The question of which of us is Aryan is one of the most contentious in India today. In this eyeopening
book, scholars and experts critically examine the Aryan issue by analysing history,
genetics, early Vedic scriptures, archaeology and linguistics to test and challenge various
hypotheses, myths, facts and theories that are currently in vogue.
Romila Thapar tackles the definition of the 'Aryan' in her inimitable style by tracing the
origins and progression of the 'Aryans' from old Iranian texts such as the Zend-Avesta,
archaeological excavations and colonial interpretations made by Max Müeller. She also
touches upon the following fields of enquiry: historiography, archaeology, linguistics,
comparative mythology, social anthropology and, more recently, genetics. Michael Witzel
investigates the origins of the early 'Aryans' within and outside India. Jaya Menon examines
data from excavations of Harappan culture. Kai Friese lucidly explains the Rakhigarhi
research which has been talked about a lot in the recent past and Razib Khan provides
insights arising from research into genetics.