Caste and Race in India c9.71

c9.71

The Dravidian type: Here we come upon the weakest part of Risley's great work. The type is supposed to spread from Ceylon to the valley of the Ganges, the best representatives of it being Nayars, Paniyans, Santals, and others.¹ This view has been repeated in *Man Past and Present*,² where though the jungle tribes like the Paniyans are classed apart as Pre-Dravidian, the Nayars and the Santals are given as the typical representatives of the Dravidian type. Now even if we leave aside complexion, the Santal stands as far apart from the Nayar as the Paniyan. The nasal index of the Nayar is 76·7; that of the Santal, 88·8; that of the Paniyan, 95·1. The close connection of the Santal with the jungle tribes of Southern India comes out more clearly if we take into account other tribes like the Irula and the Kanikar. It may be broadly stated that the nasal index of the jungle tribes ranges from 80 to 90. We have therefore to connect the Santal with the jungle tribes and separate the Nayar and others like him from them.