Rise of Chariot Warfare in Ancient India

Chariots were an important part of warfare in Ancient India. In this video, we will discuss the rise of Chariot warfare in Ancient India. Our focus will be from the Vedic period to the Mauryan period. Since it was in these periods, we see that Chariots had achieved a supreme role in warfare.
Reference:-
1. Warfare in Ancient India: Organizational & Operational Dimensions by Uma Prasad Thapliyal
2. The Art Of War In Ancient India by PC Chakravarti
3. War in Ancient India by V. R. Ramachandra Dikshitar
4. Ancient Indian Warfare with Special Reference to the Vedic Period by Sarva Daman Singh
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[@DeccanPS]

Good Video! But it would've been worthwhile if you could've mentioned the recent chariot discovery at Sanauli, UP. Though it pre dates all the other evidences, the mention would've helped.

[@nowwhat6716]

That was just wood we don't know.

[@alpha-vs1fx]

​@@nowwhat6716many historians consider it chariot.

[@rishabhadarsh5227]

​@@nowwhat6716it is already proved that it is a horse chariot

[@jayveer-nm4bm]

In the ancient india ppl were not using rubber tyre for chariot because at tht time there was no Abdul or any other bulla to repair the puncher

[@kanishkgulwadi9245]

Horse figurines were also found by Prof. BB Lal and SR from Lothal and various other Harappan sites. Also a Horse skeleton was found at Prayagraj dated between 2300 BC to 1300 BC. Some more examples- Edwin Bryant points out: "The report claiming the earliest date for the domesticated horse in India, ca. 4500 B.C.E., comes from a find from Bagor, Rajasthan, at the base of the Aravalli Hills (Ghosh 1989a, 4). In Rana Ghundai, Baluchistan, excavated by E. J. Ross, Horse bones from the Neolithic site Hallur in Karnataka (1500- 1300 B.C.E.) have also been identified by the archaeozoologist K. R. Alur (1971, 123). [.......] In the Indus Valley and its environs, Now if Aryans brought horses in 1500 BC then how is that possible that they suddenly reached Karnataka miles away from Vedic region! In the Indus Valley and its environs, Sewell and Guha, as early as 1931, had reported the existence of the true horse, Equus caballus Linn from Mohenjo-Daro itself, and Bholanath (1963) reported the same from Harappa, Ropar, and Even Mortimer Wheeler identified a horse figurine and accepted that ‘it is likely enough that camel, horse and ass were in fact all a familiar feature of the Indus caravan’ (92)." (BRYANT 2001:169-170). the horse in the form of bones, teeth, or figurines has been reported in other Indus sites such as Kalibangan (Sharma 1992-93, 31); Lothal (Rao 1979), Surkotada (Sharma 1974), and Malvan (Sharma 1992-93, 32). Other later sites include the Swat Valley (Stacul 1969); Gumla (Sankalia 1974, 330); Pirak (Jarrige 1985); Kuntasi (Sharma 1995, 24); and Rangpur (Rao 1979, 219)." It is clear that the Harappans were very well acquainted with the use of Horses and I have provided prodigious evidences to prove my point. Now anyone who has an agenda in mind will sethee.

[@p_pattedd5477]

"The Indus Valley Civilization sites of Daimabad and Harappa in the Indian subcontinent, there is evidence for the use of terracotta model carts as early as 3500 BC during the Ravi Phase. There is evidence of wheeled vehicles (especially miniature models) in the Indus Valley Civilization, but not of chariots. According to Kenoyer, During the Harappan Period (Harappa Phase, 2600-1900 BC) there was a dramatic increase in the terracotta cart and wheel types at Harappa and other sites throughout the Indus region. The diversity in carts and wheels, including depictions of what may be spoked wheels, during this period of urban expansion and trade may reflect different functional needs, as well as stylistic and cultural preferences. The unique fonts and the early appearance of carts in the Indus valley region suggest that they are the result of indigenous technological development and not diffusion from West Asia or Central Asia as proposed by earlier scholars. Indo-Aryan Indigenists have argued for the presence of chariots before its introduction by the Indo-Aryans in the early 2nd millennium BCE. Archaeologist B. B. Lal argues that finds of terracotta wheels painted lines (or low relief lines) and similar seals indicate the existence and use of spoked wheel chariots in Harappan Civilization, as showed in the Bhirrana excavations in 2005-06. Bhagwan Singh has made a similar assertion and S.R. Rao has presented evidence of chariots in bronze models from Daimabad (Late Harappan). The earliest Copper-Bronze Age carts remains that have been found in India (at Sinauli) have been dated to 1900BCE which were interpreted by some as horse-pulled "chariots", predating the arrival of the horse-centered Indo-Aryans. Others object, noting that solid wheels belong to carts, not chariots." They have wheels and carts as well, but it is still a controversial topic for chariot. Don't take this as dismissing Indo-Aryan migration. As much people have a clue of what happenned there as there are people who knows who are the sea peoples.

[@prachinkal]

Thank you Jay bhai, for providing us this type of information.

[@JayVardhanSingh]

thanks bhai

[@PieroFavero]

Very good knowledge of Indian history, best compliments.

[@badarpurschool9618]

Please Mr Jay also explain about sanauli site and what conclusion you draw from the excavation of chariots there. I know many people who are interested in this

[@unknownartist8543]

Next video on ancient Indian weapons and armours

[@JayVardhanSingh]

Yes, on armours soon.

[@adwaitvedant3297]

In Bhimbedka rock painting we find image of chariots and horse in a war ....So usage of chariots in war in India was known 5000 years ago also ....

[@anirudh177]

Wrong, paintings on Bhimbetka were done for a long time, from 10,000 years to Medieval era, paintings of later eras were done over the previous ones on and other places, the images of horses and chariots date to later ancient and medieval periods, not the prehistoric era. Secondly, the known Indian breeds of equids, the Equus sivalensis and the Equus Namadicus went extinct during the last ice age (before 10,000 BC). Horses in the archaeological record don't appear that far ago.

[@kanishkgulwadi9245]

@@anirudh177 Horse figurines were also found by Prof. BB Lal and SR from Lothal and various other Harappan sites. Also a Horse skeleton was found at Prayagraj dated between 2300 BC to 1300 BC. Some more examples- Edwin Bryant points out: "The report claiming the earliest date for the domesticated horse in India, ca. 4500 B.C.E., comes from a find from Bagor, Rajasthan, at the base of the Aravalli Hills (Ghosh 1989a, 4). In Rana Ghundai, Baluchistan, excavated by E. J. Ross, Horse bones from the Neolithic site Hallur in Karnataka (1500- 1300 B.C.E.) have also been identified by the archaeozoologist K. R. Alur (1971, 123). [.......] In the Indus Valley and its environs, Now if Aryans brought horses in 1500 BC then how is that possible that they suddenly reached Karnataka miles away from Vedic region! In the Indus Valley and its environs, Sewell and Guha, as early as 1931, had reported the existence of the true horse, Equus caballus Linn from Mohenjo-Daro itself, and Bholanath (1963) reported the same from Harappa, Ropar, and Even Mortimer Wheeler identified a horse figurine and accepted that ‘it is likely enough that camel, horse and ass were in fact all a familiar feature of the Indus caravan’ (92)." (BRYANT 2001:169-170). the horse in the form of bones, teeth, or figurines has been reported in other Indus sites such as Kalibangan (Sharma 1992-93, 31); Lothal (Rao 1979), Surkotada (Sharma 1974), and Malvan (Sharma 1992-93, 32). Other later sites include the Swat Valley (Stacul 1969); Gumla (Sankalia 1974, 330); Pirak (Jarrige 1985); Kuntasi (Sharma 1995, 24); and Rangpur (Rao 1979, 219)."

[@kashutosh9132]

​@@kanishkgulwadi9245 is this true that horses were not indigenous animal to India? Please explain and respond

[@meteor541]

​@@kashutosh9132most mordern horses are single origin ones of the Steppe

[@nowwhat6716]

Why don't we find the evidence. Just from the book that might've change drastically over the time.

[@coolfreaks68]

There are some chariots in Kolkata which are drawn by poor humans.

[@merkava9122]

Jay, the king's name was purushottam not porus.

[@anirudh177]

We have no Idea of what the Indian name of his was, it could have been Purushottam, it could have been Paurava etc

[@unknownartist8543]

Thank you for this video

[@JayVardhanSingh]

thank you for watching.

[@gyapm]

You are allowed to see raas leela

[@priteshpatel889]

Very informative. Can you also comment on type of horses used? Thanks.

[@JayVardhanSingh]

Thank you. About the horses, I will make a separate video.

[@Narimann]

Fun Fact, oldest horse burial along with humans is found in BMAC site ( 2300 BC), which is just 3-4 km away from central asian IVC site

[@Bhatti_Saab_7773]

Central Asian IVC site??? Can u please explain it?

[@Indo-Aryan9644]

Good video

[@JayVardhanSingh]

Thanks

[@drsanjaykumar3448]

But horses came from Arabiia so how it could be possible that Vedic period had horse driven chariot

[@user-sq4ds3rs1c]

Hi, do you have a link for the thumbnail image?

[@smallcraftproductionz7052]

All I can say that..please dont stop doing this…you have really a unique way of story telling..which will be appreciated in coming times…and use more pictorial facts

[@JayVardhanSingh]

Thank you for the kind words. About using pictures, I try to find as many as I can, but there're not enough copyright free images available but there not many available, especially on topic like this. One day I would like to hire someone to draw image for the videos. But thanks for your suggestion nonetheless.

[@Narimann]

@@JayVardhanSingh you can visit National museum Delhi, or other museums, click pictures there. Websites of museums across India, Govt websites, like NCERT etc perhaps provides copyright free pictures

[@pakshirajan8585]

Dhanyosmin, please produce a video on Kambojas.

[@JayVardhanSingh]

Yes, I will do a video on the Kambojas soon.

[@manojshirsat5024]

what kind of archeological evidence we have for Mahabharata and Ramayana please elaborate.

[@nikhi1chavan]

Hi Jay! Your videos are informative, could you also please make a video on ancient kings in Malwa and Vidharbha region. There are unknown kings like Paavan (Pauni region is named after this king), Aryadutta, Dambhadra, Senapati, Maharathis of Andhra. Also pls make video on ancient granth Gathasaptashati which was published in reign of king Hal of Satavahana

[@JayVardhanSingh]

Thanks for the suggestion. I am currently covering major dynasties of Indian History. After covering these topics, I would get into regional history as well. I hope you understand this. But thanks for your suggestion.

[@nikhi1chavan]

@@JayVardhanSingh yes sure thanks!! Please take your time, we are enjoying and learning from your all videos.

[@chandrothiyaneel901]

Very informative video bhaiya!! Hello bhaiya, Hope you're well... Bhaiya I need your help and guidance....I have recently passed out my class 12th with overall 95.8% and I want to pursue BA honours in history... Could you please suggest me some of the best colleges in India except from colleges of DU or Jamia(as I have already applied for it and it will take time there due to delay in CUET exams)...I can understand you have busy schedule with studies and content making but it will mean lot for me if you help me over this🙏🙏. Thank you!!

[@JayVardhanSingh]

Thank you! Bhai, I am not sure of other Universities. I know only about DU.

[@chandrothiyaneel901]

@@JayVardhanSingh No problem bhaiya... Thank you for your response!!

[@ayush7745]

@@chandrothiyaneel901 what are your plans for job after ba?

[@Bhatti_Saab_7773]

​@@ayush7745 BA Chai Wala

[@jitendrasaverker]

🔥🖤🚩🙏🚩