Notes on the Munda family of speech in India. 
69 
dence to show that two different races, the Tamulic and an earlier race, came 
in contact in these regions, whither both fled before the approach of a new 
civilisation . . . These people called themselves “Munda”, which, as an old 
ethnic name, I have adopted for the common appelation of the aboriginal 
Koles.” 
Max Midler’s opinion is now, with some slight modifications, held by 
most scholars, and it seems to be well founded. The attempts which have 
since then been made, in order to prove a connexion between the languages 
of the two races distinguished by him, must be characterized as a failure. 
The points in which Max Midler’s view has been modified, may be shortly 
stated. 
The common opinion, at the present day, is not in favour of the suppo 
sition of a Tamulian conquest of India. The Tamulic, or as it is generally 
called, the Dravidian race, is considered as that of the aborigines of India, at 
least, of South India. To quote Mr. Risley “it occupies the oldest geological 
formation of India, the medley of forest-clad ranges, terraced plateaux, and 
undulating plains which stretch, roughly speaking, from the Vindhyas to Cape 
Comorin. On the east and west of the peninsular area the domain of the Dra 
vidian is conterminous with the Ghats; while farther north it reaches, on one 
side, to the Aravallis, and, on other, to the Rajmahal hills”. 
The Dravidian race seems farther to have contributed to the population 
of the United Provinces, parts of Rajputana, Bihu, and perhaps also of Lower 
Bengal and Orissa. There are no indications that it has extended farther 
towards the north-west. In its proper home, on the other hand, it can, for 
all practical purposes, be considered as the aboriginal population; and there 
are no traces of its having at any period replaced an older population. 
The Mundas are usually considered as membres of the Dravidian race. 
The anthropological type is said to be the same. This unity of type does not, 
however, preclude considerable variations, and it is probable that we have to 
do with two originally different races, as Max Müller stated, the Dravidian 
race proper, and the Munda race. The latter name has been coined by Max 
Müller. His reason for choosing it was, however, based on a misunder 
standing. 
Name. — The name Munda is only used by a certain section of the 
r ace, much in the same way as Arya was used by the Aryans. Other Munda 
tribes use Manjhi instead. Both terms mean “headman”, and are used by the 
individual members of the tribes as an honorific designation of themselves. 
None of them can claim to be in general use among all the tribes forming the 
race , and none of them can, accordingly, have been the old ethnic denomi- 
na tion of the race. It is not, therefore, to be wondered that the name Munda 
Was not long allowed to stand unchallenged. Sir George Campbell, in 1866, 
Proposed to call the family Kolarian, and this name has been largely adopted. 
is a denomination which is used to denote some of the tribes of the 
Munda race, but also tribes that belong to the Dravidian race proper, such 
as the Oraons. Sir George Campbell thought that an older form of the word 
Was Kolar, and this hypothetical form he used in coining the new name.