THE DRAVIDIAN PEOPLES.
UNDER the general name of the DRAVIDIAN PEOPLES we designate the Under the general name of the DRAVIDIAN PEOPLES we designate the original inhabitants of Hither India who now have their dwelling-place in the south among the Aryan population, but differ from the Aryan Indians in speech, customs, and partly also in physical appearance. Skilled investigators like Latham and Max Miiller have endeavored to prove that they belong to the Mongolian race ; but the physical and mental character of this people is not Mongolian, and makes it impossible to accept this opinion. Still less can we agree with many of the older investigators who believe them to be connected with the black population of Malaysia, the Pappas. As, up to the present time and with our present inadequate means of research, we cannot place them in any of the great ethnological divisions, we are compelled, in spite of their relatively small number, to class them apart as a separate race. It is possible that future investigations will lead to a different result.
original inhabitants of India are divisible into two distinctly separated groups : (I) the Vindhya People; (2) the Deccan Tribes.
From the latter another folk has branched off in such an independent manner that we should be wellnigh justified in naming them as a third division—viz. the inhabitants of Ceylon (Singhala), the Singhalese, to whom the natives of the Maldives are joined as most nearly related, while the Laccadives are inhabited by the Aloplays or Mapilas—Arabian mer chants who have conic over from Malabar.
We prefer the names just given to these chief divisions of the Dra vidian Peoples: first, because they are older than others—we find them in Lassen, one of the greatest German students of India; secondly and prin cipally, because they give a sort of key (when we consider their geo graphical meaning) to the history of the stock and its different tribes; and lastly, because they are most comprehensive and least liable to be misunderstood. Other ethnologists call the Vindhya people Munda people (miinda means, among some of them, a chief or headman of the village), and the Deccan tribes the Dravidians in a more restricted sense.
The Vindhya people are themselves divided into several tribes: first, the Mee's, whose present location is the western part of the Vindhya Mountains and their outlying spurs as far as the Taptee. They likewise inhabit the Western Ghauts on the land side to Puna, on the coast to Daman, as well as the mountains of Gujerat. Formerly they extended farther toward the north, whence they gradually became confined within their present limits, while many of them mixed with the Aryan Indians. They are split up into many tribes, of which those of pure blood call themselves the White Bheels, while those who have intermarried with foreigners are called the Black Bheels. To them seem also to belong the
Ranzusis, south from Puna, who now speak Mahrattee, and the /Co!as (Kulis) of Gujerat, who have likewise adopted an Indian speech. Also, the Jlinas and the Jferas, northward in Mevar to the Aravulli Mountains, seem to stand nearer to the Bheels.
The Kolas are an extensive tribe in the easterly continuation of the Vindhya Mountains, in the mountain-land of Chota-Nagpoor west from Calcutta, north almost to the Ganges and south nearly to the Mahanadi. The Indians call all the races that live here A7olhs, and so this general title includes first the .illunda A'alhs, who, perhaps a million in number, are the most important tribe; the Lurkaars or Ho (1. c. "), west from the Mundas in the district of Chaibassa; north to the Ganges we have the Santals and smaller clans of doubtful descent, like the etc.
The people of the Deccan are mingled in the east with the Vindhya people, while scattered among the Kolh races are the (I) Crauhs (Uraon), westwardly from the Santals, and (2) the Paharias (Rojinahal Kolhs c. the non-Indians of the district of Rajmahal), or, as they call them selves, the Maler—i. e. mountaineers. But they principally live in Dec can proper. We also name (3) the Gondas or Gonds, the inhabitants of Gondwana, south from the Nerbudda as far as Godavery; also (4) the Khona's or Kandas, Khunds, Kus, in Orissa, east from the Gonds, south from the Kolhs; (5) south from both tribes the Taingas (Telugus, Gen toos), whose domain in former times extended along the whole eastern coast of Hither India. Neighbors to these southward, and on the other side of a line from the north end of Lake Pulikat to Bangalore, are (6) the Tamils, who are 'scattered about over Cape Comorin and the north of Cey lon. West from the Telingas live (7) the Canarcse (the Carnatic) in Canara and Mysore, to whom in speech the ATeclugus (Knrg) belong, several other mountain-tribes; and wedged in the .Neilgherry Hills (S) the Tudas or Todas, who speak an independent tongue, as well as (g) the likewise independent Tulnyas or Talus, settled on the west coast around Mangalore. In earlier times they were much more widely spread in Carrara. The south point of the peninsula, south from Tuluvas, west from the Tamils, is inhabited by (ND) the Maiabars or J/a/aya/am. Living quite separate are (ii) the Brahuis in North-east Beloochistan around Kelat ; and (r2) the Singhalese, or inhabitants of Ceylon, cer tainly belong here, as their tongue, the Elm, and their many Indian traits, prove. The 1/eddahs, from the woody interior of the island, seem to be pure Singhalese.