CH.V1'. XXV. BRAHMIN COLONISTS IN SOUTHERN INDIA. 411 



From the time of Ixama, \\'lio appears to have been assisted 

 in liis invasion of Lanka (Ceylon) by a Dravidian chief, now 

 deified as the monkey God Hanuman, the influence of 

 Hinduism rapidly increased, and caste prejudices spread over 

 Southern India. But the annals are far too obscure, and too 

 deeply buried under extravagant fable, to enable us to form 

 any idea of the time and manner of the complete inoculation 

 of the Dravidian races with Brahminical legends, caste ob- 

 servances, and Hindu religious ideas. It is clear, however, 

 that " to the early Brahminical colonists the Dra vidians are 

 indebted for the higher arts of life, and the first elements of 

 literary cidture."^ 



The Brahmins came to Southern IncUa not as conquerors, 

 but as peaceful settlers and instructors ; and their influence 

 was obtained through their superior civilization and learning. 

 They gave the name of Sudra to all the upper and middle 

 classes of native Dravidians, while the servile classes were 

 not, as in Hindustan, called Sudras, but Pariars. Thus, while 

 in the north a Sudra is a low-caste man, in the south he 

 ranks next to a Brahmin. 



It is said that, after tlie avatur of Rama, pilgrims came 

 in great numbers to visit the scenes of his triumphs, and, 

 settling in the country, cleared land for cultivation, and laid 

 the foundations of future principalities. One of these settlers 

 was a man named Pandya, of the Vellaler or agricultural 

 caste, who established himself in the south ; and his descen- 

 dant Kula Sekhara, son of Sampanna Pandya, was the first 

 king of Madura. Some centuries elapsed, jjrobably five, 

 before the foundation of the city of Madura, during Avhich 

 the settlers were occupied in clearing the ground, and form- 

 ing themselves into an organized state ; and it has been 

 conjectured that the building of the capital was commenced 



* Caldwfll, J). 2. 



