Out of India - I

As new studies are coming up in the field of population genetics, it is becoming increasingly apparent that, while cultural identity may have been the preserve of males, genetic identity is determined by females. The reason can be very simple. Once colonized the matrilineages stay put even when the patrilineages change.

mtDNA and autosomal analysis:
Considering the fact that in most part of the old world mtDNA is around 50000-40000 years old, it's no wonder that all the later male sweeps in the last 3000-4000 years would hardly leave any genetic imprint in the population except for their Y-chromosomes. One of the visible proof is is the looks (physical shape) of the population that I have already discussed before.

- In the case of Austro-Asiatics in India, even though male lineage Y-chromosome O2a predominates, they look like Indians than SE Asians mainly because of their Indian matrilineages.

- In the case of Finnish, even though male lineage Y-chromosome N1c predominates, they look like Europeans than East Asian mainly because of their European matrilineages.

- In the case of Cameroonians, with a high percentage of Y-chromosome R1b, they look entirely like Africans than Europeans mainly because of their African matrilineages.

But considering the fact that New World fairly recently colonized (around 15000 years), the genetic diversity is very low compared to the old world colonizers who moved there in the last 500 years or so, we may see some strong presence of old world genetic imprint in their autosomal analysis.

But this can never be the case in the old world itself. Here, over time the native matrilineages assert themselves and this could be observed in autosomal analysis.

Ancient Indian Females:
A recent study, "Reconstructing Indian Population History", rather beautifully illustrates the ancient migrations of Indian matrilineages. It has found two distinct components, Ancient North Indian(ANI) and Ancient South India (ASI). The distinction was made by comparing the markers with Europeans, North Africans and West Asians. ANI is observed among those groups and ASI is restricted only to India. Though in India both ANI and ASI are found mixed in population.

This interesting observation reinforces the fact that all the West Eurasian (North Africa, West Asia and Europe) matrilineages were ultimately derived from an Indian macro haplogroup mtDNA R. With this study we can even confirm that, one of M lineages, M1, which is found mostly in Mediterranean region was also part of the migration from India.

The researchers make one more observation that Onges, one of the Andaman tribes, are sort of close to ASI. We do know that Onges' Y-chromosome is exclusively Y-Haplogroup D, found mostly in Tibet and Japan but their matrilineage is M31a, found mostly in East India or S E India. This is another case where matrilineage asserting itself (through autosomes) over patrilineage.

The evidences till now appear to support the old model of northern migration route instead of now popular the coastal migration. I have already argued the more the barrier the greater will be the need to migrate for Homo Sapiens before the advent of new technologies. Thus the coastal migration is not a viable hypothesis. Therefore, in my opinion, there were two groups, one in East and the other in North India (that moved from East) that later colonized whole India(or South Asia). The northern group is also responsible for West Eurasian matrilineages though the latter's patrilineages(like R1, E1b1b) might have later swapped the original patrilineags. Even then Y-Haplogroup J (aborigine West Asian), Y-haplogroup I (aborigine European) are sort of closely related to Y-Haplogroup H (aborigine Indian). However, all their matrilineages are descendents of Indian mtDNA R(H, U, JT) and mtDNA M(M1).

Implications:
Genetics does not consider a standard trait as the original trait. It considers various genotypes of a single trait as the pre-existing condition and any single genotype as a clue for bottlenecks. However, pseudo-science like anthropometry makes the mistake of considering standard look and derived look by admixture. By anthropometry, Indians are measured in terms of standard looks of Australian aborigines, SE Asian (so-called) Negritos, Europeans and Mediterraneans.

But when it comes to autosomes, we can see that diversity creates few standards (because of bottlenecks and isolation) and not popular myth (part of Anthropometry) that the admixture creates diversity (which could be observed only in Y-chromosome haplogroups which themselves change so rapidly to leave any genetic footprint in a population).

Now considering the fact that these so-called standard populations' matrilineages are but a subset of Indian matrilineages, we can argue all those standard looks are subset of Indian diversity. Those are all bottlenecked population.

By population genetics, I would think present day stereotypical Homo Sapiens looks could be attributed to the two main components.

1. African
2. Proto-Asian.

Prot Asian could be further divided into:
1. Indian
2. Bottlenecked Proto-Asian (East Asian)

Whereas the Indian looks could be found in South Asia, the bottlenecked looks derived from Indian looks (or could be from Proto-Asian thro' northern route hypothesis) could be found among:
1. Australian aborigines
2. SE Asian aborigines
3. North African and West Asian
4. European

Sources:
1. Razib's Gene Expression.
2. Maju's Leherensuge.
3. My anthropology discussion forum.

Buddha's Name

Previously I posted an article about fictitious names of Buddha's parents. Now if I think about it, the original name of the Buddha is also rather dubious. In my opinion, Buddhism is an institutionalized ancient Indian Sramana/Jaina tradition.

In Jain tradition, a Siddha is a great soul who has achieved moksha. Our man Buddha was born with the essence(artha) of Siddha.

Agriculture in South India - notes

There is a huge population of Kannada speaking labourers in Hyderabad. They live in primitive conditions. In some cases their family life is a complete mess. Many of them own few acres of land in North Karnataka. But because of insufficient irrigation system and irregular Monsoon they had to abandon their land and migrate as coolie workers.

However, in my opinion, even with proper rains and irrigation system the prosperity of these farmers can not be guaranteed. Because of their limited land they would employ only limited resources. They most likely remain as stagnant farmers.

As I see it, in places like Karnataka we face two problems.
- Water
- Limited land of individual farmers

I have made the following observations:
1) In a water scarce land, a farmer with large landholdings still can survive and even prosper by using high technology.
2) But even in a water abundant land there is no guarantee for a farmer with limited land to reach sustainable prosperity. Few reasons for this:
(i) Not much use of high technology
(ii) Not much room for experimentation
(iii) Content, happy and petty life when the earning is below certain threshold.
All these contribute lower yield and lower profit.

But there is an additional point to (2)
2.a) A farmer with limited landholding in water abundant region can always sell his land and buy a greater stretch of land in water scarce region and become prosperous.

Bonafide Feudalism:
The best way to overcome the situation in Karnataka is to create a class of bonafide feudals. These bonfide feudals must be local to the region. More precisely, only officially Karnatakans are eligible to become bonfide feudals in Karnataka. Bonafide colonialism is not acceptable (even if the person is resident of India). The concept is simple and is generally employed by landless but money rich neo farmers. They lease the land from the farmers.

The salient features of this system:
- the land will never be owned by the bonafide feudals. They have to lease it every year.
- there is no upper limit for the acquisition of leased land.
- the farmers have to work for the feudals. The surplus farmers should work in any ventures that they run.
- all farmers' families must get monthly salary. A minimum monthly salary is a must under any conditions.
- the farmers' income is taxable but not bonafide feudals'.
- failure to pay minimum monthly salary will result in end of feudalism and the land will be available to a new feudal

Reference:
Bonafide Colonialism in Ukraine

Compilation of Kannada male names - i

There are not many Kannada male names in circulation. Most likely the names will become extinct in my next generation. Even in my generation one hardly comes across original Kannada names.

Generally in Kannada names, nouns work as adjectives. I'm afraid my English translations may not fully capture the imagination of Kannada parents of the past.

guNDappa -> The great round -> Well rounded man
mariyappa -> The great little one -> Darling man
cennappa -> The great good -> Healthy man
celuvappa -> The great beauty -> Handsome man
cinnappa-> The great gold -> Generous man
honnappa -> The great gold -> Generous man
baGgArappa -> The great gold -> Generous man
beLLiyappa -> The great silver -> Sparkling man
naJjappa -> The great envy -> Enviable man
maJjappa* -> The great mist -> Cool man
kALappa -> The great pulse -> Rich man
mAnappa** -> The great beauty -> Handsome man
bALappa -> The great life -> Zestful man
kaNNappa -> The great eye -> Eye candy man
hAlappa -> The great milk -> White man

That's an abysmally small list.

* Not to be confused with Indo-Aryan 'manju' which means charming. Dravidian 'manju' means dew, mist etc...
** 'maanu' is male name in Karnataka and female name in Tamil Nadu and Kerala as far as I know. It has survived as literary word only in Telugu (According to Dravidian Dictionary)

How to Make an Indian Baby

Cross an African with a Chinese and you get an Indian? Still believable, I believe. Not as dumb as few population genetics morons' interpretation that you should in fact cross European male and Chinese female.



Via Pharyngula

UPDATE:
It seems in the above spoof those non-Indian girls are atheists (I guess non-religious is euphemism for atheism). But the Indian girl is "actually" a Hindu. Now that is a problem. There are atheist Hindus who are generally communals or castiests. The regular atheists do not identify with their religion of birth. I am positive that a Hindu atheist when asked to be part of that video would have angrily said, "Why it has to be a Hindu. We are an easy prey. Aren't we? Try to get a Muslim girl and do your spoof".

That being the case, I am sure that that is a believer Hindu. A believer Hindu taking part in a parody of Christians by atheists only goes on to show she is intellectually challenged. That is not a sin. At least in Indian context believers are normal people and atheists are abnormals. So I have nothing against her.

The problem is what those light skinned atheists were thinking when they asked a believer to be part of that video. They should have selected an atheist Indian girl. They must have thought dark skinned intellectually challenged Hindu is beyond mockery. I am afraid that smacks of racism.

Our Exciting Future

Green tea reduces heart attack risk by 20%
Red wine reduces heart attack risk by 20%
Cow milk reduces heart attack risk by 20%

All we need is two more liquids and we will be 100% free of heart problems.

A View from the Origin

Runoko Rashidi on Indians

Reminded me an incident, that my dark skinned friend born into Kannada Brahmin caste told me with a roaring laughter. He and his friend, an equally dark skinned Tamil born into a non-Brahmin caste, were watching a Tennis match. The Tamil commented that he would like to see a Serena Williams win as she was also dark skinned like him.

But the most uncomfortable with dark skin lable must be females of the communities that became successful as a whole within few generations. If the success is gradual accompanied by lightening of skin tone in each generation, as many of the castes show, then one can overcome the stigma of dark and successful.

Battle of the Sexes - iv

Don't know if it belongs here but still...best of us don't survive says the article.

"The results support the suggestion that genes that are good for males may often be bad for their mates. Therefore, in beetles at least, multiple mating does not award females with genetic benefits," says Göran Arnqvist.

Via Science Daily

The True Historians

All other nationalities, ethnicities should retire from and refrain from the study of history and related fields. Only "Argumentative Indians" are the true masters of it.

History is all about argument. There is no absolute historical truth about anything big in history.

Via BBC news

Battle of the Sexes - iii

I'm doing a groundbreaking research on South Indian children birth weights for the last six months or so as every person contemporary to me is becoming a parent. Whatever I have read over the net indicates that on an average boys' birth weights are higher than that of girls'. Not so in the case of South Indians if my data has to be believed.

Girls:
4.1Kg
3.7Kg
>4Kg

Boys:
2.5Kg
2.75Kg
<3Kg All of them belong to middle class. All mothers are working women. Then I come across this study:

Previous research has offered evidence of a genetic struggle for supremacy only during fetal development: In the womb, some genes of paternal origin have been shown to promote increased demands on mothers, leading to fetal overgrowth, while genes of maternal origin tend to have the opposite effect. This new work suggests maternal and paternal genes continue to engage in internal genetic conflict past childbirth.

I couldn't anyway apply this study to my observations. But I felt a connection.

Via Science Daily