This is the 5th article in a series on European connection to ancient India as sourced from Indian texts. These articles are part of a longer series written in Tamil that seeks to establish that Tamils were not the 'Dravidians' of the Indus region but had their roots in the Southern seas. The previous articles in this short series in English can be read in the following links.
1. From Indus Proto-Siva to Celtic Cernunnos.
2. The Stars of the Jews and Christians originated in India!
3. Kali Yantra in crop circles of Europe!
4. On Stonehenges, Druids and Dasyu
The source article in Tamil for the current article can be read here:-
http://thamizhan-thiravidana.blogspot.in/2012/09/106-anatolia.html
My thanks to Mr TG Saranathan for translating this article into English.
{From the previous article:- Druhyu and Anu were the two sons of King Yayati born to the Danava woman Sarmishta. Yayati was Rama's grandfather's grandfather. In a fight for the kingdom of Yayati between his 5 sons, Druhyu and Anu lost and had to leave Aryavartha whose western borders ended to the east of River Indus at that time. From Vishnu purana 4-17 we come to know that "The son of Druhyu was Babhru; his son was Setu; his son was aradwat ; his son was Gandhara ; his son was Dharma ; his son was Dhrita ; his son was Duryaman ; his son was Prachetas, who had a hundred sons, and they were the princes of the lawless Mlechchhas or barbarians of the north". Their route from India was the North- west corridor where Gandhara, the 4th generation descendant of Druhyu established Gandhara (Kandahar) which was eventually annexed by Bharata, Rama's brother. With that the Druhyus were pushed to central and western Europe. The phonetic similarity between the names Druhyu and Druid is striking. In the olden Celtic language, Druid is referred to as Druvid. Druvid is a Sanskrit word. It means firm or stable knowledge. Druids were famous as knowledgeable people. In this article we further explore the connections between the Celts / Druids with ancient India.)
Long before the Roman Empire was formed, Celts were spread out in Central and Western Europe. Their religious teachers were Druids, who were expert warriors. There are strong evidences to show that Druids were the descendents of Druhyu and his associates, who migrated some 7000 years ago from India. Druhyu was one of the Five sons of Yayati and in the fight among them for succession to the Kingdom, Druhyu lost and was driven out. Max Muller interpreted this fight as Aryan - Dasyu fight. Druhyu and his associates were not living according to Vedic stipulations and so were exiled out of India after they were defeated in the war of succession to the throne of Yayati in the Saraswathi basin. Druhyu and his associates found their way in the North West of India and settled in Central Europe. This is derived from Vishnu Purana, chapter 4-17 (quoted above in the foreword)
They were ruling the people of Central Europe at that time. The Sovereignty they could not wield in India, they applied on the people of Central Europe and enforced the traditions and customs, they were following while in India, on their subjects. Though they were Dasyus, i.e., non -Vedic conformists, they were following many Vedic traditions and customs. Some of the commonalities between Druid / Celtic practices and Vedic practices are listed below.
The Druids / Celts followed Vedic practices like idol worship, worship of multiple gods, food offerings in worship, philosophy of non destruction of soul, belief in rebirth after death, worship of ancestors, etc. Julius Caesar, while describing them, mentions that they were experts in Religion, Philosophy and Astronomy, and they were doing research in, debating and interpreting, those fields. (1) This is similar to the way Upanishads were formed through debates, discussions and interpretation of Vedas. The Druids chanted something similar to Vedas. Vedas were not written, but orally transmitted. Similarly the Druids did not keep a written record of the chanting. They did not read out from books. Those who chanted Vedas were under strict regulations and disciplines; the Druids also followed strict codes of conduct. Like this, the Druids can be compared to Brahmins in Vedic tradition in many ways.
There are many evidences found in Ireland, to show that Druids lived in Central Europe. History of Ireland mentions that the Druids came to Ireland from Central and Western Europe, which is North of Ireland. Since the word North was mentioned, none thought it prudent to trace their origins to India, in the East.
Apart from this, when Greeks and Romans brought Celts under their rule, they changed the Celtic names. They changed the names of places and people to Greek and Latin and gave new interpretations.
Greeks had a general tendency to give their own names in Greek to the names of non- Greek people and places. They were careless about naming unfamiliar ones and disregarded original pronunciation. Perhaps, that is why when someone talks illegibly, we say he is talking Greek and Latin! Greeks always spoke different from all others. They coined new words which had no bearing on continuity or relationship to the original word.
To cite an example, Krishna is a Sanskrit name. In any other language people would address that person as Krishna only. But in Greek language Krishna is addressed as Herakles! The Greek ethnographer Megasthenes, has mentioned the name of Krishna as Herakles, though there is a view that it means Hari Krishna! He called river Yamuna as Jobares and Krishnapuram as Kleisabora,
Therefore, we can imagine the havoc they had done to Celtic names, whose culture they wanted to wipe out completely. History shows the oppressive nature and sense of superiority of the Greeks, while dealing with their subjects. This resulted in concealing historical evidences.Not only that, many Celtic gods were brought into the Greek fold with new names and new dressing! Let us remember that the greatly praised Greek culture is a borrowed one!
When Greek dominance faded, the Celts were prevented by Christianity from continuing with their traditional Celtic practices and customs. Christianity showed keen interest in wiping them out totally.
Presently, as interest is gaining momentum for tracing Celtic words and names, it comes to be seen that Celtic culture was prevalent in Central Europe. It is also seen that the Greek substitutes to Celtic words had no bearing or continuity with the original ones. It is difficult to find the true meanings of many Celtic words, but interestingly enough they resemble Sanskrit and words related to Sanskrit!
For example, it is now known that Celtic culture was prevalent in Hungary. There is a hill called Gellert in Hungary. It is believed that it is the name of a Christian priest from Italy who visited Hungary in the 11th Century with the aim of converting Hungarians into Christianity.
That was the time when Idol worship and multiple god worship of Celts were prevailing in Hungary. Gellert tried to change those customs, but was faced with stiff resistance. The opposition to him was such that he was put inside a barrel and rolled down the hill. (2) At a later stage, this priest was considered as a martyr and the hill was named after him.
But researchers have found that the hill was earlier called by the ancient Celtic name, Kelen.(3) Kelen was changed to Gellert - just like how Brungi mount became Parangi mount and later named as St.Thomas Mount in Chennai, Tamilnadu and a martyrdom was conferred on Thomas (4). Such manipulations that are happening in India now, were successfully carried out in Europe right from the early times of Christianity.
Kelen is related to Sanskrit word khela – which means game or sport. Khelati (खेलति) in Sanskrit means to play. Even today we find a street named Kelta in Budapest city. Perhaps the very name Celts (Kelts) came from Khelati or Khela, as these people were fond of sports.
If Kelen is derived from Khela, then this place must have something to do with sports. If one searches from that angle, one finds that the city of Budapest, where the hill Gellert is situated, was built on the ancient city of Aubwan. That place is famous for water sports. In Sanskrit 'aapa' means water. This place was a residential colony of the Celts. We do find a similar sounding name 'Abrawan' in India in the colonial records. Though it means 'running water', it was the name given to the finer quality of cloth called Muslin. (5)
It was also known as Malmal. Indian weavers were known for making this finest quality of cloth from antiquity. The British imperialists cut the thumb of the weavers of this variety of cloth to destroy competition to their cloths from England. (6) Though it is not exactly known why this cloth was known as Abrawan, the meaning indicates that the weaving of this cloth (now extinct) had something to with running water. Looking for a similarity to this in the Hungarian Aubwan we are surprised to learn that the Celts of this region used to wear fine clothing which resembled Indian Pyjamas! The men of the Celtic society wore 'Bubble like pants' (7)
Indian Pyjamas
The pyjamas too look bubble like. Perhaps weavers of Abrawan, the malmal cloth went along with Druhyus when they left ancient India. With them the name Aubwan came to stay there. Perhaps in course of time, Aubwan became better known for the water sports too.
A place called Sicambriya is to the North of Budapest city. This is also an ancient city of Celts. According to Celtic language this means mount or peak or bench. A similar name exists in India too. In Tamil and in Sanskrit, Sikaram means mountain or hill peak. There is scope to believe that sikaram has become Sicambriya. The Celts had resided here and played sports in nearby Budapest. Even today Budapest is famous for Water sports.
Celts were not only interested in water sports but also in other sports of might. They played War games too, which is unfamiliar to Europeans till this day. Historical researchers say that there was a wooden board in this game in which wooden figures were used for playing. The figures would disappear in the game. This resembles the ancient game of India called as chathuranga. (8) Its modern version is the chess game.
This game originated in India. The Pandavas, in Mahabharata, lost a kingdom, by merely playing this game, without actually engaging in a battle. Thus it is appropriate to call Chathuranga or chess as War game! If Celts had played this game, it is easy to trace the origin of Celts to the place of origin of the game – which is India. If it is argued that Celts came to India and spread that game, then Celts and their names must have been remembered in India. But we find Celtic names in Central Europe and in Ireland, not in India!
If all the customs and practices of Celts listed above had originated within Celts themselves, and then spread out into India, were they the Aryans mentioned by Max Muller? The stories about Celts which describe them in detail and available in Ireland, never talk of Aryans as their names. In fact, no Europeans followed their practices. But the same practices, in a much refined form, still continue in India. If Indian practices were distorted and followed by Celts, it means they had lost touch with the originals, in course of time.
As if to prove that the Celts were the descendents of those who migrated from India, they had named even their country, taking cue from their roots. Ptolemy, who lived in the 1st Century A.D., has mentioned Ireland by its Celtic name IOUERNIA. With passage of time, Iouernia got changed to Ire, to Ireland. The name Iouernia sounds familiar with Ayoni. Ayoni in Sanskrit means not born from yoni or womb.
If the Celts were Ayonis, who were born in yoni? Or, to put it in another way, if the place of birth of them was not yoni, which place was considered as yoni or womb? To put it in yet another way, if there was a place called Ayoni, then it pre-supposes that there was a Yoni present elsewhere.
If Druids were the descendents of Druhyu, then it is logical to assume, they were born outside their root country, India. India was considered as the womb or yoni. Yoni has several meanings in Sanskrit, but all of them centre around a same theme as 'Source' or 'origin'. Yoni means Vagina, womb, seed, race, stable, source, origin, seat, home, descent, receptacle, birth, fountain, spring, abode, place of birth etc. Yoni is the place where creation and development take place. Its shape is triangular.That way, India has been the yoni or womb where all cultures were born and developed.
We discussed about Triangles in a previous article and established that India is also triangular.(9)
Not only that India is in a triangle shape, it is also in the form of yoni kund!
In Vedic customs, havan or sacred fire is performed in different shapes of agni kund or fire pots, depending on the objective. Yoni kund is one type. Mayan describes in Vaastu shastra how the Yoni (womb) shaped fire pit must be made. (Mayamatha 25-47). According to that, a square should be drawn. A point must be fixed outside the square and at about 1/5th of side of the square, from the bottom line. From the mid points of the sides of the square, curved lines should be drawn to join this point at the bottom. Then, again curved lines should be drawn to join from the mid points of the two sides with the midpoint of the top side. The resultant figure is yoni kund shape.
Such a yoni kund can be superimposed on India map as shown in the figure below.
Thus, India itself is a Yoni or is inside a Yoni. This resembles the Aswatha (peepal) leaf mentioned in Vedas. On this leaf, the child Krishna is depicted as lying, when pralaya or the great deluge happens. The import of this is Creation after a deluge. Creation is symbolised by the shape of peepal which resembles the shape of yoni or womb.
The leaf, in the shape of yoni kund, indicates that after deluge, creation and development take place.
Human beings are considered to be the ultimate in evolution. Evolution beyond humans is only possible spiritually, according to Vedic Thought. We notice that there are no living beings superior to humans. If humans have to develop further, it would be only in attaining godly qualities. To attain them, humans have to develop in the yoni kund. It is for this reason, India, with all its physical features such as rivers and mountains is considered as sacred and a vehicle for spiritual transcendence.
Just as how one begets the desired creation and development from the sacred fire performed in a yoni kund, a person who is born in India and follows Vedic tradition gets uplifted to godly level and Moksha (Liberation). Thus, India is the yoni or womb and a person born in India is considered as one born in yoni.
This inference is reinforced by the peepal leaf features found in Mohenjo Daro.
(Indus Tablet H-289 B)
The people who were born in India, but could not continue to live in India and exiled, would not have desired to forego any of their old habits and traditions. Descendents of these people are Ayonis, who had continued the practices of their ancestors. For others, they were Celts (kelts - sportsmen), but they would have been overwhelmed by the feeling of the indelible identity as Ayonis. As time passed on, the significance of Ayonis would have been forgotten, but that name and remnants of the customs and habits would have lingered on.
We can see Indian customs and practices reverberating not only in Ireland, but in Anatolia also. In Turkey, in Anatolia, there was a place Ionia. Here there was a league of 12 Ionian cities established for their protection. They established this Ionian League prior to 7th Century BC, according to 5th Century BC historian Herodotus. (10). Ionians had migrated from Greece, crossing the ocean and settling in Anatolia.
There is an information hidden in the name Anatolia also. In Turkish language this is called Anadolu.
This sounds like 'andolana' (आन्दोलन)
in Sanskrit, which means league or movement or vanguard. Thus this confederation of Ionian cities was an Andolana, which got transformed to Anadolana, Anadolu and finally, Anatolia.
This league was formed much before the formation of Greek and Roman Empires. The Ayonis who formed this League were living in the same place as Celts. Let us remember that the Country of Celts, Ireland also was known by a similar sounding name, Iouernia.(11) This gives rise to the probability that Ionians came from the Celtic stock only.
These people had migrated from Central Europe to South Europe and British Isles. Before that they were in Kandahar, (Gandhara) Afghanistan. Even before that they were the descendents of Yayati and lived in the Saraswati River valley in Rajasthan.
In the above picture the path taken by Druhyu is indicated.
After leaving Kandahar, they first pitched their tents in places around Caspian Sea. From there, they went to Western Europe. Then they migrated to England, Ireland and Central Europe. About 2800 years back, they had migrated from Central Europe to Anatolia, in Western Turkey.
These people who originated from India, the Yoni or womb, were continuing a practice they carried from India. That was annual sports called Panionia. (12) This is an important evidence that connects the Ionians and Celts to India of ancient times. Let us see how.
We presume that Olympics started from Greece. But Celts, whose name is associated with sports, (as explained in the beginning of this article) conducted sports events in a grand way at the time of harvest in August. Known as Lughnasadh, it was considered as an Assembly of Lugh much similar to the Panionia of the Ionian League where sports events were conducted to show bravery and skills. 'Lúghnasadh was the occasion of major assemblies where legal matters were settled, political problems were discussed, craftsmen, artists and entertainers got a chance to show off their talents, and sporting events brought scattered communities together.' (13) Interestingly, the Celtic God Lugh who is said to have begun this festival has 3 faces that resemble the Tri-Muthy – the Trinity of Hindu Thought and also Brahma, the Creator God of the Hindu Thought.
Celtic God Lugh
Trimurthy (combination of Brahma,Vishnu and Shiva)
Brahma
The Ionians, who migrated to Anatolia from that part of Greece, where Celts resided, also started the sports events at a place called Panionia. It was situated on the Mt Mykale where the people of the 12 Ionian cities used to meet. At those meetings, Panionium sports events were conducted. The annual sporting events of Lughnasadh and Panionia have a similarity to an ancient Sporting event of India known as Matsya Festival.(14)
We come to know of this from Mahabharata, where it is mentioned that an annual festival of sports and athletic events was conducted in Pushkar, in Rajasthan. This place is the abode of the Creator God Brahma who had four faces, but will be seen to have 3 faces in the straight profile. The above depicted image is that of Brahma who has a temple only at Pushkar. It is in his presence the Matsya sports were conducted. A similar looking Lugh was the deity in whose name the Celts conducted their sports festivals. This similarity can not be coincidental.The Pushkar festival (Matsya festival) is continuing in India even till this day.
The Pandavas of Mahabharata are reported to have witnessed this sports at Pushkar. At the end of their exile for 13 years, they were remaining incognito, in the last one year. They spent that time in the Matsya kingdom on the banks of river Saraswathy. They witnessed the sports events where sportsmen from various countries participated. The name Matsya is also known as Makara, which means fish. Makara sounds closer to Mykale, which is olden name for Mt Mycale where Panionia sport events of Ionian League were conducted. (15)
In the above picture the country, Matsya, where the sports events, were conducted, is marked. Five Thousand years ago, bravery sports like wrestling were conducted here, to display body strength. Two Thousand years further before that, it was ruled by Yayati. His Five sons fought among themselves to capture and rule that place. People, who were ready to fight in battle, had played such games to show off their physical strength. It is therefore, surmised that Matsya festival must have been conducted even 7000 years ago!
Druhyus, who were exiled from this place, had continued their interests in such games, to maintain their physical strength. That is why they were called Celts (Kelts) derived from khel. Even after identifying themselves as Ionians, they never discarded their desire for sports competitions.
To prove that Celts and Ionians originated from India, an important evidence is found in the Matsya festival. Mahabharata informs us that in that sports event, people having the might of Kalakhanjas participated. Mahabharata describes Kalakanjas as demonic, with gigantic and muscled bodies, having lion like shoulders, necks and waists, not easily defeated, highly proud of displaying their strength and eager to participate in sports to show off their skills. At the time of Mahabharata, Arjuna had wiped off most of the Kalakanjas in a straight fight with them. The mention of Kalakanjas-like people taking part in Matsya sports, in Mahabharata, in indicative of their participation in the past in the sport events at Pushkar.
There is description about Kalakhanjas in Ramayana also. Matali, who drove the chariot for Rama, was searching for a bridegroom for his daughter. In that context, he approached Narada, who took him to various places and showed various people to find suitability. The places he showed Matali, trace out a route that passes through Indonesia or Sunda land of olden days! (16) First he took him to Hiranyapura and then to Patala. Interestingly places with these names did exist in India at that time! Hiranyapura was in Rajasthan/Haryana, (Kandava forest area), where "Mayan" lived and Patala, is situated in the mouth of river Sindhu (Indus). Today this place is known as Thatta located in Pakistan ( 17)
Kalakhanjas and Mayan shared a similarity in that they both descended from Danu and therefore were called as Danavas. Narada described Kalakanjas as those who possessed strong physique and were never defeated by anyone. They also had magical powers. They were skillful in making ornaments from gold, marble, wood and precious gems, and in metal works.
Narada describes them as Danavas. Historical evidences of Ireland describe Druids and Celts as Danavas, born to Danu. Druhyu, the son of Yayati, was also born of a Danava mother. Narada's description of the route to the domain of Kalakanjas takes us to Sundaland whereas places with same names were also found mentioned in the North western India in the region of the now buried river Saraswathy. Many Danavas lived in this region prior to Mahabharata times making us think that they migrated from Sundaland to this region through Arabian Sea and later went to Central Europe.
Druhyu and Anu were born to a Danava mother whereas another of their sibling by name Turvasu also born of the same Danava mother stayed in India in the region of Bengal. The siblings had separated after the war of the 5 sons (Pancha manava) with Druhyu and Anu leaving India. (18) The descendents of Druhyu, in all probability were Druids, who were rulers of Ireland, and were respected as gods. Thus we have ample evidence to show that Danavas migrated from India to Ireland and not the other way. We will see more in future articles. But before that I want to write on Mayan as told in Indian texts in the next 2 articles. After that we will trace the Danava movement in Europe as Druids and their previous origins in Sundaland.
1 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Druid " With regard to their actual course of studies, the main object of all education is, in their opinion, to imbue their scholars with a firm belief in the indestructibility of the human soul, which, according to their belief, merely passes at death from one tenement to another; for by such doctrine alone, they say, which robs death of all its terrors, can the highest form of human courage be developed. Subsidiary to the teachings of this main principle, they hold various lectures and discussions on astronomy, on the extent and geographical distribution of the globe, on the different branches of natural philosophy, and on many problems connected with religion."
—Julius Caesar, De Bello Gallico, VI, 13
2 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerard_Sagredo
3 http://magyarmegmaradasert.hu/in-english/multi-topic/1672-celts-and-magyars?limit=1
4 Baptising' Thiruvalluvar to 'besiege' the Hindus!" by B R HARAN https://sites.google.com/site/itihasabharati/distortions
Excerpt from that article :- "The Archdiocese talks of three vital places in Madras namely Santhome (Mylapore), Little Mount (Saidapet) and Thoms Mount (Brungi Malai). While Santhome Cathedral stands on the ruins of Kapali Temple, Little Mount was also built after demolishing a Temple and the Church on the Big Mount was also built on the ruins of a Temple. The Big Mount was called as 'Brungi Malai' named after 'Brungi Maharishi', who sat in penance there invoking Bhagwan Shiva seeking his Darshan and Blessing. Ultimately Bhagwan Shiva appeared before Brungi Munivar as 'Nandeeshwara' and as clear evidence the 'Avudai Nayagi Sametha Nandeeshwara Temple' stands near the St.Thomas Railway Station, from where one could see the Brungi Malai clearly. This 'Stal puraanaa' can be found in the form of inscriptions on the walls of the Nandeeshwara Temple even today! Even while the Archdiocese has been attempting to establish the fallacy of St.Thomas over the years, it has not exhibited the courage so far to face a public debate despite invitations from learned Tamil Hindu scholars."
5 http://www.chaf.lib.latrobe.edu.au/dcd/page.php?title=&record=4456
7 http://magyarmegmaradasert.hu/in-english/multi-topic/1672-celts-and-magyars?limit=1
8 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaturanga
9 http://jayasreesaranathan.blogspot.in/2012/10/kali-yantra-in-crop-circles-of-europe_29.html
10 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ionia
11 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hibernia
12 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panionium
13 http://www.imbas.org/articles/lugus.html
14 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Indian_festivals
15 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mycale
16 Mahabharata chapter 5-97
17 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thatta
18 Vishnu Purana 4-10
