THE RIGVEDIC SETILEMENTS

THE RIGVEDIC SETILEMENTS

Most of the hymns of the Rigveda were probably composed in the country around the River Sarasvati, now lost in the sands of Rajasthan. The Aryan occupation of Afghanistan and the Punjab is proved by the mention in the Rigveda of the rivers Jaxartes, Kabul, Swat, Kurram, Gumal, Indus, Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas and Sutlej. The ~ayas were well known, but the Vindhyas were unknown. Thus we can , safely conclude that the Aryan settlements were confined to Eastern Afghanistan, modem Pakistan, Punjab and parts of modem Uttar Pradesh. The major part of this area was known as the land of Sapta Sindhu (the Indus and its five tributaries and the Sarasvati.)

When the hymns were. written, the focus of Aryan culture was the region between the Yamuna and the Sutlej (the region was referred to as Brahmavarta), and along the upper course of the River Sarasvati. To the east the Aryans had not expanded far beyond the Yamuna, and the Ganga is mentioned only in a late hymn. Narmada finds no mention.