Dravidian origins

[Venkatraman Iyer]

<<<
In the late 1800s, when the Shanans agitated for entry into a temple
in Sivakasi, the manager first closed the temple. That was considered
a partial victory by Shanans and their opponents. Most opposed to
Shanan mobility were the Maravans, their near neighbors in space and
status. A "clean" caste, the Maravans could enter the temple at
Sivakasi. To share it with the Shanans, a polluting caste according to
the ritual definitions of traditional society, seemed intolerable.
>>>

Susan and Lloyd don't know old Tamil literature. Earlier,
maRavans inhabitants of the inhospitable pAlai landscape
eked out a living by waylaying the traffic.

Best wishes,
V. Iyer

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