I have been watching `The Story of India’ by Michael Wood on Discovery Channel. I have seen all the episodes and currently it’s being aired again on Discovery Channel.
I liked grouping of each episodes and the presentation. It’s a good series for everyone( Indian or Non-Indian) to get some insight into Indian history in audio-visual format( instead of history lessons of schools that we leant!). But, there are some major flaws in this series.
In 1st episode of the series, there are some serious objections in finding root of so called Aryan people in Turkmenistan based on Victor Sarianidi’s archeological excavations.
- BMAC( Bactria Margiana Archeological Complex) central asia excavation which is refered in the 1st episode started in 2200 BC & extinguished in 1900 BC i.e. for some 300 - 400 years. There were gold/silver jewelery finds there. Before South African Gold mines findings in recent times, there was only one source of Gold and that was South India. So, how come intricate Gold & Silver jewelery came to Turkmetistan( i.e. BMAC) area? BMAC shows seals that are found in Indus Valley Civilization excavation in large sum. So, it shows that IVC had bigger contacts with BMAC.
No mention of such points? But, arbitrary acceptance of some Aryan people migrating to India.( they are still not talking about Invasion. Good!)
- There is no mention of Indus Valley Civilization( IVC) people’s achievements which was unparallel of concurrent civilizations of Egypt or Iraq( Sumer) or China. IVC had all planned towns with bricks of ratio 4:3:2 which is best ratio & that’s used even today. Finding of maths ruler with smallest unit and uniform weights & measures throughout IVC towns which encompasses more area than W.Europe. IVC’s famous bronze dancing girl statue & small terracota statues of persons in Yoga asans postures are not mentioned?
When you are telling about India’s true story then why are you hiding this very important thing? Yoga statues during IVC times means that ancient IVC indians were knowing about Yoga and Yoga tradition itself speaks that it’s derived from Vedas. So, that means that IVC people were knowing Vedas and it means that there was no Aryan tribal people’s migration.
- How such advanced & cultured people accepted so called Aryan language of Sanskrit which is considered as hard to learn even for current Indians? So, how ancient Indians accepted this `foreign’ language and changed all their teminology of maths & science & astronomy in which they were quiet advance than any other civilization?
If any term is new to some culture and that word’s equivalent is not found in their language then it’s accepted directly. Like Yoga, Karma, Dharma, Puja, Mantra etc. Sanskrit words in today’s western world’s vocab.
Mentioning of Soma plant but it’s portryed wrong that Aryans came with Soma plant from central asia. Infact RigVeda or any Sanskrit do not remember anything about so called central asia motherland or migration in India which would have been very significant for any aryan people who happaned to change language & culture of ancient indians.
Mention of now outdated Western interpretation of Indra as god of Aryan people & destroyer of forts. In the same episode it’s mentioned that Indian people’s whole life depends on Monsoon and people eagerly wait for monsoon rains. The same episode mentions Kolkata’s Asiatic Library’s lady mentioning that Indra is god of rains & thunder. So, do Mr. Wood who narrates Aryan Migration in India from Central Asia as some truth - can not understand that Indra as god of rains as RigVedic god and also mentioned in Iranian Avesta is india specific, as central asian people’s life don’t depend on rains. But, it’s Indian subcontinent people’s life which is totally dependent on Monsoon rains. Hence, Indra was glorified in RigVeda. But, Krishna had adviced Gokul’s villagers to stop praying Indra( refer to Govardhan parvat episode in Krishna’s childhood) and during Mahabharat time Saraswati had ceased to flow till ocean and she ended at Vinasana in desert. During Krishna’s time weather & geolocial changes had already effected life of indian people and hence He had adviced to stop praying Indra. This shows people’s faith shifting from Indra of RigVedic times.
Infact series of events mentioned in RigVeda & other vedas, Puranas, Upnishad & other ancient Sanskrit scriptures indicate period much ahead of 1500 BC. Also, when DNA testing of south indian is shown in the episode then why it’s not mentioned that there is no genetic change in Indians’ DNA from 4500 BC to 500 BC period.
Aryan theory is theory and not a scientific fact. So, the episode is not portraying the True Story of India.
He shows B.B.Lal, great archiologist of India & once chairman of ASI, as excavator of a city during 1000 BC peiod which is perceived as Hastinapur of Mahabharat time. During early time the same B.B.Lal was accepting Aryan Invasion / Migration theory, but now same person is opposing it with newer findings in archeology, genetics & Saraswati river findings etc. So, why his recent findings are not mentioned as this series is of 2007. Whereas Victor Saridanidhi’s excavation findings like horse is mentioned as some proof when whole horse riding Aryans invading india is obsolete now.
In Kushan kings episode, it’s mentioned that people of Mathura( which was a very important city state during those time) were happy with killing of Kushan king Kanishka. Then, same episode shows play of Krishna in which he kills Mathura King Kansa and then Mr. Wood says that people are still remebering killing of Kushan king as it’s shown in story of Kansa. This way he is potraying that episode of Kansa & Krishna are just myth and that’s taken from killing of that Kushan king of 100 - 200 BC time. A mislead by him.
The opinions expressed by the author in the series are highly controversial, objectionable and biased.The above text describes just some example of the controversial views of the series. Though he is critical about britishers role during indian partition of 1947, ancient history of India is through eyes of an Englishman( he & production house BBC is English).
I welcome suggestions from you.