When one discusses the pre-history of South India, the origins of Dravidian speakers invariably comes up
When did the Dravidian languages make their entry in India?
Were they pan-Indian at any point?
On this - the views of Nilakantha Sastri / Fuerer Haimendorf are interesting
When did the Dravidian languages make their entry in India?
Were they pan-Indian at any point?
On this - the views of Nilakantha Sastri / Fuerer Haimendorf are interesting
This is somewhat dated as these individuals operated some 70 years ago in academia
But their theory is -
1. Dravidian languages were never quite pan-Indian or dominant in North India
2. They have always been spoken mostly in the region where they are spoken now (lower Deccan)
But their theory is -
1. Dravidian languages were never quite pan-Indian or dominant in North India
2. They have always been spoken mostly in the region where they are spoken now (lower Deccan)
3. It is likely the Dravidian speakers have affinity to the Armenoid race-type, who colonized South India through sea travel from the west, leaving their original homeland in Central Asia (Anatolia, Armenia, Iran)
4. During their travel, they perhaps left colonies along the coast (which explains remnant Dravidian speaking cultures like those of Brahui in Baluchistan, or the presence of megaliths near Karachi)
5. The period of colonization likely was in the Iron age. Which explains why South India made a direct jump from Stone age to Iron age
Circa 1000-500 BCE
Making the arrival of Dravidians in the peninsula contemporaneous with the Aryan colonization of the North and later Deccan
Circa 1000-500 BCE
Making the arrival of Dravidians in the peninsula contemporaneous with the Aryan colonization of the North and later Deccan
6. This makes Dravidians just as recent as the Aryans in the Indian subcontinent.
Also leaving open the possibility that the pre-Aryan IVC culture of North West India was likely neither Dravidian-speaking nor IE speaking
Also leaving open the possibility that the pre-Aryan IVC culture of North West India was likely neither Dravidian-speaking nor IE speaking
7. The association of the Dravidian homeland in Anatolia / Iraq / Iran is a bold hypothesis.
Likely one made by Sastri. Not so much Haimendorf
Some arguments to back that -
Likely one made by Sastri. Not so much Haimendorf
Some arguments to back that -
a. The Indian worship of Parvati (Lady of the mountain) and her marriage with Shiva (tirukkalyANam)
vs the Mesopotamian Mother Goddess (Lady of the mountain) and the annual celebration of her nuptials with the Moon God in the city of Ur
vs the Mesopotamian Mother Goddess (Lady of the mountain) and the annual celebration of her nuptials with the Moon God in the city of Ur
b. Institution of devadAsis common in South India was apparently well known in Ancient Sumer
c. Sumerian worship centered around Sacrifice, with the kitchen being v central part of the temple (not unlike Tamil country)
c. Sumerian worship centered around Sacrifice, with the kitchen being v central part of the temple (not unlike Tamil country)
d. Snake worship very prevalent in Southern India.
Earliest prehistoric stratum in Persepolis (Iran) excavations also suggest a snake worship cult
Earliest prehistoric stratum in Persepolis (Iran) excavations also suggest a snake worship cult
What all of this suggests is -
Dravidian cultures did not evolve in India. Rather they entered India at a late date (maybe at the same time as Vedic culture)
Dravidian cultures did not evolve in India. Rather they entered India at a late date (maybe at the same time as Vedic culture)
That explains the sudden emergence of Sangam literature around the beginning of the Common era, with no strong traces of a literate culture in the region prior to it.
Possibly Sangam literature represents a collaboration of Dravidian and Aryan immigrants in Southern India, who likely were dominant over the local aborigine population
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