Though the word Dravida appears in Manusmriti (150 BC to 100 AD), now the Brahmins are accusing Robert Caldwell (1856) and Ellis who used this word Dravida in their writings. The Brahmins are blaming that the above two have coined the word Dravida.
Why they are so angry on the Dravida and its ideology? Besides Brahmins, Naam Thamizhar Seeman and his followers also are very much opposed to the Dravida. Dravidian concept is based on Equality and Democracy but, Braminism is based on theocracy and Inequality that too, graded inequality.
Manusmiriti says,
10:43 But in consequence of the omission / refusal of the sacred rites, and of their not accepting priestly service or consulting the advise of Brahmanas, the following tribes of Kshatriyas were gradually degraded to the level of Shudras / sunk in this world to the condition of sudras;
10:44 (VIZ) the Paundrakas, the Kodas, the Dravidas, the Kambogas, the Yavanas, the Sakas, the Paradas, the Pahlavas, the Kinas, the Kiratas, and the Daradas.
According to Manusmiriti, the kings of the above countries did not accept the wearing of the sacred thread; they did not worship the Brahmins and listen to their advice. They opposed Brahmins as priests and advisors and hence the Kshatriyas were degraded into Sudras.
I am not responsible if you remember former chief minister of Tamil Nadu Edappadi Mr.K.Palanisamy who bowed before Manuvadhis or Sanathanies ie, Brahmins.
The above mentioned countries are easily identifiable by searching through history. Manu gives us the understanding that the word Dravida is quite opposite to the word Brahminism or Brahminical Hegemony.
So, the Paundrakas, the Kodas, the Dravidas, the Kambogas, the Yavanas, the Sakas, the Paradas, the Pahlavas, the Kinas, the Kiratas, and the Daradas mean anti- Brahminism, anti Vedas and their ideology.
Only with the above understanding, Periyar took a strong stand against Brahminical ideology, and has named his party as (may have used the term Dravida to name the party he founded) Dravidar Kazhagam. You may think that he could have named his party either by Darada or Yavana and so, but Dravida refers to South India, particularly the Tamils and so he would have chosen the word Dravida.
In the later years, due to defection and dilution, many parties came with a tag Dravida.
Many of them have deviated from Deavidian ideology. Many would have involved in corruption. To save themselves from those errings, they keep bowing before Manuvatis who are in power. It does not mean that the dravidian ideology has failed. The so called dravidian leaders who have gone astray and fallen and not the Dravidian concept or ideology established by the Dravidian Icon Thathai Periyar.
Several parties founded by different leaders by name Dravida and we cannot say that all these parties are with anti-Brahminism ideology. Though a party bearing the name Dravida, if some of its leaders and cadres become corrupt, by taking this as an advantage, the opposition particularly the Brahmins branded the whole party as ‘theft Dravida’ and there by degrading the word Dravida.
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The kings who ruled without worshiping the Brahmins and without consulting them were pushed to the level of Sutras and many of them were overthrown or killed by the Brahmins.
Manusmiriti says,
7-37: Let the king, after rising early in the morning, worship Brahmanas who are well versed in the three fold sacred science and learned (in polity), and follow their advise.
7-39: Let him, though he may already be modest, constantly learn modesty from them; for a king who is modest never perishes;
7-40: Through a want of modesty many kings have perished; together with their belongings; through modesty even hermits in the forest have gained kingdoms.
7-41: Through a want of humility Vena perished, like wise king Nahusha, Sudas, the son of Pigavana, Shumukta and Nemi.
7-42: But the humility Prithu and Manu gained sovereignty, Kubera the position of the Lord of wealth and the son of Dadhi the rank of a Brahmana.
Again if you remember former chief minister of Tamil Nadu Edappadi Mr.K.Palanisamy for bowing to Brahmins and C.N.Annadurai, M.Karunanithi, M.K.Stalin for not bowing to Brahmins.
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Some innocently argue that cricketer Rahul Dravid is a Brahmin and hence the Dravidians and Brahmins are one and the same. Is it true?
Dr. Baba Saheb Ambedkar says,
“Indian Brahmins belong to two different categories. One section is called Dravida and the other section is called Gowda.
The Dravida category consists of five subdivisions. These five together are called Pancha Dravida. These subdivisions are named as follows:
1.Maharashtrar
2.Andhrar
3.Dravidar (Tamil Brahmins)
4.Karnatakar
5.Gurjarar ”
Each of these subdivisions has different sub castes. There are various subdivisions and sub castes in Gowda category also. Thus there are more than one thousand five hundred castes among the Brahmins like Bhagavadar, Pandit, Bhardwaj, Trivedi, Jaitley, Pathak, Datta, Vaidya, Pandey, Dube, Mishra, Bhat, Munshi, Shukla, Vajpayee, Dixit, Upadhyay, Acharya etc.,
Rikvedis, Krishna Yajurvedis, Sukla Yajurvedis-Madhyantis, Sukla Yajurvedis-Kanvars, Samavedis, Atharvas, Vaishnavas, Veera Vaishnavas, Sri-Vaishnavas, Bhagavadars, Shaktars are some of the Tamil Brahmins among the Brahmin castes. It is not known how the above castes are identified today, and we do not know how the Brahmins are called now a day as Iyer and Iyengars. May be they are the Tamil version of any of the above castes?
Dr. Baba Saheb Ambedkar says,
“Pancha Dravidars are a common name for the Brahmins who live at the foot of the Vindhya hill. Pancha Gowda is a common name for the Brahmins who live on the western side of the Vindhya hill. In other words, Pancha Gowda refers to the north India Brahmins and Pancha Dravida to the southern Brahmins.”
So, it is clear that Dravida refers to South India.
Just as Malaysian Tamils and Eelam Tamils refer to the area where they live, Dravida Brahmins refer to the area where they live. Dravida Brahmins and the South Indian or Tamil Brahmins are one and the same.
Those who accepted the ideology of opposing Brahminism are in large numbers representing not only the Dravidan parties but also in communist and Tamil nationalist movements and parties. Hence all those who take up the ideology of opposing Brahminism are Dravidians.
Is there any sense in shouting that Tamil and Tamilians were trivialized by using the word Dravida? In other words, dropping the word Dravida is tantamount to abandoning the ideology of opposing Brahminism.
Yes! With the above understanding, I am with Dravidian! You?
Tamilmani
Sources: 1.Manutharuma Shastra,
2.Dr. Ambedkar Book Collection: Volume 10 (Tamil).
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