The elephant naLagiri/nalagiri

[Swaminathan Madhuresan]

This Dravidian naLa/nala meaning both 'good' and 'black' is
interesting. In sangam texts, the brown color (mAmai) is celebrated,
opposite of todays' Indian movies where Dalits appear in white
colors! The IE notion of good=white/light and evil=black is at
odds with the Dravidian nal/naL = good and black.

SM


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