Indusians: Quest for Identity & Recognition

Comparatively, the people of all contemporary civilizations; Egyptians and Mesopotamians remained in wars, slavery and orthodox belief systems whereas, Indusians were engaged in town planning, innovations, trade, and agriculture having their flexible belief system which never been implemented.

The term “Indusians” have been taken from mighty Indus river that gives the citizenship of this great valley, being Indusians (the people of Indus) this archaeological identity throws back to 5000 years and tells the stories of the times when people were deeply connected with each other through physical and mental cohesive nature. The social change and development of the Indusians reflect its rich cultural heritage showcased in the museums around the world.

Dr. Jonathan Mark Kenoyer, one of the learned scholar on Indus Valley Civilization (IVC) during his interview with radio Pakistan, come up with the assertion that comparatively people of all its contemporary civilizations i.e. Egyptians and Mesopotamians remained in wars, slavery, and orthodox belief systems whereas, Indusians were engaged in town planning, innovations, trade, and agriculture having their flexible belief system which never been implemented by force, everyone had freedom to connect with nature through any of its manifestations. Hence Indusians provided a cohesive peaceful society as a model of that time which later on investigated, revealed and declared by world renowned archaeologists.

The curiosity to know the reasons behind that social cohesion in the society and peaceful human interaction on material grounds is need of the time in order to understand triggers behind that collective consciousness and generate resilience against modern day human conflicts based upon gender race, color, religion, caste and so on.

After Civilization, Indus valley witnessed the huge human migrations which left their marks on both banks of mighty Indus and its tributaries some of them, later on, appeared as chronicles mentioned in Vedic and Epic literature which resulted in reformations in forms of Jain and Buddhist schools, it witnessed the dynastic boundaries of Akhmenians and Alexender’s forces, it witnessed Chandra Gupta Mauriya to Asokan territories, it witnessed the wars made by central Asians and Arabs, it witnessed Mughals and east India company with the passage of time hence it lastly divided into two major parts on larger scale in the 20^th century. The last attempt in this valley made by Britishers remained a scientific milestone of the current situation of Indo-Pak tension having nuclear weapons and much more dangerous stuff against planet earth. The strategy was in process during 19^th c. A.D. Lord Macaulay addressing the British Parliament on 2^nd February 1835 said:

“I have traveled across the length and breadth of India and I have not seen one person who is a beggar. Who is a thief such wealth I have seen in this country, such high moral values, people of such caliber, that I do not think we would ever conquer this country, unless we break the very backbone of this nation, which is her spiritual and cultural heritage and therefore, I propose that we replace her old and ancient education system. Her culture, for if the Indians think that all is foreign and English is good and greater than their own, they will lose their self-esteem, their native culture and they will become what we want them, a truly dominated nation”.

This whole journey explains the ups and downs of Indusians who at the end have taken nuclear threats not only to each other but for whole planet earth. What could be the peaceful solution in order to save the earth? Do we need a dividend solution triggered by ethnoreligious clerics or cohesive solution presented by the sociocultural scientists? Seeking answers to those harsh questions we need to understand the civilization that we proudly own but can’t express it, as in native perspectives.

Modern day regional politics based on ethnoreligious identity have triggered the conflicts on various fronts which reflect human rights violations on macro to micro level across the borders in many forms, is an alarming situation. Dialogue based on cultural heritage may help us to find out solutions to answer the questions which may clear path in order to understand human to human relations for a peaceful society that we lost in debris long ago.

Cohesive and peaceful society of ancient Indusians seems deeply rooted with many goddesses and gods as seen by the images, symbols, signs and other artistic expressions discovered during excavations, hence we can put them into the polytheistic form of religion which binds them into uniformity. Although the decline of Indus valley civilization has no such scientific clues yet continuity in religious form seems till Vedic literature which mostly is alike but later Epic literature consists of Ramayana and Mahabharata seems full of wars that resulted in reformations in forms of Jainism and Buddhism. Again later history has chronological series of wars afterward the decline of Akhmenian Empire followed by Alexender, Asoka, Kushans, Huns, and Arabs from south western borders.

The major monotheistic form of religion was pushed by Arabs and central Asians during 8^th c. A.D. This was the time when south-western small dynasties were engaged in local wars which gave the opportunity to Arabs hence they reached till Multan. The period between 8^th-10^th centuries A.D. The next phase begins with Turks and Central Asians and lastly Mughals who allowed the treaties between Portuguese and then British companies. Hence the whole country had been treated on easier controlling network. The local power tribes were given extra privileges in order to return reward for their services in terms of taxes, information, labor, forces etc.

The major division of humans on the basis of religion, ethnicity, caste, race, and language occurred during 1947 in south Asia which divided the land into three countries having their religious and ethnic backgrounds which again took separation on ethnic grounds when India supported east Pakistani slogans of separation in 1971. Pakistan as envisioned by Mohamad Ali Jinnah and other Muslim league leaders was to make a welfare state for oppressed people who were discriminated on many grounds.

India and Pakistan being part of Indus valley are facing internal conflicts based on Religious extremism on one hand and the ethnic on the other which has boosted more complicated situation in the region, therefore, a common identity and its collective heritage as tool of shared values and understanding with ancient system may help to bring peace not only in the region but for the whole world.

DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy and position of Regional Rapport.