When Aryans Met Dravidians: A Clash of Curries and Castes

 Introduction

The term Dravidian is commonly used to refer to all of the non-Aryan population in the peninsula of India. The Dravidians are considered to be the aboriginal inhabitants of the land. They predominate in the southern and eastern parts of India but form a considerable part of the population in the northwestern part where the Aryans predominate.

Lost in Antiquity

The history of the Dravidians is lost in antiquity. Long before the Aryans came to India, they were the domiciled inhabitants. They have preserved no literature and left no monuments that throw light upon their origin.

Theories of Dravidian Origin

There are two main theories with regard to the origin of the Dravidians in India. The one most commonly accepted is that they came through the northwest passages in the Himalaya Mountains at some time far earlier than the Aryan invasion. The physiognomy of the Dravidians is very similar to that of the Caucasians, and has but little resemblance to the Mongolians. Moreover, their distribution in India would indicate that they once covered the entire land and were driven to the south and east by the later invasion of the Aryans.

Southern Origin Theory

The other theory is that the Dravidians have had a southern origin. The hypothetical sunken continent in the Indian Ocean, called Lemuria, is thought to have been their original home. Sri Lanka is certainly Dravidian, and the distribution of Dravidians in India lends itself quite as well to the support of a southern origin as of a northern. The negritic type, which is so often observed, especially in the Yanadis, has been attributed to this southern origin, but it is probable that for centuries coasting traders have gone back and forth between India and Africa. The monsoon winds blowing steadily for many weeks every year from the southwest to India may also have brought shipwrecked Africans or those who put out too far to sea and were unable to get back to land.

Aryan Conquest

It is not the intention of this thesis to throw new light on the question of the origin of the Dravidians. It is sufficient to point out that when the Aryan invaders came to India, they found another race in possession of the land – a race that they gradually subjugated, and to some extent assimilated.

Caste System

In South India, the Aryans are now represented almost exclusively by the Brahmans. It is usually understood that of the four castes of Hinduism, the Sudras only are Dravidian, but it is probable that very few people in South India who claim descent from the Vaisyas and Kshatriyas are of Aryan origin. The Komaties, or merchants, claim to be Vaisyas, but there appears to be an intimate connection between them and the Madigas, or leather workers, who are of undoubted Dravidian origin. When a marriage takes place among the Komaties, it is necessary to bring the fire from the house of a Madiga for the new household. Many devices are used to cover up this connection. A Komatie will come on some pretext to the house of a Madiga, and after completing his business will ask for a light for his cheroot. Komaties, however, do not deny the connection.

Aryan-Dravidian Struggle

The hymns of the Rigveda give us much light on the great struggle of the Aryans in conquering the Dravidians. The Aryans were not lacking in epithets with which to describe these people. They called them "enemies," "slaves," "abject tribes," "void of sense," "inhuman," "keeping alien rites," "malignant," "wicked," "riteless," "prayerless," "bestowing no gifts" (to the gods), "pouring no oblation of milk," "non-worshippers," "priestless," "not keeping sacred fires," "worshippers of mad gods," and they even accused them of eating human flesh.

Aryan Conquest Complete

It is probable that this is an exaggerated description, for the conquerors also speak of their enemies as being wealthy in herds, having impregnable castles, forts of iron, and cities. They were found to be most powerful foes, and probably were stubborn in their resistance, as the Aryans called them "bull-jawed." In the course of time, however, the conquest was complete. The Aryans became the rulers, and the Dravidians took a subordinate position in the newly organized caste system.

Religious Assimilation

The conquerors soon found that if they were to hold the Dravidians in subjection, some consideration for their religion was necessary. Although the Dravidians were worshippers of "mad gods," they were most tenacious of their religious rites. The Aryans did not attempt to compel them to give up their gods but adopted the policy of bringing the people with their religion into the fold of Hinduism. This process has been going on until the present time. To what extent the effort has succeeded is evident on every hand.

Changing Religious Landscape

The original Vedic religion finds but little in common with modern Hinduism. The great mass of Dravidian deities, rites, and superstitions have become a part of so-called Hinduism, and while somewhat changed by Brahmanic Hinduism, the latter has been equally changed by the Dravidian religion.

Siva Worship

Siva worship is a marked illustration of the adoption of aboriginal gods. Siva is a god of the Puranas, and in connection with his worship, there is much that is opposed to Brahmanism. He appears to be a deified chief. His wife, Parvati, is more strikingly aboriginal than Siva himself. She appears in many different forms. As Kali, she is a bloodthirsty goddess, wearing a necklace of skulls, and dancing on the bodies of her fallen enemies. Another name commonly given her is Durga. The goddesses of the Dravidians are commonly said to be incarnations of Kali or Durga, and so the wives of Siva.

Adoption of Aborigine Gods

Ganesa, the elephant-headed god, and Hanuman, the monkey god, are said to be the sons of Siva, and in this way are connected with the Hindu pantheon. It is possible that they were totems of tribal animal gods of some branch of the aborigines and have been adopted into Hinduism.

Abandonment of Siva Worship

It appears that this adoption of aboriginal gods under the guise of Siva worship has never fully satisfied either Brahmans or Dravidians. There is evidence in the Nellore District that Siva worship was once far stronger than at present. On every hand, fallen temples may be found, and these are almost invariably Siva temples. They are usually found in the fields at some little distance from the villages and appear to have been deserted for a long time, perhaps for centuries. There are no local traditions of any value concerning these temples. The architecture is not to be compared with that of the temples in the towns, yet they are usually built with massive stones. They are far better buildings than the shrines of the Dravidian deities, but the style of architecture is somewhat the same.

Limited Assimilation

It is probable that these temples were built by local kings at public expense, under the direction of Brahmans at court. They were built in the fields to satisfy the customs of the people, and the style was Dravidian rather than Aryan. With the coming of political changes, support by the government disappeared, except in cases where lands had been given to the temples, and the small Siva temples seem not to have been thus endowed. As now the burden of keeping up the worship fell upon the people themselves, they found the Siva worship too much Brahmanized to suit their tastes, and they soon went back to their unchanged Dravidian gods.

Continued Adherence to Dravidian Beliefs

Although Siva has been deserted, the village demonesses are usually said to be his wives. His sons, Hanuman and Ganesa, also seem to be nearer to the hearts of the people. The image of Hanuman is commonly worn around the necks of the children, being drawn on a small piece of metal while a large stone image of Ganesa is often found beside the shrine of the Dravidian village goddess, and at times is even placed in the temple beside the goddess.

Limited Assimilation in Name Only

It is evident, therefore, that although much of the aboriginal religion and many of the gods have been adopted into Hinduism, working great changes in Hinduism itself, there has been but very little assimilation in the thoughts and customs of the people. In many ways, an artificial connection has been found between the original Dravidian worship and Hinduism, and the people are classified as Hindus, but the connection is, to a great extent, in name only. The same strange rites, the same basal beliefs and ideas, which these Dravidians possessed tens of centuries ago, seem no less powerful today. The Dravidians have been conquered politically and socially, but religiously the contact of Aryans and Dravidians has resulted in not more than a drawn battle.

References :

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