Nagas: The Ancient Rulers of India (Their Origin and History) Vol. 2

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The Nagas, like most of the other native tribes had the serpent as their totem. They also used to worship the serpent and considered them to be their protective deity. They also used to wear artificial hoods of cobra on their heads at certain occasions.

The tradition of Naga worship of totem was in prevalence in Babylonia, Assyria, Palestine and Iran from ancient times and it was brought to India along with migration of Sumerians and Assyrians and Dravidian race.

There are enormous evidences of seals and seal impressions found from Indus towns to show that Indus Valley people also used to worship this serpent deity.

In Rigvedic account, there is a mention of Nagas or Ahi (serpent) race, Naga warriors or Naga kings; among them, Ahivritra is prominent, who was sworn enemy of Indra, the Aryan god and militant leader. In Atharva-Veda there are some hymns, which describe serpents named Iligi and Viligi. According to B.S. Upadhyaya, these were names of father and son in the genealogical table of Assyrian kings. This proves that serpent (Naga) race and its tradition of serpent worship came from Western Asia.

On the basis of findings of pottery type from Ahar and its proto-type from contemporary sites in Anatolia, Assyria and Iran, Dr. Sankalia has reached a conclusion that new immigrants came from the above mentioned region.

Archaeological evidences were recovered from the excavation of Prabhasa, a site of B&R Ware culture in Kathiavar. It has been proved by scholars that users of this pottery were Yadavas of Mahabharata fame. These Yadavas were original inhabitants of Western Asia and Iran. Racially, they were round-headed Alpine or a blend of Alpine or Dravidian race.

These people, according to Rigveda, were non-Sanskrit speaking non-Aryans whose mother tongue was Souraseni, which has been described as Mlechchha language in Purans. They are also called Dasas in Rigveda.

Krishna, the black hero of Yadavas, In addition of his being an incarnation of Vishnu was also a son of Vasudeva and great grand son of Aryaka who was a Naga chief in origin. Baldeva or Baldou, the elder brother of Krishna is said to be reincarnation of SeshaNaga, hence he was always under the protection of many hoods of cobra. At his death, his soul came out of his mouth in the form of a large cobra.

They developed a guild based industry and trade system and at one stage, their every village was turned into an industrial state. The base of their military system was nation-in-arms which made them the most powerful and invincible people of the ancient age.

Republican system was base of their ruling system, which is said to be behind modern development of Europeans. In short, these people were wealthy workers and warriors who believed in equality and brotherhood and knew no caste. They were followers of Buddha's teachings of non-violence, their sword was not for violence but for maintaining peace. They were architect of urbanization of ancient India second time after the fall of Indus cities and their ultimate achievement was the "Golden Age" of Indian history.

Thus, the Naga culture was of great produce which made them great. On the other hand, Aryan culture was non- productive which became the main cause of downfall of the nation at later stage.

Before I begin to write a preface to the second volume of multi-vol- umed 'Research-Project', I wish to quote a most interesting, legendary event as cited by learned British scholar J. P. H. Vogel in his famous work titled 'Indian Serpent Lore'-"King Nagpal, when ruling chief of Kashmir, betook himself to Delhi, in the days of Akbar, the great Mughal. There, as a result of a quarrel arosen at the well in between the water carriers of king Nagpal and Akbar, he was summoned in the royal court, to explain why his servant had humiliated the royal Maski and thrown him in to the well. King defended his servant's behaviour by saying that, 'the water, he wanted, was intended for the worship of Basuki Nag and that it would have been polluted if the royal Maski had been allowed to draw first.......... Emperor asked, who this Basuki Nag Was? And was he mightier than himself? One next day when king appeared again before the emperor, a five headed snake, issued from his turban and threatened to ascend the throne. Then Akbar became very much afraid and promised him a boon if he would take the snake back. So the king did and obtained the privilege of the royal-drum (Naubat), which is still present and beaten in the temple of Basuki Nag at Bhadarvah."

In fact, according to a tradition, the king Nagpal of Kashmir, after whom the royal family took its name, was born from Basuki Nag and the princess of Kistavär, who had become widow six months after her marriage with prince Bisambar Pal.

Although, the above legend does not seem to reveal realistic history, we can reasonably conclude from this event that Naga kings were existing and were in power in the age of emperor Akbar (1556-1605AD).

But aforesaid event gives rise to many questions of immense interest such as; who were these Naga kings? where have now they and their progeny gone? Were they ethnically related to the Naga tribes of North-East of modern age? The present research work is an answer to any of such like questions.

If we cast a glance at the historical scenario, we will be astonished to know that most of the Indian scholars are in a habit to see Central Asia as the centre of most of the human activities, giving rise to his progress and prosperity in historic and prehistoric age. But, quite contrary, this has been the centre of producer of savage tribes like Aryans, Scythians, Kushanas, Huns, Mongols etc, who, destroyed most of their contemporary human civilizations of Eurasia, which were raised after thousand years of hard labour of mankind.