Debunking the Aryan Invasion Theory: Tracing India's Indigenous Population, Cultural Divide, and Religious Influences

Abstract

Once generally accepted, the Aryan Invasion Theory (AIT) proposed that the local Harappan civilization was displaced by Indo-European-speaking Aryans who migrated or invaded the Indian subcontinent circa 1500 BCE. Recent findings from linguistics, culture, genetics, and archaeology, however, cast doubt on this theory. Rather, it bolsters a narrative of indigenous continuity and slow cultural evolution. The historical roots of AIT, its colonial and political objectives, genetic and archaeological discoveries, and its influence on India's religious and cultural environment are all examined in this essay. In the end, this study advocates for a more decolonized understanding of history and supports the Indigenous Aryan Theory (IAT).