8 Wilher Theodore Elmore 



of the Hindus hereinafter cited contain legends which have be- 

 come attached to the Dravidian gods, and which often throw 

 much Hght on the mutual relations of these two forms of 

 Hinduism. 



Since the material for this thesis has been gathered from so 

 many sources, it has not been difficult to determine its reliability. 

 In oral information, the reports have naturally very much over- 

 lapped one another, and thus made it possible to verify doubtful 

 points. The government reports have been especially useful for 

 verifying the information secured orally, as also have been some 

 portions of the general works. 



The importance of some knowledge of this subject to those who 

 wish to understand modern Hinduism, and especially to those 

 whose work brings them into direct touch with the people of 

 India, it is scarcely necessary to emphasize. Religion to the In- 

 dian is not an external or indiflferent matter. It enters into every 

 detail of his life. It is evident, therefore, that for any sympathetic 

 understanding of the people a knowledge of their religion is neces- 

 sary. It is estimated that more than two hundred million of the 

 people of India are of Dravidian ancestry, and while they are 

 classified as Hindus and have adopted Hindu forms and names, 

 their daily religion is that of their Dravidian ancestors. 



CHAPTER I 

 The Conquest of the Dravidians 



The term Dravidian is commonly used to refer to all of the 

 non-Aryan population in the peninsula of India. The Dravidians 

 are considered to be the aboriginal inhabitants of the land. They 

 predominate in the southern and eastern parts of India,^ but 

 form a considerable part of the population in the northwestern 

 part where the Aryans predominate.^ 



The history of the Dravidians is lost in antiquity. Long before 



1 See map. 



2 For a discussion of the distribution of Dravidian languages see R. Cald- 

 well, A Comparative Grammar of the Dravidian or South Indian Family 

 of Languages, London, 1875, Introduction. 



