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Sociological Evidence
The social customs of the Rajputs, Jats and Gujaratis comform to those of
their Scythic forbears :
-- [ Todd.II.501 ]
-- [ Met.74.n ]
The Rajput consumes boar, deer and fowl :
-- [ Met.68 ]
-- [ Met.183 ]
The Scythic Sacae worshipped the god "Gaeto Syrus", whence the Roman Sol,
the Sanskrit Surya, the state of Syria and the Nordic Thor or Sor ( the
commentator of the `Edda' mentions that the ancient Nordics pronounced
`th' as `ss'), and Suarashtra peninsula of Gujarati Rajastan, the `Land of
Sun worshippers' [ Met.448 ]. Indeed the Sacae may have been the acestors
of the Saxons of Europe. Thus the Sanskrit term for Sun, Surya, is derived
from the Scythic Syrus.
The Surya-mandala is the supreme Rajput heaven [ Met.448 ]. The first day
of the week,
Aditwar/Aitwar/Thawara (cf. the Nordic Thor) is dedicated to the Sun [
Met.447 ].
However, some corruption has taken place with the infiltration of Sakta
rituals :
-- [ Tod.II.139 ]
-- [ Met.68 ]
Indeed, the ancestors of the Rajput royal families proudly claim to be
descendants of the Sun :
"The children of Bapa [one of the Gehlote ancestors], were named
`Agni-upasi
Sudrya-vamsi' or sun-born fire-worshippers." [ Met.191 ]
The Jhalore fortress of South Marwar has four gates, that from the town is
called `Sooruj-pol' and to the North-West is the Ba'l-pol (`the gate of
Bal, the Sun-God). [ Tod.II.240 ]
The architecture of the Rajputs is decidedly Scythic.
All across the Sakasthan core regions of Rajputana and Gujarat one finds
even today numerous tumuli, sacrifical pillars and burials reminiscent of
Central Asia.
Strikingly, tumuli for which the Scythians of Central Asia are so famous
exist in abundance in Rajputana and surrounding regions. Baron Metcalfe
noticed the occurrence of tumuli in Rajputstan :
Tumuli containing "ashes and arms" exist, "especialy in the
South about
Golwalcoond" [ the Chohan dominions about Mt. Aboo ] and hence these
structures are Scythic as per the testimony of Col. Tod [
Tod.II.357 ].
In addition to the province of Central Asia and the Russian Steppes,
the Getes of the Jaxartes built tumuli, as did the Scandinavians. The
Getic Alaric's
tomb is only one of numerous such examples [ Met.73 ].
Sacrificial pillars are another remnant of the Scythian. They are abundant
in the regions surrounding Rajputana which comprise the historic Sakasthan
:
-- [Met.73 ]
Stone circles are another feature generally recognised as representing
Saka domination.
The Jesuits found amidst the Comani of Tartary stone circles, a
circumstance which testifies to the Scythic heritage of the region.
Baron Metcalfe noted that "it would
require no
great ingenuity to prove an analogy, if not a common origin, between
Druidic circles
and the Indu-Scythic monumental remains." [ Met.73 ]
The Sun, the Supreme God of the Saura Rajputs, forms the most important
theme for Rajput architecture.
The main entrance of Oodipur (Udaipur) is referred to as the Surya-pol [
Met.448 ].
The chief hall of Udaipur palace is called Surya-mahal [ Met.448 ]. A huge
painted
sun adorns the hall of audience and is behind the throne [ Met.448 ].
These prove that most of the triumphal monuments of the Indo-Scyths were
erected to the Sun, further confirming their Saka ancestry.
There even exist fountains sacred to the Sun :
" their [ Jat ] habits confirmed to the tradition of their Scythic
origin."
[ Tod.II.138 ]
Dress
The dress of the Rajput races are decidedly Scythic, further confirming
their Saka origins. Thus, regarding the Charuns of Marlah, it is stated
that :
" their affinity with the ancient Persians is striking; the loose robe,
high turban, and flowing beard, being more akin to the figures on the
temples of the Guebres than to anything appertaining to the Charburrun [
char varnam ] or 4 classes of the Hindus."
Dietary Customs
The food which the Rajput consumes once again bears the imprint of his
Scythic ancestry :
"Caesar informs us that the Celts of of Britain would not eat the hare,
goose, or domestic
fowl. The Rajpoot will hunt the first, but neither eats it, nor the goose,
sacred to the god of
battle (Hara). The Rajpoot of Mewar eats the jungle fowl, but rarely the
domestic"
"The Rajpoot slays buffaloes, hunts and eats the boar and deer, and shoots
ducks and wild fowl (cookra); he worships his horse, his sword, and the
sun,m and attends more to the martial song of the bard than to the lit of
any Brahmin."
Religion
The religion of the Scythians was Sun-Worship in all its forms; the
Rajput is thus not surprisingly a Sun-worshipper. They are thus referred
to in Sanskritic and Prakritic tradition as `Sauras' (devotees of Surya).
Indeed, the Saurashtra peninsula in Gujarat is named after the Scythic
Solar deity :
"the remains of numerous temples to this grand object of Scythic homage [
the Sun ] are still to be found scattered over the peninsula; whence its
name, `Saurashtra', the country of the Sauras, or Sun-worshippers; the
Surostrene or Syrastrene of ancient geographers; its inhabitants, the
Suros of Strabo."
This religion is decidedly non-Brahminist as Sauras neither revere
the Vedas
nor accept Brahmin racial supremacy. The Sauras are thus not included
among the 6 orthodox (`astik') schools of Brahmanism (Vedism and
Vaishnavism). As a result, the
Rajput Saura is, along with Sudra Shaivas, Tantriks, Bauddhas and Jainas
referred to as `nastik' (heretic) and as a result the Saura has had to
suffer considerable religious persecution.
" That there existed a marked affinity in religious rites between the
Rana's
family [ of Mewar ] and the Guebres, or ancient Persians, is evident.
With both,
the chief object of adoration was the sun; each bore the image of the
orb on their banners. The chief day in the seven [ Sooraj-war or Adit-war,
Sun-day ]
was dedicated to the sun; to it is sacred the chief gate of the city,
the principal
bastion of every fortress. But though the faith of Idlam has driven
away the
fairy inhabitants from the fountains of Mithras, that of SUrya has
still its
devotees on the summit of Cheetore, as at Ballabhi; and could we
trace with
accuracy their creeds to a distant age, we might discover them to be
of one
family, worshipping the sun at the fountain of the Oxus and
Jaxartes."
-- [ Met.194 ]
"with the exception of the adoration of the `universal mother' (Bhavani),
incarnate in the person of a youthful Jitni, they were utter aliens to the
Hindu theocracy. In fact, the doctrines of the great Islamite saint, Sekh
Fareed, appear to have overturned the pagan rites brought from the
Jaxartes."
Indeed, the classification of Rajpoots as Brahminist Hindus is entirely
absurd. It is akin to classing the Jews as Germanic Nordics. What the
German did to the Jew, the Brahmanist (or dolicocephalic Later Aryan) did
to the Saka. Despite the fiercest and most savage of persecutions at the
hands of `astik' Later Aryan Brahminists,
the Saura religion has managed to survive :
"The religion of the martial Rajpoot, and the rites of Hara, the ground of
the battle, are little analaogous to those of the meek Hindu s, the
followers of the pastoral divinity, the worshippers of kine, and feeders
on fruits, herbs and water. The Rajpoot delights in blood as his offerings
to the god of battle are sanguinary, blood and wine. The cup (kharpara) of
libation is the human skull. He loves them because they are emblematic of
the deity he worships and his taught to believe that Hara loves them,
whoin war is represented with the skul to drink the foeman's blood, and in
peace is the patron of wine and women. With parbutti on his knee, his eyes
rollling form the juice of the p'fool ? and opium, such is this
Bacchanalian divinity of war. Is this Hinduism, acquired on the burning
plains of India ? Is it not rather a prefect picture of the manners of the
Scandinavian heroes ?"
Architecture
The Tumulus
" The tumulus, the cairn, or the pillar, still rise over the Rajput who
falls
in battle; and throughtout Rajputana these sacrificial monuments are
found, where are seen carved in relief the warrior on his steed,
armed at
all points; his faithful wife (Sati) beside him, denoting a
sacrifice, and the
sun and moon on either side, emblematic of neverdying fame."
-- [ Met.73 ]
Sacrificial Pillars
" In Saurasthra, amidst the Catti, Comani, Balla and others of Scythic
descent, the Pallia or Joojar (sacrificial pillars) are conspicuous
under the
walls of every town, in lines, irregular groups and circles. On each
is
displayed in rude relief the warrior, with the manners of his death,
lance in
hand, generally on horseback, though sometimes in his car."
Stone Circles
Sun-Based Architecture
"There was a fountain (Suryacoonda) `sacred to the Sun' at Ballabhipura,
from which arose, at the summons of Siladitya (according to legend) the
7-headed horse Saptaswa, which draws the car of Surya, to bear him to
battle." [ Met.185 ]
Warfare
The Scyths used to fight on horseback. The worship of the sword prevailed
among the
Scythic Getae as described by Herodotus. Likewise, the Rajput also pays
his devotion
to his sword,
he `swears by the steel' and prostrates himself before his defensive
buckler, his lance,his
sword, or his dagger [ Met.73 ].
" The worship of the sword in the Acropolis of Athens by the Getic
Atila, with all
the accompaniments of pomp and place, forms an admirable episode in
the
history of the decline and fall of Rome; and had Gibbon witnessed the
worship
of the double-edged sword (khanda) by the prince of Mewar and all his
chivalry, he might have even embellished his animated account of the
adoration of the scymitar, the symbol of Mars"
[ Met.73 ]
Calendar
The Rajput, true to his Sun-worshipping Rajput heritage, follows the
Solar calendar. This is in sharp contrast to the customs of
the Indo-Aryans, who follow the Lunar calendar.