March with Kavadi towards Ganges in Haridwar.

Aryan Chapatti, Dravidian Dosa; Aryan Rangoli, Dravidian Kolam; Aryan Halwa, Dravidian Sakkarai Pongal; Aryan Hindustani Music, Dravidian Carnatic Music; Aryan Laddu, Dravidian Puttu; Aryan Sanskrit, Dravidian Tamil ;Aryan Kajal and Dravidian Theru Kuthu—I can go on and on like this for ever. This is how foreigners divided India. If we apply the same theory to Papua New Guinea, then we have to invent more than 700 races, because the islanders speak over 700 different languages!

I have already written how Hitler used Aryan Race Theory and caused the deaths of 60 million people in Second World War. Nazi even printed leaflets saying that pure Aryans will have blue eyes, sharp nose and slim body!!

(For more details, please read Aryan Hitler and Hindu Swastika)

If anyone likes history jokes, one can open any book written by a foreigner and start highlighting wherever he or she uses the words Aryan or Dravidian.  The best example is ‘’A comparative study of Dravidian languages’’ written by Robert Caldwell. After some time you will get confused because no two scholars agree on those points! The knowledge of the so called scholars was so shallow that they did not even know that the customs they mention as exclusively Dravidian or Aryan existed throughout India from ancient times.

In a vast country like India, because of the climatic conditions there will naturally be different clothes, shelter and food. Even in a small place like Tamil Nadu, Kovilpatti is famous for its Kadalai Mitai (peanut cakes), Madurai is famous for its cotton saris, Manpparai is famous for its Murukku ( a snack) and Tirunelveli is famous for its Petti Vellam (squared jiggery pieces); It does not mean they belonged to different races. Tamil kings Chera, Choza and Pandya fought for 1500 years without stopping, killing each other, fighting wars which involved arson, destruction of palaces and massacres. Nobody said that they belonged to different races!

Picture shows an nomadic acrobat using Kavadi

Kavadi Worship from Indus valley to Tamil Nadu

Following few examples will show how shallow was the knowledge of people who study Indus Scripts and Indian History:

Kavadi was dubbed as a Dravidian custom by some scholars. People carry a wooden pole on a shoulder with decorations on top towards a shrine. In some places they carry the wooden pole but water pots or offerings tied on both sides of the pole. This is a balancing technique to carry heavy items for a long distance. Tamil devotees of Lord Skanda (Murugan) do it on festival days. Millions of North Indians also do it in the month of August. They march towards Haridwar or wherever they see holy River Ganges and carry water from it in pots tied to both sides of the pole. It is done by Saivite devotees like Tamil Nadu.

Kavadi has been used in China, West Indies, Italy  and other places to carry water or food. Nomadic acrobats even carried their children this way. Indus scholars suddenly jumped to conclusion that they used this ‘’Dravidian ‘’ symbol in the script! One of the Indus symbols is interpreted as Kavadi symbol.

Picture shows Indus Kavadi Symbols

First of all those ‘’scholars’’ did not even mention about millions of Shiva devotees march towards Haridwar every year. Millions of Ayyappa devotees in Kerala also use the same technique but with a small pack called ‘’Iru Mudi’’ ( two Pockets or bags). They are supposed to live an austere life during those forty days. They have to climb high hills through thick forest. That is why they carry small bundles. So there is nothing Dravidian or Aryan here. Indus symbol of Kavadi or water carrier was used for convenience and comfort in the days when there was no road transport.

Cousin marriage

Marrying first cousin or second cousin is practised in Tamil Nadu. Some of the Gruhya Sutras written in Sanskrit did not approve it. Immediately it was dubbed as Dravidian! Actually it is practised even in Pakistan and the Middle East by the Muslims! One tenth of the world population follow this custom. Though Queen Victoria and other royals followed it, now the western world do not like it. But it is legal in several counties including India. Arjuna married his cousin Subhadra with Krishna’s blessing. Bodhayana of fifth century BC said it was followed in South. Actually it is followed in Maharashtra, Gujarat and Orissa. American and Australian aborigines also followed this practice. Hindu law books said a lot of things in theory which were not followed by the public. But those who wanted to impose their racist theory never missed an opportunity to interpret X ,Y,Z as Aryan or Dravidian.

Differences exist in nook corner of the world, even among small communities .Foreign scholars do not impose their concocted race theories such as Aryan –Dravidian race theory into it. They knew very well another Hitler will emerge!

White Mustard Smoke

White mustards are called AIYAVI in Tamil. 2000 year old Sangam Tamil literature says that it was used to drive away the evil spirits and ghosts. When they bring the wounded soldiers home, they produced smoke from white mustards seeds. This custom is also mentioned in Sanskrit texts.

A text ascribed to Amoghavajra mentions this custom. It said that the ritual at the altar with the use of white mustard seeds cause great difficulties for all malevolent Devas and Yakshas. This drives the enemies far away.

I will deal with other customs such as ancient Tamils marrying on Rohini star day, Hare in the Moon belief and Peepal Tree worship in a separate article.

Picture of River Ganges.

Please read my (London Swaminathan) articles posted earlier:

1.Aryan Hitler and Hindu Swastika

2.Sibi Story in Old Tamil Literature

3.Were Moses and Jesus Aryans? (Two Parts)

4.திராவிடக் காகமும் ஆரியக் கொக்கும் (in Tamil)

5.சோழர்கள் தமிழர்களா?? (In Tamil)

6. ஆரிய ஹிட்லரும் ஹிந்து ஸ்வஸ்திகாவும்(in Tamil)

and 600 more articles on Indus Valley Civilization and Hinduism