12 Wilber Theodore Elmore 



The original Vedic religion finds but little in common with mod- 

 ern Hinduism. The great mass of Dravidian deities, rites, and 

 superstitions have become a part of so-called Hinduism, and while 

 somewhat changed by Brahmanic Hinduism, the latter has been 

 equally changed by the Dravidian religion.^^ 



Siva worship is a marked illustration of the adoption of aborig- 

 inal gods.^^ Siva is a god of the Puranas, and in connection with 

 his worship there is much that is opposed to Brahmanism. He 

 appears to be a deified chief.^^ His wife, Parvati, is more strik- 

 ingly aboriginal than Siva himself. She appears in many different 



A man may believe in the whole Hindu pantheon, or only in particular 

 gods, or, for that matter, in no gods at all ; he may sacrifice or abstain from 

 sacrifices; he may eat flesh and fish or abstain from so doing; but he is 

 still regarded as a Hindu if he belongs to a recognized Hindu caste, does 

 not deny the supremacy of the Brahmans, and abstains from open disre- 

 gard of the restrictions observed by his caste fellows." Mr. Gait proposes 

 the following as some of the tests which might be applied to discover 

 whether any certain class may be regarded as Hindus or not. " (i) Do the 

 members of the caste or tribe worship the great Hindu gods? (2) Are 

 they allowed to enter Hindu temples or make offerings at the shrine? 

 (3) Will good Brahmans act as their priests? (4) Will degraded Brah- 

 mans do so? In that case, are they recognized as Brahmans by persons 

 outside the caste, or are they Brahmans only in name? (5) Will clean 

 castes take water from them? (6) Do they cause pollution, (a) by touch, 

 (&) by proximity?" These tests would cut off from Hinduism all the 

 outcastes, who are a very considerable number in the census, and who 

 commonly claim to be genuine Hindus. 



" Gazetteer of South Arcot, I, p. 94: " The attitude of the Hindus of the 

 district toward the numerous deities worshiped therein is an odd medley 

 of orthodox Brahmanic ideas, and the most primitive superstitions." " A 

 Native," Pen and Ink Sketches of Native Life in South India, Madras, 

 1880, shows the attitude of mind assumed by many of the Indians of Aryan 

 descent toward the Dravidian people. He says, " The pariah and chuckler 

 people and a whole lot of other half-wild tribes are supposed to be the 

 aborigines of the country." He then tells something of their demon-wor- 

 ship and their subjection to the higher castes. 



12 On Siva as an aboriginal deity see Wilkins, Hindu Mythology, Cal- 

 cutta, 1882, p. 280; The Manual of Administration of the Madras Presi- 

 dency, I, p. 84; Journal of the Ethnological Society, I, p. 96. 



13 Sir Alfred C. Lyall, Asiatic Studies, London, 1907, First Series, p. 49. 

 Sir Monier Monier- Williams, Brahmanism and Hinduism, London, 1891, 

 p. 84. 



12 



