Pre-Islamic history of West Asia

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Pre-Islamic history of West Asia

Manju Gupta

 

 

Once Upon a Time by Sudhakar Raje, Babasaheb Apte Samarak Samiti,

180 pp, Rs 100.00

 

Sudhakar Raje with painstaking effort has culled into some 200 pages

the pre-Islamic Hindu history of the non-Muslim West Asia. He begins

his book by saying that "icons, temples and scriptures (along with

the language in which they are written) are evident, recognisable

relics of the imprint Hindu influence has left on the world."

Quoting Anwar Shaikh, a Pakistani Muslim scholar who, referring to

Manu Smriti, has said, "Here is a Vedic law which clearly shows

Vedic influence on the Middle Eastern culture and the Reformation

that took place in Europe," the author says that the most modern

imprint is that of the amazing progress of ancient Hindus who

achieved in the sciences ranging from mathematics to medicine, from

astronomy to engineering."

 

The book starts with Hindu influence in the hoary past in south-

eastern Turkey at Nevali Cori. Prof. Herald Hauptmann of Germany,

through excava-tion had come across "well planned massive

structures, almost competing in finesse with the imposing

architecture of the Assyrians who lived in the region thousands of

year later. They are erected in staight lines and at right angles,

like villas, with stone blocks. . . There was also an ancient form

of air-condition-ing in each building. This was achieved though gaps

in the floor, below which water from a stream in the region could be

made to flow."

 

In Baluchistan is an island called Satadwipa where a Kali temple has

been found and so is another temple of Mahadeva. This north-western

region was a bustling centre of international trade during the

heydays of the Indus Valley civilisation.

 

Archaeological research has resulted in discovery of protohistoric

sites in Afghanistan that prove its close religio-cultural affinity

with Hindu India. The author shows how references to Afghansitan,

its rivers and towns are found in Rig Veda and that Ghazni had Hindu

origin. What makes for moving reading is the reference to the two

world-famous colossal statues of Buddha at Bamiyan, 53 and 35 metres

tall, carved out of cliffs—"the remains that no longer remain"—

thanks to the Taliban vandals who indulged in this wanton act

because Islam required them to be butshikan (idol breakers).

 

The Iranian connection with Vedic India is traced back to the Rig

Veda. The author quotes from Collecting the pebles Hibermicus

written by Sir William Jones, "It has been proved by clear evidence

and plain reasoning that a powerful monarchy was established in Iran

long before the Assyrian or Pishdadi government, that it was truly a

Hindu monarchy... that it subsisted many centuries, and that its

history has been ingrafted on that of the Hindus who founded the

monarchies of Ayodhya and Indraprastha."

 

Talking about the land between the two rivers—the Euphrates and

Tigris, the author says ancient artefacts found in Mesopotamia

(modern-day Iraq) point to the link with Vedic Hindus. Seals found

in Sumeria of Mesopotamia are similar to those found at Mohenjodaro.

 

Even Syria is said to have a Hindu past, so much so that it derived

its name from Surya or Sun.

 

Arabia, the homeland of Islam has a long and rich Hindu pre-history.

Arabia stands for Arabastan which is a distortion of Sanskrit name

Asvasthan meaning the land of horses. He explains how Guru Nanak

even said that Kaba (in Mecca) was a Shiva temple. Hind was a

popular name among pre-Islamic Arabs. One of Mohammed´###### wives

was named Hind.

 

Discussing Egypt´s Hindu heritage, the author says that hieroglyphs

of Middle East and Indus Valley civilisations were similar, and has

quoted French historian, who has said that "Egyptians of those times

considered that Osiris had originally come from India, the land of

Shiva."

 

The author through his book has succeeded in presenting a review of

the pre-Islamic past a what is now known as the West Asia, broadly

tracing the near-westward spread of Hindu religion, culture and

civilisation in ancient times. "The pre-Islamic Hindu history of the

non-Muslim West Asia appears to have begun at least 9,000 years ago

and it continued literally for millenniums, at last coming to an end

on the day Mohammad inaugurated Islam, with the destruction of the

Hindu shrine of Kaba."

 

The author has aptly concluded his book by quoting Arnold Toynbee

who had said, "It has already become clear that a chapter which had

a Western beginning will have an Indian ending. At this supremely

dangerous moment in human history, the only way of salvation for

makind is the Indian way."

 

(Babasaheb Apte Samarak Samiti, 7 Madhusudan, Playground Road, Vile

Parle (E), Mumbai-400 057.)

 

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