The Personality of India: Pre- and Proto-historic Foundation of India and Pakistan c9.29

c9.29

Moving to the problem of the several regions within the country, we see the same consistent pattern of migration of peoples and cultures on a set "Z" pattern of communication system linking the Himalayas with the Cape Comorin.¹ Beginning with the openings in the North-west, one moves along the Upper Punjab and into the Delta of Bengal along the Ganges. Again from the Central Gangetic basin, one sees a movement along the foot hills of the Vindhyas into Central India, and thence into the coastal areas of Maharashtra and the Upper valleys of the Godavary and the Krishna, along their courses downstream. Then crossing the Ghats on the east coast, we go further down into South India. These routes cut across the hill and forest belts which neatly separate the various perennial nuclear regions constituted by the distinct river basins of the country. Hence one sees, as our further account will show, the operation of the zones and strata concept. In recent years the chronology based on archaeological excavations, has been bringing out the differences in time and space of almost similar traits in different parts of the country.