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One of the reasons of the downfall or the disappearance of the ancient Sindhu Civilization is said to be the invasion of the Aryans. The Aryans are identified with the destroyers of the Harappan civilization. This is because the Rigveda calls the Aryans as the 'destroyers of the fortresses', and we know Harappan people had fortified cities. But further study denies this hypothesis. The pre-Harappan levels at the site of Kot Diji bring to light the fact the pre-Harappan people also possessed fortified cities. That means even the Harappan people can be considered Aryans, if the 'destroyers of the fortresses' were the criterion.

Many such controversies are associated with the origin of the Aryans. Not only this, but there are studies made, questioning the very invasion of the Aryans. In spite of lapse of time and researches of scholars, no conclusion about the origin of the Aryans, has been arrived at. We know of the famous theory by Lokamanya Tilak, -the Arctic Home Of The Aryans. Tilak worked on the fact that the earth is loosing it's heat day by day. While working on it, he came to the conclusion, that the north polar regions were once the habitable areas and the Aryans originally lived there. To support this view he referred to the Vedas, that mention days and nights lasting for six months which is possible only in Arctic region.

The most important theory in this connection states, that the Aryans hailed from Central Asia. A study of languages by Max Muller, states that the ancestors of the Indians, Greeks, Persians, Romans, Germans and Celts must have lived together. There are a number of words that are common in all these languages. They are not trading terms but fundamental words of everyday use. All those who lived here must have later migrated in various parts. Since the words for salt and sea are not common in all these languages, their original land must be an inland country. Many such points indicate central Asia as their origin.

A Bengali historian A.C.Das is of the view that Bharat in those days was connected with Western Asia by land. The Aryans lived in the Sapta Sindhu or the Punjab region and from there went to the West. Those who are the supporters of the Bharatiya origin of the Aryans, say that the Europeans and the Iranians must have migrated from Bharat. Neither in the Vedas nor in any Sanskrit literature, do we find any tradition mentioning the immigration of the Aryans from outside.
 

However again there are views expressing the contrast  to the above mentioned facts. The opponents of this theory state, that the Aryans when came to Bharat were familiar with birch, pine, oak, willow which do not grow on the plains of Bharat. On the other hand they considered elephant as a 'strange animal' and called it, 'mriga'(deer) with a 'hastin' (trunk). 

There are theories stating Tibet, West Baltic, Germany, Western Siberia as the origin of the Aryans 

The Aryans as mentioned in the Rigveda- the oldest known book in the world-lived in a highly organised society.The unit of social formation was a family or a 'Kula' in which the head usually father was known as 'Kulapa'. The unit combining various such families was a 'Grama', the head of which was a 'Gramani'. The institution of marriage in the Aryan society was considered sacred. The girl was given a measure of independence in the matter of selection of her husband. 

There is no concrete evidence of the existence of caste-system. The 'Purusha-Sukta' in the tenth Mandala of Rigveda, does have a mention but the Sukta itself being added later, can not be regarded as an evidence. Definitely there was a distinction between the Aryans and Non-Aryans. The Aryans were agriculturists. Because mentions of trade with the other countries do occur in the Vedic literature, there must be some system of exchange, which is unknown.

The religion and style of worship the Aryans was a peculiar one. They worshipped a large number of phenomena of nature as gods. To name some, they believed in terrestrial gods like Agni, Prithvi, Soma. They resided on a large territory. The most important kingdom at that time was of the Bharatas and the important Bharatas were Divodasa and Sudas. Sudas is famous for his battle of ten kings.

From the information we have till now, about the lifestyle and the social system of the Aryans, we can definitely say that theirs was a society highly developed in economy and rich in culture.

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