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There are 3 political parties in Tamil Nadu, which have Dravid associated with them in their name.

Actor Vijay is certain to become the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. Media reports have claimed that after Congress, three smaller parties have also agreed to support Vijay's party Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK).TVK hopes to form the government in the coming days. Earlier, news had also spread on social media that two big parties of Tamil Nadu, DMK and AIADMK, may form an alliance.However, no official statement came from either side regarding this. There are 3 political parties in Tamil Nadu, which have Dravid associated with them in their name.

Dravidians are dominant in the border areas of Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Kerala. Probably that is why Dravid is associated with the names DMK (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) and AIADMK (All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam). DMDK, which won one seat, also knows the importance of this name, that is why it has also given place to Dravid in the name of the party.

With this in mind, it would be interesting to know who are Dravids, what is their history in South India? Which has been used by political parties in the name of the party.

meaning of the word Dravidian

The word Dravid is used in many meanings today. It also belongs to a language family. It is also a cultural identity and has also become the name of a big social movement in the politics of South India. In simple words, Dravid is not the direct name of a single caste or race. Historians and linguists mostly consider it a linguistic and cultural term. Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and some other languages ​​of South India come in the Dravidian language family. For this reason the word Dravid is associated with the identity of South India.

The full name of AIADMK is All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.

Where are the roots of the word Dravidian?

The word Dravid is very old. In Sanskrit texts, forms like Dravida, Dramila, Dravida are found. Many scholars believe that this word is also connected to Tamil. Its meaning expanded with time. In the 19th century, missionary-linguist Robert Caldwell, in his book A Comparative Grammar of the Darwinian and South Indian Family Languages, defined the South Indian languages ​​as a separate family. This book made the word Dravidian very famous in the modern intellectual world. After this it was no longer just a word in the language. It also became a term of identity and politics.

Are Dravidians a race?

In ancient times, some European scholars had tried to divide human society into races. In the same period, Aryans and Dravidians were sometimes described as races. But today most serious studies of history, anthropology and genetics do not accept such straight and rigid racial lines. The better understanding today is that Dravidian is primarily a linguistic and cultural term. The society of South India has been very mixed. There have been many communities, castes, dynasties and traditions here. Therefore, it is not considered right to bind Dravidians to the same blood, the same race or the same community.

Dravidian style is a major temple architecture of South India.

What is the history and Dravidian tradition of South India?

The history of South India is very old. The Sangam literature of the Tamil region is a great heritage of this history. Pictures of war, love, business, society and governance are found in these works. This shows that South India was a region of vibrant civilization since ancient times. Historian K. A. Neelkanth Shastri has written the history of South India in detail. His books show that dynasties like Chola, Chera and Pandya were very important. The Inca maritime trade was also strong. Goods from South India used to reach Rome. Later powerful states like Pallavas, Cholas, Chalukyas, Rashtrakutas, Hoysalas and Vijayanagara emerged. These kings expanded temples, water system, trade and administration. Literature flourished in Tamil, Kannada, Telugu and Malayalam languages, that is, the Dravidian linguistic world was not just a language. It was also a deeply civilized world.

Language, culture and society, Dravid is included in everything

Language was a major basis of identity in South India. Tamil language got special respect. Many Tamil scholars considered it to be a very ancient and glorious language. Similarly, Kannada, Telugu and Malayalam also have their own rich traditions. Temples, Bhakti movements, local deities, folklore, sculpture and music gave South India its unique form. Yet this region never remained completely isolated. It had relations with North India, Sri Lanka, South-East Asia and the Arab world, therefore it is not right to consider Dravidian history only as a story of isolation. It is also a story of connectivity, exchange and local pride.

How did Dravidian thought develop in the modern era?

Dravidian thought in the modern political sense became more evident during the colonial period. New education, census, jobs and politics of representation started under British rule. At the same time, the question arose in the society as to who has the right to power and education. Non-Brahmin communities in Madras Presidency felt that Brahmins had greater influence in administration, education and public life. It is in this background that the Justice Party emerged. This was the initial big platform of non-Brahmin politics. After this, E.V. Ramasamy Periyar started the Self-Respect Movement. He opposed the caste system, Brahminism, superstition and social hierarchy. He emphasized on logic, self-respect, women's rights and social justice. From here the word Dravidian became a strong socio-political identity.

What is the basic message of the Dravidian movement?

The main issues of the Dravidian movement have included social justice, anti-casteism, non-Brahmin representation, rationalism, regional pride, protection of language, opposition to imposition of Hindi etc. This movement became very influential especially in Tamil Nadu and is flourishing even today in some form or the other. Here the word Dravidian was not merely an identity of the past. This is also a demand for the rights of the present.

The full name of DMK is Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.

Why is Dravid in DMK's name?

The full name of DMK is Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam. In Tamil its meaning is almost like Dravidian Progress Federation. It was formed in 1949 by C.N. Annadurai did it. He came from the school of Periyar, but later he chose a different political path. DMK linked Dravidian identity to democratic electoral politics. Keeping Dravidian in the name of the party meant that this party was associated with the tradition of social justice, South Indian identity, Tamil self-respect and non-Brahmin politics. This name told the public that the party does not just want power. She represents a social ideology.

Why is Dravid in the name of AIADMK?

The full name of AIADMK is All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam. This party was formed in 1972 by M.G. Made by Ramachandran. He was earlier in DMK. When the new party was formed, Dravid was kept in its name also. The reason for this was clear. AIADMK also wanted to draw its ideological legitimacy from the same broader Dravidian political tradition. She wanted to show that although the organization is different, the roots of social justice, Dravidian identity and Tamil politics are the same. By adding the word Anna, this party also expressed its connection with Annadurai's legacy. Thus, having Dravidian in the names of DMK and AIADMK is not a coincidence. This is indicative of the entire modern politics of Tamil Nadu.

Is Dravidian only Tamil politics?

No, but its most profound form was seen in Tamil Nadu. The word Dravidian theoretically connects to the whole of South India. But in practical politics it was most successful in Tamil Nadu. At the same time it became a permanent electoral and social force. Regional identity also remained strong in Telugu, Kannada and Malayali societies. But there a unified Dravidian movement was not formed in the same form as in Tamil Nadu, hence when we say Dravidian politics, the first thing that comes to mind is Tamil Nadu.