The monsoon, a seasonal wind pattern that brings heavy rainfall to the Indian subcontinent, has played a crucial role in shaping the early vedic culture. Vedic rituals are proof of it. Dating back over three millennia, the Vedic period (1500 BCE to 500 BCE) marks a formative era in Indian history, characterised by the composition of the sacred texts known as the Vedas and the development of early Hinduism. During this time, the monsoon’s influence on agriculture, society, and religious practices was profound and multifaceted.
The Vedic texts, notably the Rigveda, praises Indra, the god of rain, and rituals were performed to ensure a fertile harvest. Thus, The arrival of the monsoon marked the beginning of the agricultural season in ancient India. Rains were essential for irrigating the fertile plains of the Indus and Ganges rivers, enabling the cultivation of crops such as barley, wheat, and rice. Agriculture formed the backbone of early Vedic society, providing sustenance and economic stability to its people. The Vedic texts, particularly the Rigveda, have mention of hymns that praise Indra, the god of rain and thunderstorms, for his role in bringing life-giving rains to the earth. Rain rituals and sacrifices were performed to appease Indra and ensure a bountiful harvest, signifying the deep spiritual and cultural significance of the monsoon in early Vedic life. The story of Indra and Vṛtra symbolised the struggle between drought and rain, highlighting the significance of seasonal phenomena like Indian summers and the monsoon. This interpretation, present since the 5th century BCE in texts like Yāska’s Nirukta, reflected a deep cultural connection to natural rhythms. A thorough examination of the Ṛigvedic hymns related to this myth reveals that the core of this symbolism emerged even during the Ṛigvedic period, as the battles happened between Indra and Vṛtra and when indra defeated vrtra, “water” started falling downwards and that’s how “rain” came into being.
One of the clearest indications of how the early vedic culture evolved due to India’s unique climate can be found in the frog hymn. This hymn is notable because it is one of the latest hymns in the Ṛigveda. The composer of the Frog Hymn draws parallels between frogs and Brahmins practising the vrata ritual for two main reasons. Firstly, the vrata ritual concluded with the onset of the rainy season, coinciding with the frogs’s nocturnal croaking, which is actually their mating call lasting about two months. Similarly, Brahmins observed a period of silence, akin to the frogs, until the arrival of the monsoon. This vow of silence aligned with the frogs’ quiet period following their mating season. The term “saṃvatsara” is mentioned several times and it denotes ten lunar months. In third stanza of the hymn, it is mentioned that “It takes a period of saṃvatsara for a cow to produce milk.” In Vedic literature, it’s generally believed that the gestation period of a cow or a horse is equivalent to that of a woman so clearly indicating the meaning of Samvatsara.
Vegetation, seen as akin to human hair in Vedic culture, was metaphorically “shaved” by Agni, the god of fire, during the intense heat of Indian summers. This symbolic representation underscored the importance of rain for agricultural fertility.
When the Aryans migrated, they did not introduce the monsoon or its associated rituals, including the veneration of frogs. Instead, they learned these practices from the indigenous population and seamlessly integrated them into their sacrificial rites. This assimilation is a symbol of the process of Indianization among the Aryans, where they adopted local beliefs and practices that were integral to sustaining life and prosperity in their new homeland. The Frog hymn, despite its poetic nature, serves a primary aim, which is to invoke rain, which in turn fosters vegetation. For the Early Vedic people, vegetation correlates directly with cattle, and both are essential for prosperity and well-being. Hence, the frogs in the hymn‘s final stanza are revered as divine beings capable of granting cattle and long life.
Also, In ancient India, people believed that clouds were female and could only bring rain after conceiving a rain-child in their wombs. This belief is mentioned in the Valmikiya Ramayaṇa and the Kauṭaliya Arthasastra. The Ramayaṇa specifically states, “The sky delivers the nine-months old embryo, the elixir vitae, the essence drawn by the rays of the sun from all ocean.” However, the monsoon’s unpredictability and variability also posed challenges to early Vedic communities. Erratic rainfall patterns lead to crop failures, food shortages, and socio-economic disruptions. The Vedic texts depict periods of drought and hardship, prompting adaptations in agricultural practices and resource management strategies. Yet, the resilience of Vedic society in adapting to environmental fluctuations demonstrates their deep understanding of local ecosystems and their ability to innovate and evolve in response to changing climatic conditions.
The legacy of the monsoon’s impact on early Vedic culture endures to this day. Modern Indian agriculture continues to rely heavily on the seasonal rains for crop cultivation, illustrating the influence of ancient agricultural practices developed during the Vedic period. To this day, the farmers of the Kathmandu valley perform frog worship during the rainy season in order to secure their harvest. Also, The author of the Frog Hymn suggests that even in ancient India, the rainy season marked the opening of the annual course of study.Implicitly, he draws a comparison between the croaking of frogs and the repetitive learning process of students under their teacher during the rain. People even shaved their heads just before the rainy season so that the hair would grow together with the vegetation which was considered to be identical with the hair of the creator god or the earth goddess.
References
- A. L. Basham, The Wonder That Was India, (London: Sidgwick and Jackson, 1956)
- Gautama V. Vajracharya, “The Adaptation of Monsoonal Culture by Ṛgvedic Aryans: A Further Study of the Frog Hymn
