SOCIOLOGICAL EVIDENCE

The social customs of the Rajputs, Jats and Gujaratis comform to those of their Scythic forbears :

"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."

-- [ Todd.II.501 ]

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".

-- [ Met.74.n ]

The Rajput consumes boar, deer and fowl :

"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."

-- [ Met.68 ]

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."

-- [ Met.183 ]

This religion is decidedly non-Brahminist as Sauras neither revere the Veds 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.

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 ].

"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 ]

However, some corruption has taken place with the infiltration of Sakta rituals :

"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."

-- [ Tod.II.139 ]

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 Hindus, 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 ?"

-- [ 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 ]

Architecture :

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.

The Tumulus :

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 :

"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 ]

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 :

Sacrificial pillars are another remnant of the Scythian. They are abundant in the regions surrounding Rajputana which comprise the historic Sakasthan :

"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."

-- [Met.73 ]

Stone Circles :

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 ]

Sun-Based Architecture :

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 :

"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.

Source :

http://rajputana.htmlplanet.com/
scy_raj/scy_raj3.html