The mutual economic, cultural and scientific ties between the Armenians and
the Indians are of long standing. They existed before our era and continue at
present. They intensified as the first Armenian settlers set foot on the hospitable
soil of India where they won the affection and respect of the Indian people,
and began to enjoy patronage of the local authorities. Being situated on the
crossroads of caravan routes between the East and the West, Armenia had established
cultural and economic ties with India over the centuries.
Armenians, whose love for commerce has been proverbial, have seen trading from
time immemorial with India. They were lured from their distant homes in the
snowclad mountains of Armenia by the glamour of the lucrative trade in spices,
muslins and precious stones. They carried on their trade successfully with Europe
via the overland route through Afghanistan, Persia and Armenia via Trabezund
(Trabzon) long before any European traders, adventurers and intruders first
appeared in India.
It can be mentioned
that even before the Moghul invasion of India, Armenians were found in all the
principal commercial centres and state capitals of India engaged in the peaceful
pursuit of commerce. However, the early Armenian traders formed no permanent
settlements.
The Armenians might have come to India first about 4000 years earlier. According
to Ctesias and Diodoros, Semiramis, the warrior queen of Assyria, invaded India
in about 2000 B.C. and it is most probable that Armenians, as faithful allies,
accompanied her.
Armenians as allies
or otherwise might have accompanied the Greek invasion of India in 327 B.C.
under Alexander the Great as it is a well known historical fact that he passed
through Armenia en route to India via Persia.
The first written reference to Indo-Armenian relationship is found in the ancient
Greek writer Xenophon’s (430-355 B.C.) Kyropaedia (Persian Expedition). From
this work we come to know that Armenians often travelled to India and entered
the military service there. When Kyrus (558-550 B.C.), the King of Persia, came
to know that Khalds and Armenians often visited India and were very well acquainted
with the route to India, he asked them to accompany his ambassador there to
develop and strengthen trade relations with this country.
Hearing of the Khalds often going to the Indian King and recalling Indian ambassadors
coming to Midia to get the news about Midia’s internal situation, Kyrus came
to know about the Indian King’s interest on Persian King’s heroic deeds.
He narrated: “King of Armenia and you, Khalds! If I send one of my people to
the Indian King, tell me, will you send somebody from your people, who will
show the way to my ambassador and support him to persuade the Indian King to
fulfill my requests?”1
From the further narration one can find out that Kyrus, by sending an embassy
to India, meant to get financial aid from the Indian King. The Armenians and
Khalds in the course of action agreed to arrange guides for his ambassador and
help him with the implementation of that mission.
According to the
information given by Xenophon, the ancient rulers of Armenia were often sending
their people to India and these people were so familiar with this country that
they could help the ambassadors of Kyrus and solicit in front of the Indian
King.
From the ancient times the Indians and Armenians, by and large, had trade relations,
but in this reference military-political relations were quite effective. The
Armenians agreed not only to accompany the Persian ambassador, but also
to introduce him to the Indian King and to help him with getting financial support
for the King Kyrus. Evidently the implementation of mediator’s such kind of
mission was going to be successful only through friendly relations between the
Armenians and the Indians.
However, there were mostly economic relations between Armenia and India. Russian
Prof. G. Bongard-Levin in the article Indians in Ancient Armenia writes: “Armenia
maintained close relations not only with neighbouring Parthia and Roman Empire,
but also with India and China. In order to promote relations with these countries,
Armenian Kings founded new cities on the trade routes passing through Armenia
and leading from Parthia and Bactria to India and China”.2
These and other valuable information about old-time relations between the two
countries are mentioned in the writings of Armenian historians and scholars,
such as: Agathangueghos (5th century), Movses Khorenatsi (5th century), Yeghisheh
(5th century), Yeznik Koghbatsi (5th century), David Anhaght (6th century),
Bishop Sebeos, Tovma Artsrouni (10th century), Aristakes Lastivertsi (11th century),
Stepanos Orbelian (13th century), Khachatour Joughayetsi (18th century) etc.
Old manuscripts on the history of India and the Indo-Armenian relations have
been preserved in the archives and depositories of Armenian manuscripts and
documents situated in Yerevan, Venice, Vienna, Jerusalem, New Julfa and other
cities.
Ancient Armenian historians could have highlighted about the Armenians’ presence
in India but unfortunately the annals of ancient Armenia, which were carefully
preserved in the temples of pre-Christian Armenia, had been entirely destroyed
when Gregory the Illuminator3
started getting the Armenians converted into Christianity in the beginning of
the 4th century of our era. King Tiridates III (298-330) of Armenia initially
fiercely rejected Christianity. But after the Milan Edict of Constantine the
Great he adopted Christianity and declared that as a state religion. From the
historical perspective, the traditionally accepted date of adopting Christianity
in Armenia is the year of A.D. 301 when the new religion became dominating in
the country. Already during the 2nd – 3rd centuries A.D. Christianity began
to penetrate into Armenia from south-west – from Syria and from the west – from
Kappadokia and Armenia Minor. Christian missionaries who came from those places,
set up their active activities which gave significant results by the end of
the 3rd century.
Indian Settlement
in Armenia
Zenob (Zenobius) Glak, an earliest classical writer from Syria, was one of the
first disciples of Gregory the Illuminator. In the beginning of the 4th century
Zenob was in Armenia and wrote The History of Taron (an important province in
Armenia). In this work Zenob dwells upon the history of the Hindu colony that
had existed in Armenia since the middle of the 2nd century B.C. till the beginning
of A.D. 4th century. Originally Zenob wrote his work in Syriac, which afterwards
was translated into Armenian. The Armenian text of Zenob’s book was initially
printed at Venice in 1832 by the Mekhitarist Fathers.4
The first part of the text gives a description of the Hindu colony, and the
religious wars between the Hindus and the early propagators of Christianity.
Zenob states that two Hindu princes, named Gissaneh (probably Greek variant
for Krishna) and Demeter (the Greek for either Jagannath or Ganesh), conspired
against Dinakspal (Dinaksi), the King of Kanauj. On the discovery of the plot
they had to flee with their families and followers, and found refuge in Armenia
in 149 B.C.. The Hindu princes were granted a royal welcome by Armenian King
Valarsaces who offered them some land in the province of Taron where they built
a city and named it Veeshap (Armenian name for dragon. The city was named so,
because those princes belonged to the Takshak house, Takshaka means Naga King5)
or Odz (snake) and put an idol like a snake there.
Some time later the princes moved to Ashtishat (religious centre of ancient
Armenia famous for its temples of national deities) and erected temples to their
gods and goddesses which they used to worship in India, and these temples were
served by the Hindu priests. Zenob narrates:
“After 15 years the
King put both the brothers to death, I do not know why, and conferred the principality
to their three sons, Kuars, Meghtes and Horean. Kuars built the city of Kuars,
Meghtes built a village on the plain and called it Meghti and Horean built a
village in the province of Paloonies and called it Horeans.”6
Later on these three brothers succeeded to find a better place in the area of
mountain Karki where they built two temples in memory of Gissaneh and Demeter,
whom they used to deify and worship. According to Zenob, the statues of these
gods were entirely made of brass. Priests who were appointed for the service
of these gods, were all Hindus. In a short period of time the Indians built
twenty towns, and in each of them they erected their temples. Some of these
towns, mentioned by Zenob, retained their names and stood till the middle of
the 19th century. Until the early 20th century one of the villages in Taron
was called Hindkastan. The names Hindubek, Hindu, Hindukhanum, Hindumelik were
often used by the Armenians of Taron.7
The fact of the existence of the Hindu colony in Armenia is proved by a very
interesting ethnographic information. It states that the Armenians of those
districts, where the Indians were settled, used to dance the dance of Demeter
and sing Indian melodies.8
Some prominent scholars prove that the cult of Vahagen (Armenian god of fire,
as well as conqueror of dragons) came to Armenians from the Indians (Indian
god Agni).9
Under the auspices of the Armenian government the Hindu colony flourished for
a considerable time in Armenia. It was a fairly large one comprising over 15,000
members.10 However,
things changed when Christianity was brought to Armenia, the religion which
was imposed by fire and sword. The followers of Christianity demolished heathen
temples and erected churches on their site. The same fate was waiting for the
Hindu temples. On the site of the two Hindu temples in the town of Veeshap or
Odz, Gregory the Illuminator built a monastery in A.D. 301 where he deposited
the relics of St. John the Baptist and Athanagineh the Martyr which he had brought
with him from Caesaria. This edifice exists till now and is known as St.Karapet
of Moosh (a city at present located on the territory of Turkey, near the Lake
Van) and has always been a great place of pilgrimage for Armenians from all
parts of the world. It is noteworthy to mention that almost till the end of
the 19th century, not far from this monastery there was a settlement, which
used to be called Odz.
There was no better end for ancient Armenian traditional symbols as well. The
ancient Armenian books were burnt or thrown into the river. As Armenian historian
of the 5th century Agathangueghos11
mentioned, the number of books thrown into the river were plentiful,
so much so that the river changed its direction. Many Armenians and Hindus
headed by their priests, resisted gallantly against the rush of Christianity
but were defeated due to superior numbers of the Christians. The Hindu priests,
seeing the destruction of their gods and goddesses, pleaded with the Christians
to kill them rather than destroy their sanctum. Many of these Hindu priests
were killed on the spot during the course of action.
In A.D. 301 there was a bloody battle between heathen Armenians- Hindus, and
Christians. According to Zenob, the Hindu army itself numbered 10,000 warriors.
Most probably this figure has been deliberately exaggerated by the historian
as he was in service of Christian church and, by showing the big number of the
heathens, he might probably wanted to overemphasize the victory of Gregory the
Illuminator and Armenian King Tiridates. It is also probable that besides the
Hindus Zenob would have mentioned also the number of heathen Armenians. But
in any case the Hindus were in large numbers as they had their own separate
army.12
Zenob precisely describes the military actions between the governmental forces
and heathen Armenians and Indians. He also mentions that Prince of Ashten in
the army of the Illuminator secretly sent a message to the heathens, warning
them about the danger. Not long after that, during one of the battles he left
the King’s army and with his 700 soldiers joined the army of the heathens.
Being the participant of the events, Zenob describes the proceedings of the
state army:
“And having taken
our departure from there (Thordan), we intended to proceed to Karin and Harkh,
but some of the Armenian princes informed St.Gregory of the existence of two
temples in the province of Taron which still offered sacrifices to the devils,
whereupon he resolved to demolish them. Having arrived in the country of the
Paloonies, in the extensive village, called Gissaneh, near the village town
of Kuars, we met there some of the heathen priests. Having ascertained from
the Hindu prince of Hashtents that the great images of Gissaneh and Demeter
were to be leveled to the ground on the following day, they [Hindus] returned
to the temples in the dead of the night and removed the treasures and filled
them into sub-terraneous houses.”13
The Indian Head priest buried the statues of the Hindu gods, hid the treasures
of the temples, and then informed the priests of Ashtishat to gather armed forces
and come for help. The following day heathen Armenians joined the Indians and
a fierce battle took place. The heathens suffered a defeat. After the battle
a monument was raised which bore the following inscription:
“The first battle
which was fought very fiercely. Artzan [Arjun], the head priest, the Chief Commander
of the battle, lies interred here, and with him one thousand and thirty eight
men.
We waged this war
on account of the idol Gissaneh and on behalf of Christ.”14
According to Zenob, who was the eyewitness of the events, the Hindus that were
baptized on the first day of Navasard (New Year of ancient Armenia which was
celebrated in the middle of August) numbered five thousand fifty, and they were
men and children only, while the women were baptized on another day. Some of
these converted Hindus taunted the Armenian princes telling them that if they
lived they would retaliate for the harsh treatment they had received at their
hands, but if they died, the gods would wreak their vengeance on the Armenians
on their behalf. For this, by the order of the Armenian prince these Hindus
were imprisoned, and they numbered four hundred.
Then Zenob continues:
“Gissaneh had long
flowing hair and for that reason its priests allowed the hair of their head
to grow, which the King ordered to be cut. This people were not, however, perfect
in their faith after their conversion into the Christian faith and as they could
not profess the religion of their pagan ancestors openly, they therefore practiced
the deception of allowing their children to grow a plait of hair on the crown
of their heads, so that they may, be seeing that, remember their idolatrous
abominations.”15
With this, the
history of the Hindu colony, which had existed on the territory of Armenia for
more than 450 years, came to an end. No further reference is available
to the Indians in Armenia after A.D. 4th century by any of the Armenian historians
who came after Zenob.
There are hypotheses on the future faith of these Indians:
· they moved to
the North and founded the city of Kyiv;
· they were absorbed
into the Armenian population;
· they returned
to India. Armenian priests with their followers headed by the Head of priests
Mamgoon joined the Hindus, taking with them ancient Armenian books. (This is
a crucial fact for Armenia, as there are no books of pre-Christian period of
Armenia. The Christians did a real great job!).
It may be positively assumed that those heathen Armenians, who left Armenia
after A.D. 301 for any other part of the world (most probably India), preserved
the religion and philosophy of heathen Armenia, like the Parsis in India who
left Persia in the 10th century after their country adopted Islam.
Recently it has
been stated by some scholars that those Armenians came to India and settled
in the Punjab. This statement could bear an element of truth, given that Punjabis
look like Armenians by their appearance, habits and character.
Indo-Armenian relations grew further. Armenian historian of the 19th century
Alishan in his work Sisakan says that in the 4th - 5th centuries A.D. Armenian
merchants reached India and China.16
During the 3rd and 4th centuries close trade relations were established between
Persia, India and China and in this trade Armenians played an active role.
There is an information on Indo-Armenian economic relations in Armenian historian
Agathangueghos’s (A.D. 5th century) work History of Armenia. He says that
Armenian kings liked to beautify their crowns with gems brought from India,
having no idea about the intense hardships the merchants underwent to get these
precious stones. Agathangueghos himself witnessed that gems from India were
being sold in Armenia. In the palaces of the Armenian kings there were halls
decorated in the Indian style.17
These has also been stated by other Armenian historians, like Pavstos Buzand
(4th century) and Movses Kaghankatvatsi (6th century).
Historian Ourhayetsi (12th century) states that according to the order of Armenian
King Smbat Bagratouni (end of the 9th century), a big crystal chandelier
was brought from India for the famous Main Church in the city of Ani (the then
capital of Armenia) which cost was 80,000 golden coins.18
In the beginning of the
16th century, in various places of India, especially in coastal towns, Armenian
permanent settlements began to emerge. The first Armenian colonies were
not very big. Initially there were only a few people, a few families, with whom
their kinsmen and compatriots began to join in course of time.
The first Armenians who settled in India were merchants and people working in
Indian state and military services. Then came a period when physical existence
of Armenian nation was put in question, and thousands of Armenians had to leave
their motherland in search of a peaceful corner. The country of holy Ganga became
their second homeland.
For many centuries the Armenian nation has been deprived of statehood and was
under foreign rule. Since the 16th century it was divided into two parts and
was under the sway of two despotisms - Turkey and Iran. Western Armenia was
under Turkey’s and Eastern Armenia was under Iran’s supervision.
Economic and political backwardness of the Ottoman Empire as well as Iran stipulated
supremacy of medieval forms of manufacturing, degradation of agriculture, absence
of one national market, lack of elementary conditions for the development of
industry. During the 17th - 18th centuries the European economic and political
penetration into the East began and this caused further decline of the Ottoman
Empire and Iran.
The condition of subject nations was rather difficult, who lacked not only any
rights but elementary guarantees of personal and property security as well.
In the 17th century the situation of the Armenian nation was rather hard. The
decline of the Ottoman Empire increased anarchy in the outlying districts, tyranny
of Pashas and Beks from whom first of all was suffering Armenian population.
Disintegration of Iranian state caused disturbance and civil wars which
brought uncountable distress to the population of the Eastern Armenia. It is
not surprising, that in this conditions immigration of Armenians increased from
Turkey and Iran. They migrated to the already-formed Armenian colonies in Europe
and Asia. Among all those immigrants one stream came to India.19
In 1605 Shah Abbas (1587-1629), the King of Persia, invaded Western Armenia
which was under the yoke of Turkey, and forcibly carried 60,000 Armenian families
or 300,000 souls from Julfa to Persia. By doing so he meant to utilize the Armenian
merchants to improve Persia’s trade with India and European countries. Thereafter,
New Julfa20 became
the centre of Persian trade and the headquarters of the Armenian trade who began
to flood the Russian and Italian markets with Indian goods.21
However, the successors
of Shah Abbas persecuted the Armenians, extorted money and merchandise from
the wealthy merchants. This was the reason that thousands of Armenians fled
from Persia to India and they mostly settled in Surat which was considered
to be a commercial centre from the 16th to 18th centuries.
The Armenians were coming to India by overland route as well as by sea. The
overland trade route was reaching India through Kashmir, and then through Ganges
valley was going southwards to Dhaka. Another branch of this route from Lahore
was going to south-westwards towards Moltan, and via Indus valley was ending
in down South. The beginning of sea route were Basra or Bandar Abbas ports
where Armenian migrants used to embark on ships and get down in Surat port and
from there dispersed all over India.
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