The Dravidian People

Tamil Nadu (South India) is the cradle of Dravidian culture and Dravidian people. The Dravidians consider themselves as the original inhabitants of South India - the indigenous people with a rich and ancient culture and heritage. The Dravidians are racially distinct from the North Indians who are from Aryan descent. The Aryans were white expansionist civilization believed to be from Russia or Central Asia who had invaded North India around 2000 to 1500 BC. North and South India have developed and evolved independently of each other and archaeologists working in different parts of India have discovered some significant difference between the North and South Indian cultures. The Aryans moved from North India to South India slowly but they had a profound impact on the social order and practices of South India. They brought their literature (the four Vedas), their Gods (Agni, Varuna,) their language (Sanskrit) and their caste system which placed the Brahmins at the pinnacle. The Dravidians had their own language (Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada and Tulu), gods and ancient literature. However, unlike the North Indians who aggressively promoted their cuisine (tandoori and naan) and culture (Bollywood and Hindi language), the South Indians or Dravidians were far less entrepreneurial in commercializing their culture. The only exception to this is the South Indian Brahmins who have understood the Western hunger for spiritual offerings and products and have exported their brand of yoga, rituals and temple worship all over the world. This was partly a survival strategy for the Brahmins as there was a backlash in India against the caste movement and its entrenched inequities.