This collection of essays, written over some years, is not intended as a
definitive statement on what is often referred to as ???the Aryan question???.
It is rather, an attempt to explore aspects of the theme that might further
our understanding of an early period of Indian history. The constituents
that went into the concept have changed from race, ethnicity and elements
of nationality to language, status and culture. This has involved recasting
the constructs and has inevitably been controversial. The essays attempt
to explain how the constructs came to be formulated, why they changed
and what might be