Adi Dravida

Adi Dravida (or Adi Dravidar) is a term that has been used since 1914 by the state of Tamil Nadu in India to denote Paraiyars.[2] At the time of the 2011 Census of India, they made up about half of Tamil Nadu's Scheduled Caste population.

Adi Dravida
Regions with significant populations
c. 7.25 million[1] (2011 census)
Languages
Tamil
Religion
Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, Judaism, Islam, Christianity
Related ethnic groups
Paraiyar

Origin

Iyothee Thass, a leader of the Paraiyar community, believed that the term "Paraiyar" was a slur. He attempted a reconstruction of Tamil history, arguing that the Paraiyars were the original inhabitants of the land, who had been subjugated by upper-caste invaders. Another Paraiyar leader, Rettamalai Srinivasan, however, advocated using the term "Paraiyar" with pride, and formed the Parayar Mahajana Sabha ("Paraiyar Mahajana Assembly") in 1892.[3] Thass, on the other hand, advocated the term "Adi-Dravida" ("Original Dravidians") to describe the community. In 1892, he used the term Adidravida Jana Sabhai to describe an organisation, which was probably Srinivasan's Parayar Mahajana Sabha. In 1895, he established the "People’s Assembly of Urdravidians" (Adidravida Jana Sabha), which probably split off from Srinivasan's organisation. According to Michael Bergunder, Thass was thus the first person to introduce the concept of "Adi Dravida" into political discussion.[2]

In 1918, the Adi Dravida Mahajan Sabha also requested the Indian government use the term to replace the current but pejorative term "Pariah" (Paraiyar) used for the community.[4]

Another Paraiyar leader, M C Rajah — a Madras councillor — made successful efforts for adoption of the term "Adi-Dravidar" in the government records.[3] In 1914, the Madras Legislative Council passed a resolution that officially censured the usage of the term "Paraiyar" to refer to a specific community, and recommended "Adi Dravidar" as an alternative.[5] In the 1920s and 1930s, Periyar ensured the wider dissemination of the term "Adi Dravida".[2]

Reservation

In South India, Adi Dravida are considered as Scheduled Castes, under India's positive system of Reservation.

Status Notes Reservation status Ref.
Andhra Pradesh mostly concentrated in bordering districts of Andhra Pradesh to Tamil Nadu[6] SC [7]
Lakshadweep only the native citizens ST [8]
Karnataka Counted along with Adi Andhra, Adi Karnataka and Ajila. SC [9]
Kerala [10]
Tamil Nadu [11]

References

Citations

  1. "Census of india 2011" (PDF). Government of India.
  2. Bergunder 2004, p. 69.
  3. Srikumar 2014, p. 357.
  4. Christophe Jaffrelot (2003). India's Silent Revolution: The Rise of the Lower Castes in North India. Columbia University Press. pp. 169–. ISBN 978-0-231-12786-8.
  5. Bergunder 2011, p. 260.
  6. "India - A-10 Appendix: District wise scheduled caste population (Appendix), Andhra Pradesh - 2011". censusindia.gov.in. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  7. "List of Andhra Pradesh Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) | Lopol.org". www.lopol.org. Retrieved 5 January 2022.
  8. "Controversy over ST-Muslim category for Lakshadweep students". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 5 January 2022.
  9. "List of Karnataka Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) | Lopol.org". www.lopol.org. Retrieved 5 January 2022.
  10. "List of Scheduled Castes in Kerala". Archived from the original on 11 January 2020.
  11. "List of Tamil Nadu Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) | Lopol.org". www.lopol.org. Retrieved 5 January 2022.

Bibliography

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