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Artic Home of the Aryans by Lokamanya Bal ... - Mandhata Global

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351<br />

long day-and-night except at <strong>the</strong> Pole. Once <strong>the</strong> position <strong>of</strong> Yima’s<br />

Vara is thus fixed <strong>the</strong> position <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Airyana Vaêjo is at once<br />

determined; for Yima’s Vara, as stated in <strong>the</strong> Mainyô-i-khard, must<br />

obviously be located in <strong>the</strong> Airyana Vaêjo. Here is, <strong>the</strong>refore, ano<strong>the</strong>r<br />

argument for locating <strong>the</strong> Airyana Vaêjo in <strong>the</strong> extreme north and not<br />

to <strong>the</strong> west <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> ancient Iran, as Spiegel, Darmesteter and o<strong>the</strong>rs<br />

have done. For whe<strong>the</strong>r Yima’s Vara be real or mythical, we cannot<br />

suppose that <strong>the</strong> knowledge <strong>of</strong> a year-long day and <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> single<br />

rising <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> sun during <strong>the</strong> whole year was acquired simply <strong>by</strong> a<br />

stretch <strong>of</strong> imagination, and that it is a mere accident that it tallies so<br />

well with <strong>the</strong> description <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Polar day and night. The authors <strong>of</strong><br />

<strong>the</strong> Fargard may not have <strong>the</strong>mselves witnessed <strong>the</strong>se phenomena,<br />

but <strong>the</strong>re can be no doubt that <strong>the</strong>y knew <strong>the</strong>se facts <strong>by</strong> tradition; and<br />

if so, we must suppose that <strong>the</strong>ir remote ancestors must have<br />

acquired this knowledge <strong>by</strong> personal experience in <strong>the</strong>ir home near<br />

<strong>the</strong> North Pole. Those that locate <strong>the</strong> Airyana Vaêjo in <strong>the</strong> extreme<br />

east <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Iranian highland try to account for ten months winter<br />

<strong>the</strong>rein <strong>by</strong> assuming that a tradition <strong>of</strong> a decrease in <strong>the</strong> earth’s<br />

temperature was still in <strong>the</strong> mind <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> author <strong>of</strong> this Fargard, or that<br />

<strong>the</strong> altitude <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> table-land, where <strong>the</strong> Oxus and <strong>the</strong> Jaxartes take<br />

<strong>the</strong>ir rise, was far higher in ancient times than at present, <strong>the</strong>re<strong>by</strong><br />

producing a cold climate. Both <strong>the</strong>se explanations are however<br />

artificial and unsatisfactory. It is true that a high altitude produces a<br />

cold climate; but in <strong>the</strong> present instance <strong>the</strong> climate <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Airyana<br />

Vaêjo was mild and genial before <strong>the</strong> invasion <strong>of</strong> Angra Mainyu, and<br />

we must, <strong>the</strong>refore, suppose that <strong>the</strong> Iranian table-land was not<br />

elevated at first, until Angra Mainyu upheaved it and produced a cold<br />

climate. But <strong>the</strong> present altitude <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> plateau is not so great as to<br />

produce a winter <strong>of</strong> ten months, and this requires us again to assume<br />

<strong>the</strong> submergence <strong>of</strong> this land after <strong>the</strong> invasion <strong>of</strong> Angra Mainyu.<br />

Unfortunately <strong>the</strong>re is no geological evidence forth-coming to support<br />

<strong>the</strong> upheaval and submergence <strong>of</strong> this land in <strong>the</strong> order mentioned<br />

above. But even if such evidence were forthcoming,

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