Indo-Iranian relationship with special reference to Sassanid era (c.336 A.D.–646 A.D.)

Abstract

The late Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru writes in his book, Discovery of India, Among the many people and races who have come in contact with Indians and influenced India s life and culture, the oldest and most persistent have been the Iranians . The present Doctoral research aims at reviewing and analyzing the Indo- Iranian relationship with special reference to Sassanid era .It is based on many Persian and Indian primary as well as secondary sources. Iranians and Indians throughout the history, even before settlement of Aryans in the vast plateau of Iran and India, had continuous traffic between them. The Indus Valley (Harappan) Civilization, which is the oldest historically known culture in India, was contemporary with the Proto-Elamite civilization in Iran. The Indus people had trade links with parts of Afghanistan, the coastal regions of Iran, and the ancient civilization of Mesopotamia. At Susa in the western part of Iran, decorated pottery has been excavated which appears to be similar to those of the Kulli culture in the north-west of the Indian subcontinent. Aryans were the people who came from Central Asia. Therefore, they have a common root. At first they had many similarities with ancient Persians in religious beliefs, culture, language and customs. The emergence of the Achaemenid Empire in Persia saw parts of northwest India come under Persian rule. In 330 B.C., Alexander defeated Darius III. In the decisive battle of Gaugamela, Indian soldiers with fifteen elephants fought for Darius against the Greeks. Mehrdad I, the king of the Parthians by invading Punjab, advanced the political and cultural relations between India and Iran. The situation of Iran in the line of the Silk Road between China and India with the Mediterranean region was very important. In this period, the Buddhist religion came to Iran from the eastern frontiers and affected the people of Khorasan and central Asia, and Taxila became the biggest center for Buddhism as well as the centre for Gandhara art.