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had be paid attention to the Prakrits would have been led to conclusions far different from those be had arrived at? Or again, if Caldwell could not perceive the derivation of Dravidian languages from Sauskrit, could it not be that a relationship can be established with some other group of languages akin to Sanskrit, say the Iranian or the non-Sanskritic Iranian languages? Otherwise, how is it that the ancient grammars of almost all the Dravidian languages have claimed them to be vikritis i e. derived from or having affinities with Sanskrit? How is it that among the five Dravidian races of South India are included the Marathis and the Gujeratis whose relationship with the Gaudians is not called in question? How is it that we find such a striking similarity of culture between the North and South of India? How is it possible to make such a sharp division between the North and the South, so that as soon