Drāvida
From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia
By Swami Harshananda
The word Drāvida has been used in the dharmaśāstra literature in several senses.
Drāvida as Brāhmaṇa[edit]
The brāhmaṇas of India have been divided into two groups:
- Pañca-drāvida
- Pañca-gauda
The karṇāṭas, the tailaṅgas, the guṛjaris, the mahārāṣṭrians and the drāvidas belong to pañca-drāvida group.
Drāvida as Temple Architecture[edit]
There are three well-known styles of temple architecture:
The drāvida style is in the form of truncated pyramids and is more common in the region to the south of the river Kṛṣṇā.
Drāvida as Jati[edit]
‘Drāvida’ is the name of a Jati classed among the śudras. Persons of this caste are supposed to have sprung from the kṣattriyas who had not undergone the Vedic sacraments like upanayana.
References[edit]
- The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore