The Aryan Settlements in India

The Aryans migrated from Central Asia to establish their settlements in India during the period 15th century BC to 6th century BC. As presented in a rock inscription in Boghascoy in Kapadoshia in Central Asia, the Aryans had established their first settlements in India in the 15th century BC.


As first they established their settlements around the seven tributaries of Indus. This area was known as 'Saptha Sindu'. According to the 'Rigveda', Saptha Sindu was made up of the following rivers.

1. Veenastha (Jhelum)
2. Asiknee (Chenab)
3. Parushni (Rachvi)
4. Vipash (Bias)
5. Shuthushree (Suthej)
6. Sasrasvathi
7. Drushadwani

Out of these seven tributaries, Saraswathi and Drushadwani are not found today as they were dried up long ago. According to Rigveda the Aryans had settled by these rivers as tribes.

The Himalaya mountain was known to the Aryans mentioned in the Rigveda. But they did not have any knowledge about the areas beyond the south and west of the Jamuna river. The Rigveda does not mention anything about the Vindya mountain. Hence, it is clear that the Aryans had formed their settlements around the 'Saptha Sindu' area between 1500BC and 1000BC.


The period between the 1000BC to 600BC is known as the post vedic era. The vedas, Yajur, Sama, Atharwan and other Brahmin inscriptions contain further details about the Aryan settlements in India.

In Aitriya Brahmin five areas are mentioned as the settlements of Aryans as follows.

1. Apachchyadesh in western India.
2. Madyamadesh.
3. Udichidesh or Uththrapradesh.
4. Prachyadesh. A polluted area in the west.
5. Dakshinadesh where Andra, Sabara, Muniba tribes lived.

During the Rigvedic era most of these tribes had joined together. Anu, Yadur, Thurvasa and Ravi were some of the tribes united to form the 'Panchala' tribe and they constructed their permanent settlements in Madyamadesh around Delhi.

Similarly the tribes 'Puru and Bharata' mentioned in Rigvedic united to form 'Kuru' tribe in Hastinapura in Madayamadesh. In later staged powerful kings emerged from this tribe.

As mentiioned in the Mahabharata, 'Drutarastra and Duryodhana' were two great kings who emerged from the Kuru tribe in Hastinapura. Yuddishtra, Janamejaya and Parikshita were some kings who emerged from the Panchala tribe.

In the 9th century BC Kuru and Panchala tribes waged war against  each other. This war is known as the 'Kuru Kshetra War'. In Madyamadesh there lived another tribe called 'Sanjaya"