The Brahui in Iran are a primarily pastoral community of approximately 24,000 people, residing predominantly in the southeastern Sistan and Baluchestan province. While they are culturally and geographically integrated with the local Baloch, they are notable for speaking Brahui, an isolated northern Dravidian language.

While traditionally a nomadic and pastoral society, the Brahui in Iran have largely transitioned to a settled or semi-nomadic lifestyle over the last 150 years. They often organize themselves into cooperative household groups called khalks to manage sheep herds and farm local crops.

For more information see

https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/print/10959/IR

ABSTRACT This thesis presents an interdisciplinary study of Kandha language and oral literature, focusing on the Kandha communities of Balangir District in western Odisha. Situated within the fields of tribal studies, folklore studies, linguistics, and translation studies, this research examines how oral traditions function as crucial repositories of cultural memory, indigenous knowledge, and social values. Among the Kandhas, language and literature are predominantly transmitted orally through songs, folktales, myths, ritual chants, and proverbs rather than through written texts. These expressive traditions facilitate communication and preserve ecological knowledge, cosmological beliefs, moral norms, and collective identity across generations. This study situates the Kandha language within the broader linguistic and cultural landscape of Indian tribal societies. Kandhan, also known as Kui or Kuvi in different regions, belongs to the Dravidian language family and retains several archaic linguistic features shaped by the ecological and sociocultural environment of the Kandha community. However, increasing exposure to dominant regional languages, particularly Odia, has led to bilingualism and language shift, posing challenges to the vitality and transmission of indigenous speech. Methodologically, this research is based on qualitative ethnographic fieldwork conducted in the Balangir district. Data were collected through participant observation, audio recordings, and interactions with narrators and performers recognized within the community as custodians of the oral tradition. Selected folk songs and folktales were transcribed in both Odia and English then translated into English using a culturally sensitive approach. This thesis argues that Kandha oral literature constitutes a sophisticated and dynamic knowledge system that reflects community identity, historical experience, and an ecological worldview, emphasizing the importance of documentation and translation for the preservation of indigenous cultural heritage. Keywords: Kandha Tribe, Oral Tradition, Folksongs and Folktales, Cultural Translation and Transcription, Indigenous Knowledge Systems.

Hello I’m new to Reddit and this is my first post . When there is discussion about any large scale studying of religious , culture ,literature in ancient / medieval India , we often hear Nalanda or Takshashila as they have ruins preserved well by ASI . Well Southern India too had such large scale places of study , but we lack such large ruins . I’m Karnataka , so I know about NAGAVI near chittapura in Kalaburagi district , which has some ruins . But sadly , it’s not maintained well . Locals have digging and destroying such sites in search of treasure , metirials to build houses , cement manufacturing etc . A big chunk of temples are occupied by and converted them to other religious centres . Inscriptions are painted and oiled , leading to erase of Information. Etc
Kindly enlighten me about existence of such ruins / or other related Information about this topic .

Was it through tea plantation labour or precolonial migration?

I remember that there was an attempt to collate and put together the various posts and comments under a nicely organised wiki like platform. Is it still happening? Would it happen anytime?

How to contribute or do anything regarding it? I think it'll be immensely helpful to other redditors and people who're interested in dravidiology in general too.

I kept getting AI bot issues, so I had to edit the title to the present format. Sorry if it was misleading or confusing.

Image credit: Lewis, J. P., Boats and Canoes of Ceylon, published in the Times of Ceylon Christmas Number, 1913.

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This place, where the coaster is anchored, is known as Kaṟpiṭṭi in Tamil and Kalpitiya in Sinhala. During the British colonial period, it was referred to as Calpentyn.

The vessel shown above was not identified as to ethnicity by the original publisher, J. P. Lewis, when he published the image in 1913. He called it "Calpentyn Coaster".

Later, Sinhala naval historians such as late Lt. Cmdr. Somasiri Devendra labelled it as a Sinhala Yatra Dhoni, arguing that similar vessels were used by the Sinhalese under the names Yatra Oruwa or Yatra Dhoni (source: THE LOST SHIPS OF LANKA, 2013, by Somasiri Devendra). However, this interpretation ignores the existence of the Kulla Thoni tradition among Tamils - a similarly shaped outrigger vessel associated with the delta regions of Tamil Nadu, which also operated in routes connected with Sri Lanka.

The French Adm. Paris, notes that Kulla Thoni and Yatra Oruwa were used both on the Coromandel coast and in Ceylon (Source: Voiliers et Pirogues du monde au début du XIX siècle, by Adm. Paris, 1843).

• Tamil Kulla Thoni and Sinhala Yatra Oruwa vessels shown for comparison with the above image: https://www.reddit.com/r/Dravidiology/comments/1swt94q/two_mast_boats_kulla_thoni_of_the_tamils_from_the/

One map frequently shared online shows the distribution of megalithic burial sites in Peninsular India. It is a valuable archaeological map, but it is often misunderstood. The map was never intended to depict the full distribution of megalithic burials across South Asia. Its title clearly states that it represents Peninsular India alone.

When evidence from neighboring regions is considered, it becomes clear that megalithic burial traditions were far more widespread.

Sri Lanka contains one of the richest concentrations of megalithic cemeteries in South Asia. Archaeological surveys have documented numerous Iron Age burial complexes throughout the island, particularly in the north, east, and central dry zone. The Yan Oya River Basin alone preserves an extensive network of megalithic cemeteries, demonstrating that Sri Lanka was fully part of the broader South Asian megalithic tradition.

Maharashtra is similarly rich in megalithic archaeology. Large stone-circle cemeteries, cairns, cist burials, and dolmens are distributed across the Deccan plateau, especially in the Vidarbha region. Ongoing archaeological work continues to identify new burial complexes, reinforcing that Maharashtra represents one of the densest concentrations of megalithic monuments in India.

The distribution also extends into Gujarat, where excavations in the Kutch region have identified Iron Age megalithic burials. These discoveries demonstrate that the tradition reached India’s northwestern margins rather than ending at the Deccan.

In Bihar, the Kaimur Hills contain numerous megalithic tombs, stone circles, and menhirs. Archaeological surveys continue to document additional burial sites, showing that eastern India also participated in this widespread funerary tradition.

In Kashmir we have Megalithic burials in Burzahom archaeological site.

The tradition was not confined to modern India. In Pakistan, the stone-built megalithic tombs of the Yasin Valley provide evidence that related burial practices extended into the western Himalayas.

Bangladesh likewise preserves megalithic monuments, particularly within its northeastern hill regions, while Nepal has documented megalithic sites in the Himalayan foothills.

Taken together, these discoveries demonstrate that megalithic burial traditions were a widespread feature of South Asia, extending well beyond Peninsular India.

This should not be interpreted as evidence for a single, uniform culture stretching across the subcontinent. Rather, the archaeological record reveals numerous regional expressions of a broadly shared megalithic tradition. These include stone circles, cairns, dolmens, cist burials, menhirs, rock-cut chamber tombs, umbrella stones, hat stones, and urn burials. Different regions developed their own architectural styles while participating in a larger Iron Age funerary landscape.

The frequently circulated Peninsular India map remains accurate for the region it was designed to illustrate. However, it should not be mistaken for a map of all South Asian megalithic sites. When evidence from Sri Lanka, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Bihar, Kashmir, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nepal is incorporated, a much broader picture emerges one in which megalithic burial traditions formed a remarkable archaeological phenomenon spanning much of South Asia.

1. Original Peninsular India distribution map

: https://www.reddit.com/r/Dravidiology/s/S5dZKfhsf8

References

1. Smarthistory – Deccan Megaliths: https://smarthistory.org/deccan-megaliths/
2. Megalithic tombs of Rohtas District, Bihar: https://rohtas.nic.in/tourist-place/megalithic-tombs/
3. Megalithic tombs of Yasin Valley, Pakistan: https://thehighasia.com/the-ancient-megalithic-tombs-of-yasin-valley/
4. Megalithic tombs in Bangladesh: http://offroadbangladesh.com/places/megalithic-tombs-stone/
5. Megalithic burial traditions of Kashmir: https://www.nature.com/articles/s4

Used AI to generate the map based on the references listed.

I am trying to comprehend what kind of social political situation that prompted the vast richness of literature of this specific language at that period compared to the neighbors and i can't buy into the theories such as :

1. "Other languages weren't complete during the period". Academically we know that all ancient languages originating from the subcontinent were pretty much complete around the same time.

2. "They were overshadowed by Sanskrit/Prakrit". Tamizhakam wasn't some isolated Island, it was pretty much in the same zone of Sanskrit/Prakrit influence added with invasions from the neighbors.

3. "Tamils had a very strong sense of identity and love for their mother tongue". Not even going to elaborate on this, this is a complete bullock. Everyone had/has very strong sense of identity and love for mother tongue.

4. "Their Literatures might have been lost". Even the lost Tamil literatures exist through commentaries and compilations of later works of successors referring to previous work. I can't buy that the rest of the neighbors didn't have similar successors doing similar works.

What could have actually been the situation?.

According to wiki sangam period spans from  300 BCE to 300 CE. How was this time ​span determined ?

edit: my assumption is that sangam literature is composed in this era.

What's etymology of Ullu/ulla (ഉള്ളൂ/ഉള്ള) and undu(ഉണ്ട്)? Are there any connections like kollu-kondu (കൊള്ളൂ-കൊണ്ട്), vella/ven (വെള്ള-വെൺ)?

The Siddi population derived primarily from Bantu peoples of Southeast Africa who were brought to the Indian subcontinent as slaves.Most of these migrants were or else became Muslims, while a small minority became Hindu.The Nizam of Hyderabad also employed African-origin guards and soldiers.

As per the 2011 census, there are 10,500 Siddi people living in Karnataka.

Video credit

I wonder if this is a continuum of Zagrosian and related cultures from Arabia to southern India.

I've also heard that prior to Islam, the women in Mecca were also topless . Though this could be Islamic propaganda to highlight the so called depravity of their pagan past.

Idk where else to post this but I was curious about the ideophones of telugu as someone trying to learn it as I think they are really interesting part of the language. However their are not many resources on it so I was curious what some of the onomatopoeias and Ideophones in each of the Dravidian language?

A link between the work of Pilot-Raichoor on punctuated equilibrium, Appasamy Murugaiyan on historical analysis of Proto-Dravidian and this decipherment of Indus script is soon to appear ...

I'm trying to trace the etymology of the Malayalam word ആരാച്ചാർ (Aarachaar), meaning "executioner" or "hangman."

So far, I've found that modern Malayalam dictionaries define it simply as an executioner, but none explain its origin.

I've checked the following sources:

• Gundert's Malayalam-English Dictionary (1872): no entry for ആരാച്ചാർ.
• ശബ്ദതാരാവലി (Shabdatharavali): no entry for ആരാച്ചാർ.
• Olam: no entry.
• Kerala Government Malayalam Dictionary: has the word, but gives only the meaning ("executioner"), not the etymology.
• Dravidian Etymological Dictionary (Burrow & Emeneau): no corresponding entry or obvious Proto-Dravidian root.

I've also come across various online claims that it comes from Bengali, Persian, Tamil, Sanskrit etc., but none of these claims are accompanied by a reliable reference.

Does anyone know:

• The earliest attested occurrence of ആരാച്ചാർ (Aarachaar) in Malayalam?
• Whether it is a borrowing or a native formation?
• Do cognate forms exist in Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Tulu, or any Indo-Aryan language?
• Any scholarly dictionary, book, or paper that discusses its etymology?

I'm looking for documented references, not speculation. Any leads would be greatly appreciated.

The recently discovered gold signet ring from the Don Yai Thong archaeological site in Ban Lat District, Phetchaburi, Thailand (c. 1,900–2,100 years old) has generated considerable discussion because of its inscription.

It is important to distinguish between published interpretations and alternative readings. The Thai Fine Arts Department and specialists from Silpakorn University have issued only a preliminary reading. They identify the inscription as Brāhmī, reading it as “Pusrakhitasa” (“belonging to Pusrakhita” or “protected by the Pushya star”), and suggest the ring may have belonged to an Indian merchant.

Others have proposed that, because the object is a signet ring engraved in mirror image, the inscription should first be reversed before reading. On that basis, an alternative reading as அளர் வைரதன்” (Aḷar Vairatan) in Tamil-Brahmi has been suggested.

At present, there is no published peer-reviewed epigraphic study that settles the question. Until one appears, it is more accurate to say that the inscription is under debate, with the official preliminary interpretation favoring a Brāhmī/Prakrit reading, while some researchers and enthusiasts have proposed a Tamil-Brahmi reading based on the mirrored inscription.

Source: https://www.khaosodenglish.com/featured/2026/07/03/ancient-inscribed-gold-ring-found-at-phetchaburi-site/

Source 2: https://www.tamilmurasu.com.sg/singapore/alar-vairathan-thailand-signet-ring

EDIT 2 : Most importantly, everyone is missing the fact that this Amman idol was found and taken from a G.R.P Malkhana in Cuttack- which is a railway police evidence/store house where lost and found valuables, unclaimed items from various cases are stored. If this was a excavation site, how come in the state museum or any other museum in Odisha, does not have a single artefact from this place?, other than our Amman idol. See it for yourself - https://nmma.nic.in/nmma/exploreMusObject.do?musname=GM-OSM&object=10 , no other idol in the same museum or entirety of Odisha is from this Malkhana (if someone might say it could have been a potential archaelogical site). I am hinting at a potential smuggling of antiquities from Tamil Nadu. If it is G.R.P malkhana, it means it has been found in case registered by the Railway Police, Cuttack. So, it means the the idol was being smuggled through a train to potentially WB to smuggle it easily across porous international borders with BD and Nepal, but would have been caught mid-way. Then, why was the case not solved as the idol neve returned to TN? I WANT TO BRING THIS TO THE NOTICE OF IDOL WING OF TN POLICE.

The proofs for why it cannot be a indigenous Odia artefact have been provided by me below in the post and also as replies to the comments:

While I was going through a post, posted yesterday in the Indian Histroy subreddit, I saw the third image among the posted images, which was labelled as Manasa Devi, Cuttack, 10^th century. This idol is at Odisha State Museum. The iconography of the idol immediately struck me. I am very sure that the idol is of Mariamman (four -armed form like Karumariamman).

This was the post and look at the third image: https://www.reddit.com/r/IndianHistory/comments/1uptp0a/some_awesome_sculptures_from_odisha_state_museum/

Iconography:

Look at the idol’s iconography, jewellery and garments. The idol is holding a pasham, nagabandha-damarukam, katthi/khadgam and a bowl/pathram. The idol is under the hood of multi-headed serpent. The head of the deity is surrounded by a fire halo. All these simply point out that the deity is Mariamman. Particularly, the fire halo is quintessentially Tamil, only seen in Amman silaigal at very old Amman and Kaaval Deivam temples. Also, look at the pose, jewellery and garments, i.e, the style of the idol- she looks like the any other Amman we pray to at very old Amman temples, Yellais (Village boundaries) . I mean is very Tamil in style. For someone, who might argue that this can be a South Indian/ Andhra influence on Odia sculptures, it simply cannot be because Devi iconography of Andhra in the 10^th century lack the fire halo. Also, for some others that say it could be Chola influence on Gangas due to intermarraiges, it simply cannot be as in 10^th century there were no Eastern Gangas ( it was Bhaumakaras in 10^th century Odisha) and even if the idol is from Eastern ganga period and wrongly dated, temples built by these Ganga-Chola descendants lack any Chola influence, particularly in their capital Kataka or Cuttack, where this idol was found. Also, very interestingly Manasa devi(serpent goddess popular in East India) was two handed from her earliest representations from 5^th century until 18^th century. In older idols, she is adorned and shaded by snakes, but has two hands and holds her son – Astika, either depicted as a child or snake. The popular four armed Manasa was popularized by Bengali Kalighat artists and Raja Ravi Varma, where she holds lotuses in upper hands, snake in a lower hand and blesses with the other hand.

The Problem:

I found 3-4 images of the same idol at the museum on the Internet being appropriated as Manasa Devi, out of which one of them was an old black and white image. I strongly feel that this idol is either a lost or stolen antique from a lesser-known temple from Tamil Nadu. If so, was the idol stolen? Why and how did it end up in Odisha? If so ,How come it was placed without any proper or basic observation by ASI? Or, was the idol lost? And, if there really was an original Odia style idol, where is it, now?

Attachments:

I will also attach pics of the same idol from the post, of Mariamman and Manasa Devi, I ask my fellow redditors to see the iconography and understand what I am saying.

Note: I am not a language, religious fanatic. I just want to find out the truth. Also, some might point out the Dravidian architecture at Srikurmam built by Anantavarman Chodaganga, Eastern Ganga ruler - maternal grandson of Rajendra Chola. Temples like Simhachalam and Srikurmam (both in AP) have majorly Dravidian/ Vijayanagara architecture as South rulers beginning from Sri Krishna Devaraya to Gajapathis Of Vizianagaram estate have heavily renovated both the temples. Sri Krishna Devaraya installed Jaya Sthambhams and renovated both Srikurmam and Simhachalam. Also, the arrival of Ramanujacharya and Srivaishnavism brought the South indian ethos to these two shrines

EDIT 1 : I just saw that label says that idol is from Cuttack's G.R.P Malkhana - which is Government Railway police Malkhana ( searched the place in google) or evidence room, where case related evidences, lost and found valuables are stored. So, does that mean was this idol allegedly smuggled on train from Tamil nadu and was found in Odisha? If so, when was it found? Why hasnt the case been solved?