Aryans And Dravidians


Most scientific evidence would seem to suggest that both the Aryans and the Dravidians were migrants who arrived in India from Africa . (The "out of Africa theory", that is consistent with genetic evidence too). 

The differences in linguistic and physical features that we get to see today, would suggest that the Aryan and Dravidian peoples were geographically isolated from each other for a few thousand years (prior to around 6000 years back when they came in contact again in the Indian sub-continent). Only a large enough period of geographical separation could have resulted in these differences. 

It is also true that in the past around 6000 to 8000 years, the Aryan and Dravidian peoples have been in close contact. In this period, a significant amount of linguistic, cultural and genetic inter-mingling would seem to have occurred. The visible differences that persist today are the remnants that have survived this proximity and intermingling in the last few thousand years. 

This would explain the fact that typically, Dravidian characteristics persist to a greater degree in the far South; and in inaccessible tribal regions of North India .

It is also reasonable to presume that the caste system (significantly referred to as " varna " or "colour") originated in the times when the Aryans and the Dravidians came in contact after the period of a few thousand years of separation. The legend of Onam too talks of the "Asura" king Mahabali being deposed by Vamana, a "Brahmin".

It is also said that there is no significant genetic difference among modern day Indians. Perhaps the Aryans (who probably came on horses, like the Moghuls) were an all male contingent -- who had to take local (Dravidian) women as mates as soon as they settled down. Being patriarchal, the offspring of males Aryans would have been regarded as Aryans (despite Dravidian mothers).

Or may be, as in case of English language and culture (that have been willingly adopted by Indian elites, and these converted into symbols of superiority) in modern India , the Aryan language and culture too were willingly adopted by the native (Dravidian) elites -- who thus became the Brahmins and other Suvarnas.

Perhaps, a combination of the above two possibilities may have played out.

It would seem reasonable that political preferences should not come in the way our making speculations that are consistent with ALL available evidence...

 
Anand Nair
 
PS dated 13 Jan 2011
 
The thesis (whose link is given below) was put forward in a judgment delivered on January 5, 2011 by a Supreme Court of India Bench comprising Justice Markandey Katju and Justice Gyan Sudha Misra. This is largely in line with my own blog

India, largely a country of immigrants

http://www.hindu.com/2011/01/12/stories/2011011253071300.htm

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