Dr. Dr. Gift Siromoney Endowment Lecture Series:
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
via the Rig Veda: A Case Study
by
Dr. Iravatham Mahadevan
Presided by
Mr. R. Balakrishnan
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
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,
Towards a Scientific Study (2007)
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
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
