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Indo-Iranian Relationship in Rigvedic Days

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The Persians and the Indo-Aryans, from very ancient times, had intimate relations. Persians and the Indo-Aryans lived together uptil 1400 B.C. Even when the Indo-Aryans had left Persia and settled in the Sapt-Sandhu, they maintained good relations with the Persians; and their religion and culture therefore was very much akin to the Iranians.

Many words were common in both the Iranian language and the Rigvedic language. Just as ‘Soma was the favourite nectar of the early Aryans in India, “Haoma” of the Avesta was a popular drink of the old Iranians. The ‘Parthavas’ mentioned in the Rigveda refers to the Persians.

Conquest of Gandhara by Darius I

It was in the sixth century B.C. that once again India was brought nearer to Persia this time not by merchants and scholars but by soliders. Cyrus the Great, was one of the most powerful ruler of Achaemenian dynasty of Persia. He conquered Bacteria, Media, Babylonia and Assyria. He even advanced towards India through Gedrosia (Mekran), but was not successful in this expedition.

It was Darius I the third Achaemenian Emperior, who first conquered north-western India. He sent his admiral Skylay to explore the mouths of the Indus, and then after some time himself followed to pursue the conquest of Gandhara, as the north-west portion of India was then called.

He conquered the western Punjab up to the Salt Range n te Jhelum district. North-western India formed the “twentieth satrapy” of the Persain Empire and that this Indian province used to pay an annual tribute of three hundred and sixty “talents” of gold dust, which is one million pounds of modern currency.

Darius, maintained a special Indian force, which took prominent part in Perso-Greek wars. This Indian contigent consisted of infantry, cavalary and chariots, and was commanded by a Persian general, Pharnazathmes.

But we do not know how long the Persains ruled over this portion of India. The general belief is that it was a part of the Persian Empire for more that a century. In the forth century B.C., however, some of the Indian chiefs had asserted independence; and when Alexander invaded this country, North-West India was not a part of the Persian Empire.

Influence of Persian conquest on Indian trade culture

The Persian occupation of north-western India is not a mere episode in our history. It influenced Indian trade, thought and culture. Indian merchants carried their goods to the various parts of the vast Persian Empire, and in this way the commercial prosperity of our country greatly increased. Indian scholars and philosophers, too moved freely in the Persian Empire, and this led to closer relations with western countries, particularly with Greece.

The Persian occupation, also, influenced Indian art. It is said that most of the buildings of the Mauryan Emperors have a Persian touch.

The Mauryan Emperor, Chandragupta also followed many Persian ceremonies. He used to hold the meetings of the Council of Ministers in a room where sacred fire was kept burning. He also borrowed the hair-washing ceremony of Persian monarchs, and made it one of the important court ceremonies.

Besides, Persian noblemen were employed by the Mauryan rulers, and we find Tusbaspha, a Persian, occupying a very high position in the state, i.e., acting as Governor of Kathiawar in the reign of Chandragupta.

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Tags: aryans, assyria, babylonia, gandhara by darius, india, Indo-Iranian Relationship, mauryan, parthavas, persia, persian emperor, philosophers, rigvedic age, sandhu, soliders