27- August-2023,

We always ponder upon one question strongly- Who are we? Who came before us? Where do we hail from? 

The history of  human existence dates back to two million years ago, when the first humans emerged in Africa, long before the modern human known as Homo sapiens appeared on the same continent.

As I set out to create my very first blog, I couldn't help but share a small joy with you all. I recently delved into the pages of Tony Joseph's "Early Indians: The Story of Our Ancestors And Where We Came From," a book that beautifully blends history, evolution, genetics, and archaeology – everything I love. This exciting read has inspired me as I start this blogging journey, infusing my content with the fascinating stories of our past.

Coming back to the above questions, As I started reading, the book's introduction immediately grabbed my attention. Tony Joseph wrote a mind-boggling thing: Here we are, just sitting, going about our daily lives, and yet, without even realizing it, we're on this incredible cosmic ride. Picture this: our Earth is spinning on its own axis at an astonishing 1600 kilometers an hour at the equator and zero at the poles), its orbiting around the sun ( 107,000 kilometers an hour) and the sun’s journey around the Milky Way (792,000 kilometers an hour). It's like we're part of this jaw-dropping, high-speed dance through space, and most days, we don't even notice. Crazy, right?

Ever wondered how we humans evolved from various species scattered across the planet? Well, Tony Joseph has the answers.  

 He doesn't just skim the surface – he plunges into the history of our evolution. And guess what? He's got this knack for explaining complex stuff in a way that makes sense. First, he takes us on a journey through human evolution and genetics – the stuff that's written in our DNA. He unravels the logic behind how our genes played a crucial role in shaping us into who we are today. But that's not all – he's got another twist up his sleeve.

Imagine the climatic changes which have made our way to migration from one place to another. Joseph paints a vivid picture of how these changes acted like a force of nature, nudging and shaping the path of our evolution and migration.

And then there's the revolution of agriculture. Ever wondered how we went from hunting and gathering to planting crops and settling down? This captivating drama of human history, where genetics, climate, and the birth of agriculture all come together in one incredible tale takes us to the heart of these monumental changes that made us who we are today.

How did we Indians come to be ? the answer to this, In all sense we all are migrants.

The book explains how the first Human (homo sapiens) made their way from Africa into the Indian subcontinent and called to be as the first Indians, Using the latest discoveries from DNA research and scientific papers, the entire book is like a journey back in time. To track how our ancestors, the modern humans, made their way to India.

The author talks about four significant types of global migration that had a huge impact on how our world's population is structured today. The first, sparked mainly by climate changes, began 70,000 years ago. The second, occurring after the ice age around 12,000 years ago, coincided with global warming. The third migration followed advancements in metallurgy, weaponry, and horse domestication in central Asia, allowing new modes of transportation.

These four categories really stand out for two key reasons. First, they weren't just local shifts – they happened on a global scale and left a strong genetic imprint on large parts of the world. Second, these major migration waves were influenced by important historical factors. This means that, looking back, we can now make sense of why these massive population movements occurred when they did.

While migrations are always occurring across the globe, Joseph also writes in his book that for the early humans, venturing into Eurasia wasn't possible without understanding geography and climate. They had four potential routes from Africa to Eurasia. One was from Morocco to Spain across the Gibraltar strait, another from Tunisia to Sicily, one from Egypt to the Levant via the Sinai peninsula, and the last from Eritrea to Yemen via the Bab el Mandeb at the Red Sea's tip. However, evidence suggests that only the first two routes were used when the climate permitted. The other routes remained unexplored due to climatic conditions.

Exploring the subsequent chapters

Understanding who were the first Indians, and its demography, one should be aware of the three remaining classes of migration: Out of Africa migration, Neolithic migrations and Steppe migrations.

The book is divided into four chapters -

1. The First Indians

2. The first farmers

3. The First Urbanities: The Harappans

4. The last Migrants: the ‘Arya’

 In this compilation of 4 chapters, Tony Joseph likened India to a pizza. Just as cheese was added at intervals, various toppings of different flavors were sprinkled over time meaning that people from various parts of the world have come to India.

 Tony Joseph referred to the 'First Indians' as a concept in his four-chapter analogy of India as a pizza. Just as cheese was added at intervals, various toppings of different flavors were sprinkled over time meaning that the people in India have come from different parts of the world at different times. He traveled into the past, uncovering a tale of different Homo species, like the Neanderthals may or may not, existing in India. He suggested that Homo sapiens, our early ancestors, migrated from Africa to India roughly 65,000 years ago, adding a crucial layer to the nation's diverse history

This reveals who they call First Indians even though they were Outsiders!

In India, Neanderthals, a branch of the Homo species, thrived until around 35,000 BCE is not known but the Archaic humans were. Contrastingly in Europe, Homo sapiens arrived roughly in 45,000 BCE, coinciding with the eventual disappearance of Neanderthals by 40,000 BCE. The causes remain shrouded: possible conflicts, interbreeding, or even the transmission of deadly diseases by Homo sapiens.

 After the first migration of Homo sapiens, the second migration dates back to 70,000 BCE when  from the region of Iran farmers moved into the Indian subcontinent and settled in the north-west region.

 Early evidence of  agriculture emerged globally: West Asia, Syria, Palestine, Israel, Lahuradewa in the Upper Ganges basin, the Belan Valley, and even Southeast Asia's Thailand all unveiled their agricultural origins. With the advancement of availability of better food and farming this phenomena leads to the migration of population from one region to another which expanded rapidly.

 Rewinding to the history of  Harappan civilization, born between 2600 and 1900 BCE, an effort of both first Indians and Iranian farmers shaped it in the Northwest. Tony Joseph dives into the essence of the Harappans, how their urbanism spread across the Indian subcontinent, imprinting cultural blueprints for the future by diffusing beliefs and practices, crafting the genetic and cultural lineage of all Indians.

 Who were the Arya? Did they come to India from outside?

 The third migration wave, around 2000 BCE, Vedic Aryans stepped into the spotlight, a topic of contention. Tony Joseph challenges the conventional notion of Aryan origin in India, proposing their own migration. This idea potentially clashes with those who link Hindu civilization's roots to Vedic Aryans, stirring debate among believers and skeptics alike.

 Tony Joseph's book delves deep into the origins of Early Indians, including together genetic data, linguistic insights, demographics, geography, and culture. He crafts a unique and accessible experience by adding summary with answers to questions that naturally arise. It's a user-friendly approach, making complex information clear and easy to grasp.