The Great Mythological Flood and Indian Identity: What Genetics show us about the Creation Myth

The Rig Veda describes India as the land of the Seven Rivers , showing that from the first historical or religious documentations available about the country, water has been a defining attribute of its identity. Indeed one of the first known civilisations of the Indian sub-continent, Indus Valley Civilisation, is also identified with the name of a river. Seafaring and navigation also have, ever since, determined the economic importance of India, the first evidence of sea trade being that of the people of Indus Valley with Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. In the present times, water crisis, various water treaties as well as disputes govern the major thrust of India's foreign policies towards as well as its leverages against its neighbouring nations. Water, therefore, has more than mere geographic, religious or environmental influence on the shaping of Indian identity. This paper attempts to look at one of the earliest water related myths of India: the Great Deluge that Manu survived (the parallels of which exist in other epics and religious texts such as The Epic of Gilgamesh and The Holy Bible) and ascertain if the genetic makeup of Indians, Iranians and inhabitants of Middle East as well as the history of the earth provides any evidence of its occurrence.