Dravidian peoples facts for kids
The Dravidian peoples are groups of people who speak Dravidian languages. Most of them live in South India. They have a rich history and culture that goes back thousands of years.
Contents
Who are the Ancient Dravidians?
Scientists and historians believe that the ancient Dravidian people came from farmers in West Asia, specifically from a region near the Zagros Mountains in what is now Iran. These farmers moved into India around 8,000 years ago. They mixed with the local hunter-gatherers who were already living there. This ancient group of people is thought to be the main ancestors of many people in South Asia today.
Some experts suggest that the ancient Indus Valley Civilization might have been made up of Dravidian people. This civilization was one of the world's earliest and largest, known for its advanced cities and planning. Genetic studies show that the people of the Indus Valley Civilization had a lot of ancestry from those early Zagros mountain farmers.
Dravidian People Today
Today, there are about 220 million people around the world who speak Dravidian languages. Most of them live in South India. You can also find Dravidian speakers in parts of Central and Eastern India, Bangladesh, Southern Pakistan, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, and Nepal.
The largest groups of Dravidian people are:
- The Tamil people
- The Telugu people
- The Kannada people
- The Malayali people
There are also smaller Dravidian communities. These include the Tulu people, Gondi people, and the Brahui people. The Brahui people live mainly in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Main Dravidian Groups
| Name | Country | Population | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brahuis |  Pakistan,  Afghanistan |
4,873,000 | Most Brahuis live in Baluchistan, Pakistan. Some also live in Southwestern Afghanistan. |
| Kannadigas |  India |
36.9 million | Kannadigas are native to Karnataka, and parts of northern Kerala, southern Maharashtra, and northwest Tamil Nadu in India. |
| Malayalis | India |
38 million | Malayalis are native to Kerala, southwestern Tamil Nadu, and Southern Karnataka. |
| Tamils | India,  Sri Lanka |
75 million | Tamils are native to Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, parts of Kerala, southern Andhra Pradesh, southern Karnataka, and Sri Lanka. |
| Telugus | India |
74 million | Telugus are native to Andhra Pradesh and Telangana in India. |
| Tuluvas | India |
2,000,000 (approx) | Tuluvas are found in coastal Karnataka and northern Kerala. This area is sometimes called Tulu Nadu. |
Images for kids
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Dravidian language tree
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The Pashupati seal from the Indus Valley Civilization
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Sage Agastya, known as the father of Tamil literature
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The Meenakshi Amman temple in Madurai, dedicated to Goddess Meenakshi
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Nataraja, a famous bronze statue from the Chola dynasty
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A Kuchipudi dancer, showing a traditional art form.
See also
In Spanish: Pueblos dravídicos para niños
