India After the Indus Valley

1. India After the Indus Valley From Aryans to Guptas

2. Who Were the Aryans??? • Aryans - Indo European group that migrated from the middle of Eurasia • Passed thru Khyber Pass about 1500 BC • What is the Khyber Pass??? • Aryans come to India and find people who are different from them • Aryans were light skinned and spoke a different language and had a different religion • Non-Aryans they call dasas which meant dark (due to their skin color) • Dasa would later come to mean slave • Differences will create classes quickly

4. The Caste System is Born • Aryans had 3 classes • Brahmin (priests) – upper class • Kshatriyas (warriors) – middle class • Vaisyas – (farmers, craftspeople, traders) – lower class • Eventually non-Aryans were a class • Called shudras – laborers, servants, and farm workers • They did the jobs Aryans did not want to do • Varna – related to skin color- becomesthe basis of this system; the classes were called varnas • Later they would be called ‘castes’ • This starts the caste system

5. The Four Castes of India Aryan/ Indian god known as Brahma

6. Rituals & Religion of the Caste • Aryans were polytheistic • Believed in heroic nature gods (ex. Thunder) • Castes or classes gave role in society • People born into caste for LIFE • Determines your friends, wife, job, etc. • Only way to change caste was through reincarnation – couldn’t change your status during your life

7. Rituals & Religion of the Caste • Ritual purity a major part of religion • Eating / cleaning habits keep soul clean • Untouchables - people in society who were seen as less than any caste • Jobs made them dirty and ‘untouchable’ • Grave diggers, butchers, etc. • If someone from another caste touched these people, they would automatically be reincarnated as an Untouchable themselves!!!

8. The Spread of the Aryans • Aryans begin spreading east & south • Spread east to Ganges River • Spread south into the rest of India • Mahabharata- epic poem that told of stories of Aryan spread • Tells of mixing between the Aryans & non-Aryans • Dominated the area of India from 1500BCE to 500BCE

9. The Mauryan Empire Emerges • The Mauryan Empire • Takes power around 320 BCE • Chaundragupta Maurya is the leader • Unifies all of Northern India for 1st time • Creates a bureaucratic government • What is a bureaucracy??? • Asoka takes over with the death of his father • Brings India to its greatest heights • Turns away from war; spreads Buddhism instead • Practiced religious tolerance - people choose • Built road systems, hospitals, etc.

10. The Mauryan Empire Emerges • Asoka takes over with the death of his father – he is the grandson of Chandragupta Maurya • Brings India to its greatest heights • Turns away from war; spreads Buddhism instead • Practiced religious tolerance - people choose • Which religion remains dominant??? • Built road systems, hospitals, etc.

11. The Gupta Empire Emerges • Chaundra Gupta (no relation) comes to power around 320 AD • Brings Indian culture to its new peak • Also brings Hindu religion to its peak • Indian society is patriarchal • Means eldest male rules the family • Indian civilization prospers from both trade and conquest • Create incredible advancements during this time period

12. Gupta Empire Advancements • Math • Creates the concept of zero • Medicine • Book of over 1000 diseases diagnosed • Surgeries performed, set bones • Astronomy • Proved the earth was round • New Products • Spices, gems, woods, traded silks ****Used the Silk Roads for trading**** • Literature • Khalidasa- famous playwright and writer