--- In
cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "Richard Wordingham"
<richard.wordingham@...> wrote:
>
> --- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "mkelkar2003" <smykelkar@...> wrote:
> > Agree. Languages have to be spread by people. Bantu and AmeriInd
> > langauge families can be clearly idenfied with a group of people. And
> > that is where the problem is. No such people who spread the IE
> > languages can be identified. In that case the only way out is to
> > rethink the whole idea of an "IE language" family, as shocking as it
> > may sound. The studies we have linked to on p. 16 and p. 51 of
> > proto-vedic-continuity theory.doc are we think a step in that
> direction.
>
> And how are you tackling the Austro-Asiatic problem? (Munda,
> Nicobarese, Aslian and other Mon-Khmer)
>
> Richard.
Our monograph points to the possibility of the presence of
austro-asiatic in the Sarasvati civilization area, the saptasindhu
region. This has been accepted by HH Hock.
Kuiper's work on Nahali and munda words in Sanskrit, provides a
promising approach to identify the austro-asiatic cultural substratum
in the vedic, post-vedic continuum. Many lexemes of Santali/Mundarica/
point to homonyms which may explain, rebus, the Sarasvati hieroglyphs
related to furnaces, minerals, metals and alloys. In fact, the entire
corpus of 4000 epigraphs with over 400 'signs' and over 100 'pictorial
motifs' seem to relate only to this category. SK Chatterjee thought
Munda was the substratum for austro-asiatic. This can form a starting
hypothesis for further studies to unravel the interactions among
munda-dravidian-indo-aryan dialects in a linguistic area starting from
6500 BCE to 500 BCE. A long time-span indeed. The start date of 6500
BCE relates to the find of the burial of a woman at Mehergarh wearing
wide s'ankha bangle and s'ankha ornaments. (s'ankha = turbinella pyrum
which is native and indigenous to the coastline of bharatam and an
industry which continues even today in Gulf of Mannar (Tiruchendur,
Ki_r..akkarai) and the s'ankha dvi_pa near Surat, Gujarat. S'ankha is
a metaphor which defines early hindu civilization and the work of
riverine, maritime people in evolving this civilization from Nahali
base (Tapati river valley not far from Bhimbhetka) -- not far from
Omkares'var (at the confluence of Narmada and Tapati rivers). Why Om-
in Omkares'var? Could be related to the s'ankha naada, om. Another
language metaphor of extroardinary profundity in hindu ethos and
traditions.
Yes, we have to continue the work started by the late Sudhibhushan
Bhattacharjee whose works have been cited in our monograph. We have to
continue the work of scholars like Dr. Balasubramanian who have
unraveled the mysteries of the non-rusting Delhi iron pillar attesting
to the unparalleled excellence of bharatiya metallurgy. The word
bharatiyo itself means 'caster of metals' in Gujarati. This cannot be
mere coincidence.
The question of austro-asiatic has to be related to the early
civilizational advance in Bharatam from 7th millennium to the
sea-faring peoples of the hindumahasagar parivar. This may explain why
there was an eastward bali yaatra and the setting up of Angkor Wat
(Nagara Vatika), the largest vishnu mandiram in the world. Studies of
Nahali > Nagari > Marathi may yield some insights into the nature of
interactions between chalcolithic and neolithic cultures north and
south of the vindhya, respectively.
The philological challenge is to provide voice to the paintings on
Bhimbhetka caves. Even Sankalia called a painting on one of the caves
a representation of Krishna, wielding a cakra and riding a chariot. Of
course, there are paintings showing ponies (maybe, equus sivalensis,
may be of the type of Shetland pony with 34 ribs mentioned in the
Rigveda or of Spanish barb). What was the bronze ratha found at
Daimabad called by the makers of that civilizational site? Why are two
birds shown astride the yoke? What does this metaphor of the chariot
denote in terms of the yajna tradition or metallurgical tradition?
Soma? What soma? It could be electrum, like assem (s'm) in ancient
Egyptian or somnakay as in Gypsy or soma man.al 'sand containing
silver ore' in Tamil. What soma? Metal. What yajna? Early smelting
processes.
If we start with a framework devoid of ideology and assumed invasions,
we may be able to provide a picture of continuity from the days of
munda presence in saptasindhu region.