Dear Govender,

Without being biased towards any section of the Society I have to state the following.


The "Sanskrit Mahabharatha of Saint Viyasa" translated by Ganguly states the following;

"Vasudeva said........Thou O Karna hast been born in this way. Thou art therefore morally the son of Pandu......O thou of mighty arms with thy brothers the Pandavas with yapas and homas and auspicious rites of diverse kinds performed in thy honour. Let the Dravidas with the Kuntalas, the "Andhras" an the Talacharas, Shuchupas, and the Venupas all walk before thee......."

MAHABHARATHA - UDYOGA PARVA, PAGE 270-271


".........O son of Kunti art indulging in similar bragging, be a man !........O Partha thou wishest in vain to conquer !........why art thou not able to realise the might of this vast army of the assembled monarchs......the Dravidas, the "Andhras" and the Kanchis, this host of many nations ready for battle......."

MAHABHARATHA - UDYOGA PARVA, PAGE 311

The above gives a hint to the antiquity of Andhras, in addition to the Cheras (Keralas) Cholas and Pandiyas, who are mentioned in many places in the Mahabharatha.