Indo-Aryans
South Asian peoples
Indo-Aryans are peoples of the Indian subcontinent who speak or descend from speakers of Indo-Aryan languages—a branch of Indo-European including Hindi, Urdu, Bengali, Punjabi, and others.
The term also refers to the ancient migrants who brought these languages and associated cultural practices to South Asia around 1500 BCE.
In historical and linguistic contexts, Indo-Aryan describes this language family or its speakers: Indo-Aryan languages dominate northern India.
Inherited social division
- varnaHindu hereditary social order
- BrahminsHindu priestly caste
- joint familyRelatives cohabiting across generations
- village councilLocal governing body
kingship · patrilineal · endogamy · ritual purity · untouchability · social hierarchy
Treeless Eurasian grassland
- Bronze AgeEarly metalworking civilization period
- pastoralismMobile livestock husbandry
- dispersalSpreading in many directions
- genetic studiesResearch on inherited traits
archaeology · nomads · population movement · domestication · Indo-Iranian · chariot warfare
Sanskrit war epic
- RamayanaSanskrit heroic verse narrative
- Bhagavad GitaHindu philosophical dialogue
- RamaVishnu's seventh incarnation
- SitaDevoted wife figure
Ancient Indian spiritual tradition
- BuddhismEnlightenment-seeking Eastern religion
- JainismIndian religion emphasizing nonviolence
- dharmaCosmic moral order
- karmaSpiritual cause and effect
yoga · Brahmanism · puja · samsara · moksha · ahimsa · Vedanta · guru
Repeated sacred utterances
Buddhist scriptural language
- PaniniSanskrit grammar's founding author
- sutrasAphoristic teaching verses
- HindiIndia's official language
- BengaliLanguage of Bangladesh
Marathi · Gujarati · Punjabi · Nepali · Romani · phonology · inflection · conjugation
South Asian ethnic group
- GujaratisPeople from Gujarat
- BengalisSouth Asian ethnic group
- RajputsIndian warrior nobility
- NepalisPeople from Kathmandu's country
Sinhalese · Romani · Dravidians · subcontinent · diaspora · demographic · anthropology
caste
Inherited social division
- varnaHindu hereditary social order
- BrahminsHindu priestly caste
- joint familyRelatives cohabiting across generations
village council · kingship · patrilineal · endogamy · ritual purity · untouchability · social hierarchy
steppe
Treeless Eurasian grassland
- Bronze AgeEarly metalworking civilization period
- pastoralismMobile livestock husbandry
- dispersalSpreading in many directions
genetic studies · archaeology · nomads · population movement · domestication · Indo-Iranian · chariot warfare
Mahabharata
Sanskrit war epic
- RamayanaSanskrit heroic verse narrative
- Bhagavad GitaHindu philosophical dialogue
- RamaVishnu's seventh incarnation
Sita · Krishna · dharma · oral tradition
Hinduism
Ancient Indian spiritual tradition
- BuddhismEnlightenment-seeking Eastern religion
- JainismIndian religion emphasizing nonviolence
- dharmaCosmic moral order
karma · yoga · Brahmanism · puja · samsara · moksha · ahimsa · Vedanta · guru · atman
mantras
Repeated sacred utterances
- hymnsReligious songs of worship
- sacrificeGiving up something precious
- priestsOrdained religious leaders
Agni · Indra · Upanishads · pantheon · deities · cosmology · rishi
Pali
Buddhist scriptural language
- PaniniSanskrit grammar's founding author
- sutrasAphoristic teaching verses
- HindiIndia's official language
Bengali · Marathi · Gujarati · Punjabi · Nepali · Romani · phonology · inflection · conjugation · declension
Punjabis
South Asian ethnic group
Nepalis · Sinhalese · Romani · Dravidians · subcontinent · diaspora · demographic · anthropology