d Harappa were two of the most prominent areas to develop in the valleys, and although they were far apart, the river enabled them to keep a consistent economy and administration. The economy that developed was analogous to that of the Sumerians and Egyptians in that it was strongly based upon irrigation farming of wheat and barley. Figurines of mother goddesses, which represented fertility, explain the significance of agriculture to the Aryans. Much like earlier civilizations, the Aryans developed a caste system dividing their people into classes that they referred to as Varnas. The Brahmans, the highest caste, studied the Vedas, which was a book that formed the basis of Aryan religion. The Kshatriyas were warriors who held control of the government and militia. Cattle raising, money lending, and trading were duties that were given to the caste known as the Vaisyas. This group consisted of merchants, farmers and artisans. Lastly, the slaves, known as Sudras, were expected to be servants to the other Varnas. Aryans were born into specific castes, but unlike the Sumerian and Egyptian people, were not given the opportunity to advance to a higher class and were forced to marry within their own group. Another similarity to earlier civilizations was the Aryans belief in polytheism. Acts of nature were a direct result of the many deities. As time progressed and politics and societies evolved, this religion slowly developed into Hinduism, which became India's national religion. Hinduism was based not solely on the teachings of an individual, but rather many different ideas having their roots with the Vedas. These were books of knowledge that compared to the Bible in the Christian faith and the Koran to the Muslims. In direct relation to the beliefs of the Egyptians, the Aryans followed the theory of reincarnation and believed that the soul progresses through many lifetimes before achieving a connection with the universal spirit. ...
