Author: Raj Kumar

Abstract: The term “Aryan” originally denotes an ancient self-identification in ethno-cultural terms used by Indo-Iranian countries, which means noble man. In historical terms, it denotes nomadic populations speaking Indo-Iranian languages that settled down on the Iranian Plateau and in northern India, which paved the way for the blossoming of the Vedic and Iranian civilizations. According to a theory that appeared in the middle of the 19th century, the Aryans were light-skinned people who inhabited ancient Iran and northern India about 1500 BCE. A number of scholars agree with the fact that the Aryans crossed into the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent through Iran from Central Asia. This fact has been supported by many historians. According to the results of historical and genetic studies, the population has its beginnings in the Eurasian Steppes, where tribes came from Central Asia and traveled across the Iranian Plateau before reaching the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent. Nonetheless, today’s studies don’t support the former claims about the military invasion. In the present time, it is evident that the process was slow in the form of cultural diffusion; their writings and beliefs brought much influence to the cultural development of India. Like other ancient cultures, the Aryans believed in many Gods and deities; they practiced polytheism. It is agreed by many scholars that numerous verses of the Rigveda mention the encounters of the Aryans and the native population of the Indian subcontinent. The Aryans are called “dasyu”, a servant or a slave in this ancient Indian piece of literature. The Rigveda describes how Indra, the main Hindu God, destroyed the settlements of the Dasyu. Besides, in hymns to Agni, the God of fire, it is stated that the Aryans advanced in their movements and burned forests to expand their territorial and economic occupations. Moreover, the Aryans gave a hierarchical society dividing the population into four Varnas, which became the social system and turned into castes and subcastes. The present research paper makes a review of the Aryan culture focusing on the impacts of this culture on religion, society, languages, philosophy etc. in India.

Keywords: Hinduism, Rigveda, Sanskrit, Culture, Society, Varnas, Religion, Dasyu, Dard Aryans.

Article Info: Received: 26 Mar 2026; Received in revised form: 21 Apr 2026; Accepted: 25 Apr 2026; Available online: 30 Apr 2026

DOI: 10.22161/ijels.112.103