History of Mediaeval Hindu India (being a History of India from 600 to 1200 A.D.) v1.c8.s1.5

v1.c8.s1.5

The Marathas present less distinctive characteristics, yet they must be classed among the Aryo-Dravidians and not as Scytho-Dravidian as Sir H. Risley strangely enough has done. Their heads are broad; but the head is not the determining factor in the assignment of race. The Mongols have indeed broad heads but some of the Aryan races too have broad heads such as the Celts. The Census Report for 1911 expresses a doubt as to the conclusion of Sir H. Risley that the Marathas are Scythians and adverts to the opinion of ethnologists that they are probably descendants of Alpine Aryans. (Haddon, Wanderings of people) The second race of Aryan invaders of India who principally settled in the U.P. and the Deccan appear to have been Aryans with broad heads. Otherwise it is impossible to explain the medium heads of the people of the U.P. who are looked upon by Sir H. Risley as Aryo-Dravidians. The Dravidians have long heads and if they mixed with the first race of Aryan invaders with long heads who are to be found in the Panjab and Rajputana the mixture of these races, both with long heads, cannot lead to medium heads. We have, therefore, perforce to hold that the second horde of Aryans who came into the U. P. and who mixed themselves with the Dravidian people there were Aryans with broad heads.