We are immensely glad on the advent of Dravida Pozhil (Journal of Dravidian Studies) as it
blooms into a quarterly research journal, published by the Center of Excellence for Periyar
Thought - Periyar Maniammai Institute of Science and Technology (Deemed to be University).
Academic Research is the key component that distinguishes a University from regular colleges.
A University is a great laboratory for academic research. That’s why the Periyar Maniammai
Institute of Science and Technology (PMIST) enshrines in its logo, the keywords: “Think,
Innovate, Transform”. Studies in Research should be the seedlings for Intellectual Development.
They should facilitate a fertile field for wholesome and constructive innovation. Research
should serve as a catalyst in the above goals, and that’s the reason we spearhead such academic
efforts like Dravida Pozhil.
The name: Dravida Pozhil is very apt!
As the ageless wisdom of Thirukkural sings: “The world relishes the intellect of the truly
wise, like when water fills the lake for the village supplies”, Dravida Pozhil is proud to
have on its Board of Editors, Scholars from both International and Indian Academia, and
reputed social enthusiasts.
World’s richest civilizations and cultures are explored by archaeology and the resulting
knowledge is shared with the populace. Similarly, the explorations of Dravida Pozhil will
benefit the student and teaching communities and will serve a sumptuous meal to the seekers
of knowledge.
Dr. Robert Caldwell in his scholarly work: ‘A Comparative Grammar of the Dravidian Family of
Languages’ details in the introductory sub-section: ‘Use of the Common Term – Dravidian’ as
follows:
“I have designated the languages now to be subjected to comparison, by a common term,
because of the essential and distinctive grammatical characteristics which they all possess
in common, and in virtue of which, joined to the possession in common of a large number of
roots of primary importance, they justly claim to be considered as springing from a common
origin, and as forming a distinct family of tongues.
But though Tamil is probably the oldest and most highly cultivated member of the family, and
that which contains the largest proportion of the family inheritance of forms and roots; yet
as it is, after all, but one dialect out of several, and does not claim to be the original
speech out of which the other dialects have been derived; as it is also desirable to reserve
the terms 'Tamil' and 'Tamilian' (sometimes to be erroneously written 'Tamul' and
'Tamul-ian') to denote the Tamil language itself, and the people by whom it is spoken, I
have preferred to designate this entire family, by a term, which is capable of a wider
application.
The word I have chosen is 'Dravidian' from
Drâvida, the
adjectival form of Dravida.
This term, it is true, has sometimes been used, and is still sometimes used, in almost as
restricted a sense as that of Tamil itself, so that though on the whole, it is the best term
I can find, I admit that it is not perfectly free from ambiguity. It is a term, however,
which has already been used, more or less distinctively by Sanskrit philologists, as a
generic appellation for the South Indian peoples and their languages, and it is the only
single term, they seem ever to have used in this manner. I have, therefore, no doubt of the
propriety of adopting it.
Manu says (x. 43, 44) : "The following tribes of Kshatriyas have gradually sunk into the
state of Vrishalas (outcasts), from the extinction of sacred rites, and from having no
communication with Brâhmans, viz. — Paundrakas, Odras, Dravidas, Kâmbojas, Yavanas, S'akas …
Pâradas, Pahlavas, Chinas, Kirâtas, Daradas, and Khasas”. Of the tribes here mentioned, the
only tribe belonging to Southern India, is that of the Dravidas. This name, therefore,
appears to have been supposed to denote the whole of the South Indian tribes.
The same statement is made in the Maha-bhârata; and in the two lists of degraded Kshatriyas
therein given, the Dravidas are the only South Indian tribe mentioned. It must be concluded,
therefore, that the term is generically used, seeing that the more specific names of
Pândyas, Cholas, & c., had become well known in Northern India by that time. Doubtless it
is, in the same sense that Satyavrata, the Indian Noah, is called in the Bhâgavata Purana
'the lord of Dravida' (Muir's "Sanskrit Texts," vol. i.) The more distinctively philological
writers of a later period, used the term Dravida in what appears to be substantially the
same sense, as that in which I propose that it should be used.
The principal Prakrits — that is, colloquial dialects — of ancient India were the
Maha-râshtri, the Sauraseni, and the Mâgadhi. Amongst minor or less known Prakrit dialects,
the Drâvidi, or language of the Dravidas, was included. A Sanskrit philologist quoted by
Muir (vol. ii. 46) speaks of the language of Dravida as a vibhâsha, or minor Prakrit; and
another (p. 50) speaks of 'the language proper to Dravidas' (in which persons of that race
should be represented, as speaking in dramas) as the Dravidi. It is evident that we have
here to understand, not the Tamil alone, or any other South Indian language alone, but the
Dravidian languages generally, supposed in a vague manner by North Indian writers, to
constitute only one tongue.
The only property these languages can have possessed in common, must have been the contempt
in which they were held by Brahman philologists, in virtue of which, it must have been that,
they were styled also Paisachi, the language of pisâchas, or demons. The more accurate term
Dravidi, has continued to be used occasionally by northern scholars up to our own time. As
late as 1854, the learned HindU philologist Babu Bajendra Lâl Mitra, speaks of the 'Dravidi'
as one of the recognized Prakrits, equally with the Sauraseni, and as being, like it - the
parent of some of the present vernaculars of India. It thus appears that the word 'Drâvida'
from which the term *Dravidian* has been formed, as equivalent to Tamil, is better fitted,
notwithstanding for use as a generic term”. Comparative Grammar, Pages (4-7).
The ‘Revolutionary Poet’ Bharathidasan was not only a poet, but in addition, an erudite
Tamil scholar and researcher, highly proficient in Literature and Grammar. In his magazine
‘Kuyil’, he wrote on the Topic ‘Dravidam’ (kural 1, isai 7, dated 15.07.1958), which sheds
more light on the Dravidian context.
“The word Dravidam, is an exonym of the word Tamizham, and hence, is a Tamil word. It is not
an Aryan word. Let us reproduce some poems (veNpaas) that I have written on many occasions,
below.
In Pali there arose the Mahavamsa book,
A detail from there – Lofty we took,
Thamizh? Is it Tamil? They asked; They can’t.
It’s the non-native tongue’s rant!
The Teacher Ptolemy called Tamilnadu thence,
Tamirici in those days, why? – Nonnative sense!
Hence dear friend, do realize in their mounds,
Our words do change some sounds.
Thamizh in Purana Matsya was sounded like
Tramil, can you see? – Dear Tamizha alike,
They call padi as prathi, that northern tongue.
But do we doubt, our own rung?
Thamizh grows as Tamirici and yonder beyond,
TramiL, Tramil, Tamil – Can you see it spawned?
They are still Thamizh, but those tongues refill.
Tamizh kingdom not affected still.
Changed tongues are yet, still Tamil tongues!
River or Canal – flows the same water young!
Even our folks call pazham, payam or palam;
It’s all just the tongue’s scram.
With the anecdotes above, hey, can you see,
Tamizh got tongued as Dravidam – agree!
Dravidam, even if tongued different and spun
Dravidam or Tamizh is Non-Aryan!
Betwixt south Kumari Pahruli and north Venkatam,
Well defined home land – the great Tamizh flam,
Contains many many wealth, flourishingly warm
With Tamizh names and form!
Dravidian is not Aryan, No, Definitely not!
Dravidian is tongued – Tamizh only ought!
Did Aryans, they name our happy Tamizh land?
No! Tamizh or Dravidam, is our sand!
Dravidam is Tamizham, it’s dance of the tongue.
Dravidam is Not Aryam, be assured – oh young.
The Victory of Dravidam is the Victory of Tamil!
Synonymous are both, they will!
Dravidam is not, some other foreign stealth!
Dravidam is our own, Chen Tamizh wealth!
Ancient those days, All things ours with glee
Names denoting us, you see!”
(Kuyil 1958 – “Dravidam” – Vantavar moḻiyā?
Centamiḻ celvamā?
Poem by Paavendhar Bharathidasan. Translation: Dr. Kannabiran Ravishankar)
Hence the Tamizh-Dravidam conundrum picked by a few and poked by a few, will be cured by
Bharathidasan’s very own words of wisdom. And hence, both on the historical front and on the
native Tamizh front, Dravida Pozhil is a very appropriate name for this Research Journal.
Prof. Dr. Gilbert Slater served in the University of Madras during 1915 as a faculty in
Indian Economy. On retirement, he was awarded at the prestigious Oxford University. His
famous work was: ‘The Dravidian Element in Indian Culture’ published in 1923. The word
‘Dravidian’ finds a key place in such deeply researched papers and departmental field
studies in the global academia.
The ancient Indus Valley Civilization is hailed as ‘Dravidian’ by world scholars. The
Spanish scholar and historian - Fr. Henry Heras (Enrique Heras de Sicars) visited Annamalai
University and delivered a research lecture on the Dravidian component in Indus Valley. This
was aptly recorded in the book – Dravida Iyakka Varalaaru (History of the Dravidian Movement
Vol 1, Pg. 101-102) by Dr. (Navalar) Nedunchezhiyan, who was a student then, at the very same
Annamalai University, and later rose to the ranks of Hon’ble Minister of Education in the
Govt. of Tamilnadu. Excerpts from the book, below.
“Dravidian Civilization by Fr. Heras: In the dual mission of religious service and
historical research, Fr. Henry Heras from Spain visited India, Tamilnadu in particular, and
delivered a lecture series on Indus Valley Civilization (IVC) at the Annamalai University,
where I was studying for my Hons. Degree. He was emphasizing that: IVC was essentially
Dravidian, and the seals and hieroglyphs at IVC, bear witness to the antiquity of Tamil.
Many facets of IVC got expanded to Mesopotamian, Arabian, Egyptian, Babylonian, Greece, Rome
and other civilizations and also influenced his home-country Spain, and other European
nations. I took a lot of notes from his lecture. On the last day of the series, he concluded
stating that: Hitherto the speaker who spoke, was not Heras from Spain, but a Dravidian from
Spain! And lo, there was a thunderous applause from Professors and Students in the audience.
The next day, I met him at the guest house, felicitated him with a Sangam Literature book
and asked him for an autograph, with the very same words that he had spoken the previous
day. He was pleased and gifted me his autograph as: “I, the undersigned, am a Dravidian from
Spain”. Thus, many Civilizations of the world have been influenced by the Dravidian
Civilization, as Fr. Heras affirms“.
We have chosen the academically apt word ‘Dravidam’ for our research journal – Dravida
Pozhil being published by our deemed University – PMIST, Center of Excellence for Periyar
Thought. The antiquity of Language, Civilization, Culture, Heritage & Philosophy of Tamil,
enshrines the word Dravidam.
The prolific research scholar on Indus Valley Civilization – R. Balakrishnan, IAS (retd.)
delivered a lecture on 04.02.2011, as a part of Prof. Malcolm Adiseshiah memorial lecture
series, at the International Institute of Tamil Studies on the topic: ‘Indus Valley
Civilization and Sangam Literature’. Excerpts below.
“… Whereas, the Dravidian people of South India, especially the Tamil people of Sangam Age,
also had their ancient roots in the Indus Valley Civilization, and we have an intensive
research basis for those foundations. Yet, the geographical gap between the lands, and the
time gap between the cultures, provide a challenge to that research. Those who could not
accept the Dravidian theory, only place this gap, as their argument. The great scholar Dr.
Iravatham Mahadevan, who was fully supportive of the Dravidian theory, had also referred to
this gap at one point of time.
The Natives of the North and Central Dravidian languages were inherently closer to the Indus
Valley, on a geographically comparative basis, yet they differ on a culturally comparative
mode. At the same time, the South Indian civilization which flourished in the Sanga Tamil
classical age, exhibits close resemblance to the Indus Valley civilization. We need to
reconcile these differences via newer empirical data, and that is the challenge before the
Indian Research and Academia”.
Dravida Pozhil – Journal of Dravidian Studies
will undertake such scholarly research and attempt to find more answers to academic
challenges. I offer my wholehearted greetings in this initiative.
Research should be free from fear or favour, and should be using scientific techniques,
focusing more on empirical than anecdotal evidence, and be data based. That will usher in
the light of education.
“Dravida Nal Thirunaadum” is the phrase in the Tamizh Thaai Vaazthu (Tamilnadu State Anthem)
compiled from the Poem of Manonmaniyam Sundaranar. Nobel Laureate and the Master Poet, Dr.
Rabindranath Tagore of Bengal, has also included the same phrase, “Dravida Utkala Banga” in
his poem Jana Gana Mana, which is sung today, as the National Anthem of India.
Thus, in both the State & National Anthems, the word ‘Dravidam’ finds a place of respect.
Everyone stands up in salutation when both the anthems are sung. In any government function,
both at the start and the end of the event, people arise in attention, twice - for the word
‘Dravidam’ - with fondness and respect.
That word: Dravidam, is both a civilization and
a philosophy, and that word: Dravidam, is now blossoming as Dravida Pozhil (Journal of
Dravidian Studies). May it usher a green revolution in the academic field,
satiating the
taste buds of scholars, and quenching their thirst for knowledge. I wholeheartedly wish
success to the scholar community, board of editors and the team of Dravida Pozhil.
May the knowledge - pour, pour and pour!
May the truth - flow, flow and flow!
- K. Veeramani
Chancellor
Periyar Maniammai Institute of Science and Technology
(Deemed to be University)
BIBLIOGRAPHY :
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1. Dr. Robert Caldwell, A Comparative Grammar of the Dravidian or South Indian Family of Languages - Harrison: London, 1856.
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2. Bharathidasan, Vantavar moḻiyā? Centamiḻ celvamā? – Kuyil (kural 1, isai 7), dated 15.07.1958
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3. Gilbert Slater, The Dravidian Element in Indian Culture - University of Michigan, 1982
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4. Dr. R. Nedunchezhiyan, Dravida Iyakka Varalaaru
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5. R. Balakrishnan, Indus Valley Civilization and Sangam Literature - 04.02.2011, Prof. Malcolm Adiseshiah memorial lecture series.