Dravidian peoples

2020-01-14T19:43:53Z

80.243.173.100: rewritten and expanded, picture added

[[File:Brahui Intellectuals and linguists Meeting.jpg|thumb|Dravidian intellectuals and linguists meeting.]]
The '''Dravidian peoples''' are a people who speak [[Dravidian languages]].<ref>Borders, Everett C., Coon. (3 September 2010). ''Apart Type Screenplay - Everett C. Borders - Google Books''. ISBN <bdi>9781453559406</bdi>. Retrieved 25 June 2013.</ref>

== Ancient Dravidians and origin ==
According to scientists and historians, the Dravidian people are descendants of ''Neolithic West Asian farmers from Iran'' which conquered and largely displaced the outnumbered native hunter gatherers of India.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Narasimhan|first=Vagheesh M.|last2=Patterson|first2=Nick|last3=Moorjani|first3=Priya|last4=Lazaridis|first4=Iosif|last5=Lipson|first5=Mark|last6=Mallick|first6=Swapan|last7=Rohland|first7=Nadin|last8=Bernardos|first8=Rebecca|last9=Kim|first9=Alexander M.|date=2018-03-31|title=The Genomic Formation of South and Central Asia|url=https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/292581v1|journal=bioRxiv|language=en|pages=292581|doi=10.1101/292581|last10=Nakatsuka|first10=Nathan|last11=Olalde|first11=Iñigo}}</ref> Dravidians are linked to the neolithic Zagros Mountain farmers, and this West Asian population forms the main ancestor of modern South Asians.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/07/160714151201.htm|title=Prehistoric genomes from the world's first farmers in the Zagros mountains reveal different Neolithic ancestry for Europeans and South Asians|website=ScienceDaily|language=en|access-date=2020-01-12}}</ref>

A genetic and biogeographical study (Das et al. 2016) concluded that Dravidian peoples belong to the [[Caucasian race|Caucasoid race]]. According to the study, these proto-Dravidians migrated into India around 8,000 years ago from a region later known as Elam in modern day Iran. The authors suggest that this results support the Elamo-Dravidian hypothesis.<ref name=":0">{{cite web|url=https://www.biorxiv.org/content/biorxiv/early/2016/11/25/089466.full.pdf|title=Tracing the biogeographical origin of South Asian populations using DNA SatNav|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=|quote=Our hypothesis is supported by archaeological, linguistic and genetic evidences that suggest that there were two prominent waves of immigrations to India. A majority of the Early Caucasoids were proto-Dravidian language speakers that migrated to India putatively ~ 6000 YBP.|url-status=live|vauthors=Das R, Upadhyai P}}</ref>

The [[Indus Valley civilization]] is suggested to be of Dravidian origin.<ref>Parpola, Asko (2015), ''The Roots of Hinduism. The Early Arians and the Indus Civilization'', Oxford University Press</ref> Genetic tests show that the ancient Indus Valley Civilization was predominantly of neolithic Zagros mountain farmers ancestry (98%) and this ancestry component is linked to early Dravidians.<ref>Lazaridis, Iosif (2016), "The genetic structure of the world's first farmers"</ref>

== Today ==
Today there are around 220 million Dravidian speakers worldwide. Most live in [[South India]]. Others live in parts of Central India, Eastern India, [[Bangladesh]], Southern Pakistan, [[Sri Lanka]] the Maldives and Nepal. The biggest groups of Dravidians are the [[Tamil people]], [[Telugu people]], [[Kannada people]], and the [[Malayali people]]. Smaller Dravidian communities with 1–5 million speakers are the [[Tulu people]], [[Gondi people]] and [[Brahui people]] in [[Pakistan]] and [[Afghanistan]].

==List of Dravidian people==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! data-sort-type="text" | Name
! | Country
! data-sort-type="number" | Population
! | Notes
|-
| [[Brahui people|Brahuis]] || {{flag|Pakistan}}, {{flag|Afghanistan}} || 4,873,000 || Brahuis belong to the north-Dravidian subgroup.The majority are found in Baluchistan, Pakistan, with smaller amounts in Southwestern Afghanistan.
|-
| [[Kannadigas]] || {{flag|India}}|| 36.9 million<ref name=census>{{cite web|url=http://censusindia.gov.in/Census_Data_2001/Census_Data_Online/Language/Statement3.htm |title=Census 2011: Languages by state |publisher=Censusindia.gov.in |date= |accessdate=12 February 2013}}</ref> || Kannadigas belong to the south-Dravidian subgroup. Kannadigas are native to [[Karnataka]], parts of northern [[Kerala]],parts of southern [[Maharashtra]], and northwest region of [[Tamil Nadu]], India.
|-
| [[Malayalis]] || {{flag|India}} || 38 million<ref name="Nationalencyklopedin">Mikael Parkvall, "Världens 100 största språk 2007" (The World's 100 Largest Languages in 2007), in ''Nationalencyklopedin''. Asterisks mark the [http://www.ne.se/spr%C3%A5k/v%C3%A4rldens-100-st%C3%B6rsta-spr%C3%A5k-2010 2010 estimates] for the top dozen languages.</ref> || Malayalis belong to south-Dravidian linguistic subgroup. Native to Kerala, southwestern Tamil Nadu, and Southern Karnataka.
|-
| [[Tamils]] || {{flag|India}}, {{flag|Sri Lanka}} || 75 million<ref>[http://tamilo.com/tamil-population-education-29.html World Tamil Population]. tamilo.com. (August 2008)</ref> || They belong to south-Dravidian linguistic subgroup. Tamils are native to Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, parts of Kerala, southern Andhra Pradesh, southern Karnataka and [[Sri Lanka]].
|-
| [[Telugus]] || {{flag|India}} || 74 million<ref name="2001Stm1">[http://www.censusindia.gov.in/%28S%282scoev45b4mhlg45mz5jq345%29%29/Census_Data_2001/Census_Data_Online/Language/Statement1.aspx Abstract of speakers' strength of languages and mother tongues – 2000], Census of India, 2001</ref> || They belong to the central/north Dravidian subgroup. Telugus are native to Andhra Pradesh, Telangana.
|-
| [[Tuluvas]] || {{flag|India}} || 2,000,000 (approx) || They belong to the south Dravidian subgroup, and are found in coastal Karnataka and northern Kerala (alternatively named Tulu Nadh).
|}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Ethnic groups in India]]

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Dravidian peoples