| Regions with significant populations | |
|---|---|
| c. 7.25 million[1] (2011 census) | |
| Languages | |
| Tamil | |
| Religion | |
| Hinduism,Buddhism,Jainism,Islam,Christianity | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Paraiyar |
Adi Dravida (orAdi Dravidar) is a term that has been used since 1914 inSouth India to denoteParaiyars, acaste group.[2] At the time of the2011 Census of India, they made up about half ofTamil Nadu's Scheduled Caste population.
Iyothee Thass, a leader of theParaiyar community, believed that the term "Paraiyar" was aslur. 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 termAdidravida 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 — aMadras councillor — made successful efforts for adoption of the term "Adi-Dravidar" in the government records.[3] In 1914, theMadras 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]
InSouth India, Adi Dravida are considered asScheduled Castes, under India'spositive 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 withAdi Andhra,Adi Karnataka and Ajila. | SC | [9] |
| Kerala | [10] | ||
| Tamil Nadu | [11] |
Citations
Bibliography