ஐராவதத்தின் ஆய்வுரை: Dravidian Proof of the Indus Script (ரோஜா முத்தையா நூலகம், 14-நவம்பர்-2014)

Dr. Dr. Gift Siromoney Endowment Lecture Series:

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Gift Siromoney Endowment Lecture Series
Indus Research Centre of  Roja Muthiah Research Library
invites you for a
 lecture on
 Dravidian Proof of the Indus Script
via the Rig Veda: A Case Study
by
Dr. Iravatham Mahadevan

 Presided by
Mr. R. Balakrishnan
Honorary Consultant, Indus Research Centre

Date:  14 November 2014
Time: 5.00 - 6.30 p.m.
Venue: 
Roja Muthiah Research Library
3rd Cross Road, Central Polytechnic Campus
Taramani, Chennai 600 113
Telephone: 2254 2551 / 2254 2552
Tea will be served at 4.30 p.m.
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Dravidian Proof of the Indus Script via the Rig Veda: A Case Study
Iravatham Mahadevan*

Abstract

A frequent phrase of four signs (ABCD) in the Indus texts has been identified, which reads: 

             [A] barter ­– [B] receiving – [C] streets (of the city) – [D] he (of the) – .
             In short, ‘Merchant of the City’.

The methodology followed is to identify the ideograms, find the Dravidian roots with the nearest literal meanings and interpret them through the rebus technique to get at the intended meanings. Rebus which is language-specific ensures that the Indus language has been correctly identified         as an early form of Dravidian.

The consistent and firmly interlinked results are the clues to the survivals of the Indus phrase in later traditions which validate the proposed reading. Two divergent streams of tradition arising            from the Indus Civilisation have been identified:

1.               Earliest Old Tamil which has retained the Dravidian roots of the Indus phrase still firmly interlinked but with modified meanings. The results reveal a string of names and titles associated with the Pantian dynasty whose remote ancestors were probably traders             in the Indus Civilisation. The linkages are traced to the Southern migration of elements         of the Indus population which influenced South Dravidian languages, especially Old Tamil.

2.               Earliest Indo-Aryan (Rig Veda) which has inherited the Indus phrase through loan translations. The results reveal a firmly interlinked set of epithets describing Pusan, an early Vedic god identified as a Vaisya deity. The origin of the myths associated with Pusan becomes clear when their source is traced to the Indus phrase. The results also show that the descendants of the Indus Civilisation adopted the Indo-Aryan speech and that there was a long gap of time between the Indus Civilisation and the early Vedic culture. 

The Indo-Aryan survivals in the Rig Veda are attested much earlier than those in Old Tamil.  However, Old Tamil has the advantage of linguistic continuity, while the Indo-Aryan survivals are represented by loan translations from the earlier Indus-Dravidian.

The results of the discovery are summarised in a Grid of correspondences. The rows reveal interlinked and meaningful sequences within each period (Indus, Old Tamil and Vedic). The columns reveal the phonetic and semantic evolution of the Indus-Dravidian words into Old Tamil and Vedic across the periods. The Grid constitutes the proof of the discovery.

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* Indus Research Centre, Roja Muthaiah Research Library, Chennai.
*About Dr. Gift Siromoney* 

*About Dr. Gift Siromoney* 
Dr. Gift Siromoney was a multifaceted personality who made contributions during his lifetime in many fields which includes Statistical Analysis, Tamil language and culture and Indus studies. With an educational  background in mathematics, he started his career as a lecturer in the  American College, Madurai and then worked in Madras Christian College till his early demise in 1988. He obtained his Ph.D. in Information Theory in  the year 1964.  He applied mathematical, statistical and computer  techniques in diverse fields both in science and humanities. He contributed  to the Indus studies by undertaking research in Harappan script by applying  mathematical techniques such as Cluster analysis and Dynamic Programming to decipher the Indus seals. He had several honours to his credit. He was a recipient of the Homi Babha Fellowship to visit universities in the US (1974-75) . He received "Best Teacher" award from the Government of Tamilnadu (1983-84). He also received "Distinguished Author" award from the Christian Literature society (1983). He published more than 150  publications in national and international journals and authored several books. 
மூத்த சிந்துசமவெளி எழுத்தியல் ஆய்வர், அறிஞர் ஐராவதம் மகாதேவன் அவர்களின் சிந்து எழுத்தின் திராவிடச் சான்று ஆய்வுரையை ரோஜா முத்தையா நூலகத்தில் 14-நவம்பர்-2014ல் ரோஜா முத்தையா நூலகத்தில் நீங்கள் கேட்கலாம். அவரது 45+ ஆண்டுகால சிந்து சமவெளி ஆய்வுகளை ரோஜா முத்தையா நூலக தளத்தில் வாசித்து ஆராய வசதி செய்துள்ளனர். இதே போலா, ஆஸ்கோ பார்ப்போலா கட்டுரைகள் ஒரு தளத்தில் வெளியாக வேண்டுமென என் ஆர்வத்தை அவருக்குத் தெரிவித்தேன். 
Hope Tamil and South Indian young scholars follow the illustrious path of Dr. Iravatham Mahadevan,
and solve the Indus riddle further. Best wishes for the success of the RMRL Lecture, and long live Iravatham Aiyaa.

Here are three videos - a must see.
Airavathi - Dr. I. Mahadevan's Felicitation Volume, 2008
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1LGEC2t6is

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzLAvPOK9gI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jt01ffijDpI


Research Papers on the Indus Script by Dr. Iravatham Mahadevan,

2008-ல் ஜல்லிக்கட்டு என ஐராவதம் மகாதேவனார் எழுதிய ‘தி ஹிண்டு’ கட்டுரைக்கு மறுமொழியாக ‘இது காங்கயம் போன்ற காளை அன்று. காட்டியிருப்பது கொற்றவையின் (Proto-Durga)  வரலாறு’ என்று குறிப்பிட்டேன்:
http://nganesan.blogspot.com/2008/01/eru-tazuval.html
கொற்றி - மகரவிடங்கர் சிந்து சமவெளியில் இருந்து சங்க கால (Megalithic) தமிழகத்தில் - என்பது தொடர்பாக 3 ஆய்வுக்கட்டுரைகள் அச்சாகியுள்ளன. அவற்றைப் படிக்க இங்கே வலைக்கண்,

(1) Gharial god and Tiger goddess in the Indus valley:
      Some aspects of Bronze Age Indian religion
http://nganesan.blogspot.com/2013/07/crocodile-korravai-ivc-cult-2007.html

(2)  A Dravidian Etymology for Makara - Crocodile
http://nganesan.blogspot.com/2013/02/dravidian-etymology-for-makara.html

(3) Makara Vidangar in Sangam Era Pandya Coins
http://www.vallamai.com/?p=49442