Dandekar on Thieme

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In "The Antedents and the Early Beginnings of the Vedic Period"

pp 1-44 (Exercises in Indology; Select Writings # 3, Ajanta

Publications, Delhi 1981), R.N. Dandekar critically examines

Professor Thieme's semantic approach to the question of "Urheimat",

which I think is relevant to the present discussion on this list on

the question of the Aryans and their presence in India.

Dandekar outlines the following five points, which he thinks are

relevant to the Aryan question: (1) The relation of the Vedic Aryans

with the other Indo-European-speaking people of the world; (2) The

relation of the Vedic Indians with the Harappan civilisation; (3) The

course of the development of the Vedic history and civilisation as

seen from the Vedic literature itself; (4) The co-ordination of the

history of the kings and princes mentioned in the Veda with the

dynastic lists of the Puranas; and (5) Correlating the major Post-

Vedic events (e.g. The Mahabharata War) to the expansion of the

Aryans to the various parts of India. With the exception of the

latter half of the final, fifth, point, I think this approach would

still be useful.

The death of a great scholar also offers an opportunity to re-

examine and reassess his/her work (simhavalokana). I therefore see no

reason why Professor Thieme's work cannot now be scrutinized--even by

those who may not rise to the standard set by the late lamented

scholar.

Shrinivas Tilak