The Rig Veda and the origins of the first cities of the Indus-Sarasvati valley.

At the intersection of legend, mythology and archaeology lies an ancient text: the Rig Veda, one of humanity’s oldest sacred texts. But what does it really tell us about the origins of the first cities of the Indus Valley and Sarasvati, this mysterious civilization of the 7 rivers, whose first cities emerged around 3500 BCE?

The « official » version – or at least the one that remains widely circulated in academic circles – is well known. According to this theory, the Rig Veda was composed by « Aryan » warriors, who came from Eastern Europe or the plains of Central Asia around 1500 BCE. These peoples would have migrated (or invaded, according to some versions) to the Indian subcontinent, bringing with them their Indo-European language, their gods and their culture.

But is this really the truth?

Let’s take a closer look.

The Rig Veda: A Window into the Past The Rig Veda, composed between 4000 BCE and 1900 BCE according to estimates, is much more than a simple collection of myths. It is full of metaphors, allegories and poetic descriptions that, when dissected, seem to evoke very earthly events and realities. There are stories of wars, migrations, battles for water and resources, and even descriptions of landscapes that strangely resemble those of the Indus Valley and the Sarasvati. But beware: the Rig Veda is not a history textbook. It is a sacred text, a hymn to the universe, to the gods, and to life itself. Interpreting its passages is a work of investigation, almost intellectual archaeology. And like any investigation, we need solid clues to move forward. –

The Civilization of the Seven Rivers: A Water Miracle The first cities of the Indus-Sarasvati Civilization, also called the Civilization of the Seven Rivers, emerged well before the period generally attributed to the « Aryans ». These cities, such as Rakhigarhi and Harappa, appeared around 3500 BCE and show us an organized, urbanized society fascinated by water. These cities were built around rivers that have now dried up, such as the mythical Sarasvati, mentioned several times in the Rig Veda. This river, which is said to have disappeared before the end of the Indus Civilization, is described in the text as a divine entity, a « mother of waters ». Should we see in this a trace of the geographical reality of the time?

What is certain is that the Rig Veda, although written in Sanskrit, does not describe a people newly arrived in India. Rather, it seems to be the work of a culture deeply rooted in the landscapes it depicts. —

What if we looked at history again? If we take the Rig Veda seriously, we may have to question the famous theory of « Aryans from elsewhere ». Another hypothesis emerges: what if the authors of the Rig Veda were already here, on this earth, witnessing the rise and fall of the first cities of the Indus Valley? More and more scholars suggest that the idea of an « Aryan invasion » was constructed from biased interpretations and colonial prejudices. The presence of Sanskrit, Vedic myths and Indo-European cultural elements could very well be the result of local evolution, without massive external intervention. We have no « smoking gun », no irrefutable proof.

But as in any investigation, serious and consistent clues are enough to form an intimate conviction. And these clues, the Rig Veda offers us a multitude: descriptions of vanished rivers, stories of struggles for survival, and poetry that seems to sing the last days of a fascinating civilization.

Conclusion: The Rig Veda, a bridge to the past The Rig Veda is much more than a sacred text. It is a window onto a bygone era, a testimony, certainly veiled by mythology, but rich in clues about the life and challenges of the first civilizations of India.