Himalayan Journal of Humanities and Cultural Studies Open Access

Review Article The Parallels of Two Countries: The Indian and Mexican Connection

Arushi Gupta Mphil Spanish, Centre Of Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and Latin American Studies, School Of Languages, Literature and Cultura l Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University (Delhi-110067), India Abstract: If we think of a common word between the two countries, i.e., Mexico and *Corresponding Author India, we immediately think of the word, “los indios” meaning "Indians” literally in English Humphrey Moseti Omara however it is used to describe the native Indians in South American countries. If one happens to be an Indian, one cannot help but think that the word is referring to Indians from Article History India. India and Mexico have striking similarities in geo-climatic conditions, biodiversity, Received: 05.06.2021 physiognomy along with people, cultural and family values, as well as European Accepted: 18.06.2021 connections of the colonial era. The history of variations in the meanings and connotations Published: 30.06.2021 of a word can provide us with information about the evolution of the attitude of a linguistic

community to a reality that it interprets. The word "Indian" gives rises to a lot of questions Citations: in our minds, perhaps everyone has a "connected" history. This paper looks into some of the Arushi Gupta, (2021); The Parallels of cultural and historical similarities of the two countries through a comparative analysis of the Two Countries: The Indian and Mexican Connection; Hmlyn J Human Cul Stud, Mayas and Aztecs of Mexico with the Indus and Aryan civilizations of India. We use 2(2) 54-59 qualitative method of research and have used the theories of Enrique Dussel and his work The invention of the Americas, along with Octavio Paz‟s Glimpses of India are used as reference point. The findings show that there could be a possibility of a shared DNA between the two countries during the neanderthal time of the human evolution, where Indians moved to Mexico to escape from bad weather.

Keywords: Cultural similarities, Mexico, India, Connected History, Comparative analysis .

INTRODUCTION In the words of Jose Marti in his famous work Nuestra América, he writes that “the man and his culture is a mestizo and rejected the race, speaking that the race is a myth because descendants of many communities indigenous, European, African, Asian have few languages to understand except those of the colonizers”

During the Neolithic age when many cities and civilizations were born, there may have been contact between various different civilizations. This contact that emerged in the west and continued in the east and extended in India, China to the Pacific Ocean and finally in Mesoamerica and southern Andes. With this contact of different civilizations, it is possible that there are genes from different countries in the native population of Mexico and this may be the first connection between the two countries. Enrique Dussel in his book "The Invention of the Americas" in the chapter "Amerindian in a Non-Eurocentric vision of world History" writes that “In order, however, to locate the Indians' real place in history, it is essential to return to the Neolithic revolution, which witnessed the birth of agriculture and cities […] began primarily in the West, first in Mesopotamia and later in Egypt, and then surged forward toward the East, usually with few contacts between civilizations. This revolution spread eastward to the Indus valley, to China's Yellow River valley, to the Pacific Ocean region, and finally into Mesoamerica, home of the Mayan and Aztec civilizations, and the southern Andes, where the Incas resided”

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Arushi Gupta; J Human Cul Stud; Vol-2, Iss- 3 (May-Jun, 2021): 54-59 3. CULTURE unlike any other known civilization had a meticulous timetable dictated by the planet Venus. That is to say 3.1 Religious Beliefs that the Indians are the Devas and the Mayas are the In Octavio Paz‟s novel, Visilumbres de la India, Mr. Asuras. Rama Rau says “We ourselves, until recently, were a colony” shedding light on the reality that the two 3.3 Family and the roles placed by men and women countries had been colonies of European Union, one The two countries have a great similarity in this area from Spain and the other from the United Kingdom. as well. During the Aztec empire of Mesoamerica, they Apart from this, there is an ancient connection between had a structure where women engaged in raising the Mayan and the Indian culture. One of them is that in children, preparing food and making ceramic containers both cultures one believes in the existence of the of black, white and coffee with red ornaments. Trinity, the Mayas believed that the three universes are Sometimes they also dedicated themselves to produce composed of the Jaguar (material), The Serpent (mind) their clothes and that of their family while the men and the bird (spirit). One finds the parallel in the Hindu leave very early to the lake zone close to their houses to philosophy where one speaks about the existence of a dedicate themselves to catching small fishes and universe led by the Trimurti (also called The Hindu insects. Accompanied by their sons, it was the father‟s Trinity) of Brahma (the creator), Vishnu (the sustainer) responsibility to teach them how tu use some of the and Shiva or Mahesh (the destroyer). working tools like slings and spear to be able to hunt ducks from time to time for lunch or dinner.

One of the gods known in both countries is the This does not seem strange to Indians in India Hindu god Triloknath, which is one of the names of because gender roles were almost the same. In Aryan Shiva, was known to Mexicans with the same name civilization like the Aztec, men were the superiors of until the Spaniards arrived and changed the name to the the house because they worked and brought food to the Tloque Nahuaque. There is a similarity between the table and also taught their children the family trade and culture of the Aztecs and the Indians also, in the Aztec women had the role of maintaining the house. This culture there are thirteen levels of paradise and nine of included looking after the children, cooking, cleaning Hell, each with their own God, at the same time the the house, sometimes producing clothes etc. Hindu texts speak of the Thirteen Lokas (worlds) below Furthermore, to these responsibilities, she had to please the Earth and seven Lokas above the Earth. The Mayas her husband, as the husbands had a very important role like the Indians had many gods, there were many in the lives of their wives. In return, these were the roles temples and idols for each God that was different and that the sons would adopt when they would grow up. unique in their own way, apart from the public temples the priests and the leaders of the Empire had shrines and Even now the family is extremely important and idols in their houses where they prayed. The Maya not forms the core of the Mexican society. Apart from the only had idols of gods but also of animals and insects, big metropolitan cities, families are usually big just as something very similar to the beliefs of India, where in India. The extended family is as important as the one considers animals and insects as gods. central family because it gives a sense of stability. Mexicans consider it to be their responsibility and duty 3.2 The cosmological connection to help family members. This is the same in Indian The two cultures had a concept of four Yuga cycles society as well. The family and the extended family or of the cosmological seasons, spreading in thousands form a very integral part and is the nucleus of the Indian of years. Both cultures also have twelve constellations society. The extended family in both the countries with a reference of the sun. With all these similarities always help with problems, for e.g. with work, money, we see a very interesting connection between the two advices etc. The majority of the Mexican families are countries. It is surprising how two countries so far have traditional, with the father being the head of the family, such a similar culture. India and Mexico seem to be like the figure of authority and the decision maker. The brothers separated over the years and time but still have mothers are venerated but their role can be considered the same blood running through their veins, made of the as secondary as compared to their husbands, this is same DNA. similar to that of the Indian society where the head of the family is the father while the mother has a E.C.Krupp, one of the best astronomers of the USA, secondary role. says in his work “Echoes of the Ancient Skies” that the Maya had one of the most advanced traditions of the 3.4 Marriage calendar and astronomy. According to the Puranas, the In the Aztec society the marriage is celebrated after religious texts of the Hindu, the Asuras are dedicated to the sunset and the parents arranged the marriages. The the Planet Venus and on the other hand the Devas are groom's parents always started the marriage process. dedicated to the Planet Jupiter. It doesn‟t seem to be a After consulting with his family and relatives, the coincidence that the inhabitants of the Indus civilization parents spoke with a matchmaker (ah Atanzah) and that had a calendar based on the planet Jupiter, a tradition matchmaker spoke to the bride's family. The young that still continues in India. The Mayan civilization 55

Arushi Gupta; J Human Cul Stud; Vol-2, Iss- 3 (May-Jun, 2021): 54-59 bride's parents would then tell the matchmaker if they the centre and the incense is lighted as an offering to the accepted the marriage proposal or not. If they accepted gods and goddesses. This was done in the presence of a marriage proposal, both parents decide on an four witnesses, who then gave the newlywed delicacies auspicious day for the wedding. and advice on marital life. The marriage was consummated after four days. The wedding celebration lasts for four days, and the wedding ceremony is celebrated on the first day. The This process of arranging a marriage is similar to bride wore fine suits and her relatives would adore her that of India, although there are some differences in arms and legs with red feathers, and paint her face with Indian culture. The parents arrange Indian marriages a paste containing small shiny crystals. The wedding like those of the Aztecs and the beginning of the would be in the groom‟s house and a matron carried the process is the same as well, they consult with a bride on the back up until the groom‟s house. matchmaker who has a database of the prospects for the bride or the groom. The matchmaker talks to the bride's As we can see in the below image, the bride and the parents and if they accept, like the Aztecs, they decide a groom sit on a carpet or a rug next to each other; the lucky day for the wedding. Although in India, astrology bride takes the groom‟s right hand and the groom takes has a very important role to play and continues to play her left hand. Then, after the mother in laws gives the an important role even now, this process arose for the gifts and clothes, the formal moment of the wedding first time in the Vedic scriptures during the Aryan arrives: the matchmaker knots the edges of the huipil of civilization. the bride and the cloak of the groom. There‟s a fire in

Figure 1: A depiction of the Aztecan marriage, Codices Mendoza, 61r, XVI century, Bodleian Library, Oxford.

Like the Aztecs, the Aryan wedding ceremony the wedding is not complete. consists of a ritual called Vivah-homa where they burn aromatic herbs and ghee to create a spiritual and pure In the Indian marriage also, there is an exchange of environment along with the recitation of mantras. In gifts between the parents of the bride and groom. The addition, in the Hindu rituals, the presence of fire forms bride wears fine clothes in red color, which could be a the nucleus of the wedding because fire is the sari or a lehenga, which are the traditional dresses and representation of the Fire God, Agni. Without the her face is decorated with bindis. Contrary to that of the presence of fire and also the seven circumambulations Aztecs, the Indian wedding is in the house of the bride

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Arushi Gupta; J Human Cul Stud; Vol-2, Iss- 3 (May-Jun, 2021): 54-59 and instead of a midwife the bride is accompanied by 4. Society her uncles however the ritual of sitting side by side is The Indian society has its origin during the time of the same. The bride takes the right hand while the the Aryans, who arrived in 1500 BCE through Kyber groom takes the left hand and the wedding begins with pass. They had contributed a lot in the country in the the mantras of the Pandits. Another common ritual spheres of culture and religion that formed the nucleus between the two civilizations is the knotting of the of the Indian society; one of them is the caste system. scarves, in the Indian wedding also the scarf of the At the beginning this new society included the Aryans groom is tied with that of the bride, this is the ritual of and the non-Aryans. The social structure was divided Saptapadi where after the knot the bride and groom take into four varnas or castes, from top to bottom, the seven circumambulations or „pheras‟ and only after this Brahmans — schoolchildren, priests, philosophers etc.; ritual marriage is religiously solemnized. The Kshatriyas — the Kings, the soldiers, etc.; The Vaishiyas — farmers, traders, merchants and craftsmen etc.; And the lower caste the Shudras — laborers, peasants, and servants for the other castes.

Figure 2: The division of the indian society during the Aryan civilization

As the Aryans expanded their territory of influence, Like the society in India, the Aztec social the newly conquered groups were assimilated into organization was structured hierarchically and formed society by forming a new caste under the Shudras, by calpullis, groups of communities that had which at that time were at the bottom of society. In fact, relationships of kinship, religion, and reciprocity in the this caste was not even a caste, but a social group same territory. Within each calpulli there were different outside the caste system. These outcasts were called the social classes. With the emergence of a ruler Huey "untouchables" because they performed activities that Tlatoani consolidated a system of theocratic and were least desirable in the society such as dealing with military monarchy. One can distinguish between the cadavers, cleaning bathrooms and toilets, and tanning privileged (Noble O"pilliss") and the non-privileged and skin coloring. ones. Huey Tlatonai, also called "revered speaker", was the highest ruler, and held absolute power, was considered a god on earth.

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Arushi Gupta; J Human Cul Stud; Vol-2, Iss- 3 (May-Jun, 2021): 54-59

Figure 3: The division of the aztec society

The nobility (Pipiltin), possessed land and slaves to same blood and of the same parents. Through the work them, they did not pay tributes. They wore and culture and history of the two countries we have lived lavishly, had servants and could have several analyzed how the Aztec and Mayan Society in Mexico wives. Among them we find the highest-ranking priests, and the societies of the Aryans and Indus in India had the important military and the prominent members of the same social structure and also the rituals of marriage the government. Beneath the Aztec nobility were the were almost the same with some variations in both common men (Macehualtin) who could be artisans, countries. Furthermore, the gender roles and traders, and peasants. However, the bigger Traders responsibilities of Mexico and India are the same in (Pochtecas) were important for their work of both countries, but these similarities don‟t end with exchanging materials and food with other peoples, and these civilizations only and instead continue in the were nourishing the whole empire, of necessary contemporary world as well. One of these aspects is the products from other places. They organized commercial food that has many similarities between the two caravans and markets in each city. countries, for example: it is not surprising that the chili is used in the kitchen of both countries, so the food of Another important function of these merchants was, Mexico and India is very hot and spicy. Not only the because of their travels and contacts with other peoples, culinary similarities but also the kitchen utensils that are that of informants (spies) of the Government on the used are the same, for e.g.: The mortar and the pestle to situation in other areas. The slaves (tlacotin) occupied grind the spices is something very common in the the lower hierarchy of the Aztec society. Most were kitchens of Mexico and India and is used to cook many slaves due to wars, others for committing felonies and a dishes, in India is called "Okhal" and "Moosal" while in small part due to debts that they could not cancel they Mexico is called "Molcajete". fell in that condition of servitude. They did not enjoy privileges but could buy their freedom. Thus, we conclude that there are possibilities that during the neanderthal time some inhabitants of India As we analyze the similarities between the social could have moved to Mexico and these inhabitants can structure of the Aryans and that of the Aztecs, we see be the ancestors of the Mayas and Aztecs, civilizations that they are the same except that in India the Brahmans that form an integral part of Mexico. were the highest caste instead of the king as in the Aztec society. The Aztecs were also more advanced After understanding and comparing the similarities towards their slaves, because they could buy their between the two countries I have understood the freedom while the Sudras and untouchables, although concept of global history, a concept that perhaps in the they were not slaves, they could not buy their freedom new world we have forgotten and also that we have to nor could improve their life. remember now much more than before — we are one. Yes, we have differences of physical aspects and ONCLUSION different practices of religion but the world as God had C created, was one without continents and frontier, and After analyzing the two civilizations in the two we live together in this world. Even though we are countries which although are separated by water, land separated, truly, we are not separated. and time, we observe that there are so many similarities between them that it seems like they are brothers of the 58

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