North". (Pratichya Āryāvarta – Western Āryāvarta)
  • Gandharis (Pratichya Āryāvarta – Western Āryāvarta)
  2. (Pratichya Āryāvarta – Western Āryāvarta)

Late Janapadas (c. 1100–500 BCE)

From roughly 1100 to 500 BCE Indo-Aryan peoples and tribes expanded even further throughout ancient northern India (see the map 6).

According to political scientist Sudama Misra, the Kalinga janapada originally comprised the area covered by the Puri and Ganjam districts.

Mahajanapadas (c. 500 BCE)

महाजनपद – Mahajanapada Shodasa Mahajanapadas (Sixteen Mahajanapadas) The Mahajanapadas were sixteen great kingdoms and republics that emerged after the more powerful political entities (initially based on the territories of peoples and tribes) had conquered many others. According to the Anguttara Nikaya, Digha Nikaya, Chulla-Niddesa (Buddhist Canon)

According to the Vyākhyāprajñapti / Bhagavati Sutra (Jain text)

Mentions by Ancient Greek authors

Northwest Ancient India – Indus River Basin

Other regions of Ancient India (India Intra Gangem)

Indo-Aryan or other tribes (possible)

  • Alina (RV 7.18.7) (RV = Rigveda) – They were one of the tribes defeated by Sudas of the Bharatas at the Dasarajna (Ten Kings Battle). It is suggested that they lived to the north-east of the Kambojas (possible ancestors of the Nuristani that live in Nurestan) because in the 7th century CE, the land was mentioned by the Chinese pilgrim Xuanzang. It is possible that they are connected with the Alans or Alani people who are a nomadic Iranian tribe. Alans is a dialectal cognate of Aryāna, itself derived from the root arya-, meaning 'Aryan', the common self-designation of Indo-Iranian peoples. It probably came in use in the early history of the Alans for the purpose of uniting a heterogeneous group of tribes through the invocation of a common, ancestral 'Aryan' origin. The historian S. G. Talageri identifies them with the Greeks (Hellenes). However, the dating of the Rigveda and the hypothetical historic time for the Dasarajna-yuddha (Battle of Ten Kings) occurred millennia before Hellenes were recorded in India.
  • Parsu (Parśu) – The Parsus have been connected with the Persians based on the evidence of an Assyrian inscription from 844 BC referring to the Persians as Parshu, and the Behistun Inscription of Darius I of Persia referring to Parsa as the home of the Persians. Pârsâ, is the Old Persian name for the Persis region Pars province as well as the root for the term Persian.
  • Shakya – a clan of Iron Age India (1st millennium BCE), habitating an area in Greater Magadha, on the foothills of the Himalaya mountains. This is also the clan in which Siddhartha Gautama (also known as Buddha or Shakyamuni – Sage of the Shakyas) ( to 4th centuries BCE) was born into, whose teachings became the foundation of Buddhism. According to Chandra Das, the name "Shakya" is derived from the Sanskrit word "śakya," which means "the one who is capable". Some scholars argue that the Shakya were of aboriginal Munda-origin while others speculate on a Scythian (Saka) origin (part of the Iranian peoples) and assimilated into Indo-Aryan peoples.

Hypothetical Indo-Aryans

See also

Notes

References

Sources

Further reading

  • Pargiter, F. E. [1922] 1979. Ancient Indian Historical Tradition. New Delhi: Cosmo.