Some aspects of Arya Bharat in southern parts

Shozhas were NOT Vellalar "Caste". Caste is a a British construct and the word derives from the Portuguese word "Casta".

As their bronzes and statues repeatedly display, like the Pandyas, the Cheras, and the Pallavas, they were Aryas, Brahmin by religion and Kshatriyas by Varna and wore the Yagnya Upaveethi.

Like Ashoka's "Magadha", the power rose from the economy. The fecundity of the well irrigated soil and distance from alien military threats, protected by the Treaty of Avvayyar* (Magadha was protected by the Treaty of Bharatha** which Ashoka destroyed) that gave them time to equip, train and strengthen.

*In the old days, there used to be a treaty across South India created by the great Spiritualist and Subrahmanya Bhaktha, Avvayyar, that held the peace for centuries.
As there was frequent famine from poor rains, the Kingdoms so afflicted would go on rampage to feed their subjects. So, Avvayyar created the first "food for work" programme that I wot of. And, so it is, that there are so many wonderful temples in the fertile Carnatic Plains, that were built by labour from less fortunate parts of the South.

**Bharatha Varsha is applicable to Bharatha Khanda (Bharatha's part) of the Aryan Empire governed by the Aryan Constitution i.e. Arya Varsha. Bharatha entered into a treaty with Arya Mihira, the paramount Chief of the Aryans of the Central Asian Steppes to pay tribute prevent any further attacks and raids on the Indo-Gangetic Plains and got all the Aryan Chiefs of the Indo-Gangetic Plain to eneter into a common code of chivalry and laws.

A Supreme Council of Brahmins representing all the Chief was created in Kashi as a Supreme Court and arbiter of disputes. Under the treaty, any attack by any outsider on any one Chief was to be considered as an attack on all and all the Chief would unite against the outsider. The Rig Vedic and Shukla Yajur Vedic Raja Suya Yajna whereby the most powerful Chief would offer the heads of all who opposed him to claim the paramount Chieftaincy was replaced with Ashwamedha Yajna of the Krishna Yajur Veda whereby duels between champions would take place for the benefit of the general populace but, in reality, once every Twelve Years, the Supreme Council would decide by a process of consensus as to who the next Chakravarthi should be. At that time the laws would be re-codified and all the out castes (law breakers) would be re integrated with society.

The tribute that was exacted from agriculture went a fifth to the agriculturist, a fifth to the temples that functioned as a welfare set up and provided free food to the needy, justice by interpreting the laws, shelter and reserve provisions in case of calamities. A fifth went to Public Works such as irrigation. A further fifth went to running the educational institutions that decided the caste of the students based on their talent and proclivity as well as for the care of widows, orphans, destitutes and travellers. The last fifth went to the ruler for military preparedness and maintenance of law and order. Over time as the Indo-Gangetic alliance grew in strength and power due to the enormous wealth and agriculture based civilization, they stopped paying tribute to Arya Mihira and the original Aryan stock who went their way. Untul the Atharva Veda period, the Druids were excluded from the benefits of the Aryan system as well as the liability to bear arms when summoned to do so by the Chiefs, except for their fifth of produce.

However, with the Agama Shastras, the Druid Agricultural and Architectural technologies entered the Aryan main stream and the Drudis became full participants and inter married with the Aryas. Ashoka was considered too young, rash and impetuous by the Supeme Council for the position of Chakravarthu which he demanded by dint of is military prowess. Thus denied, he broke the treaty of Bharatha and declared war, by surprise, on his fellow treaty members.

The Fraternity of Aryan Chiefs. (Something like the US decalring war on the other NATO members). He broke the back of the Indo-Gangetic alliance and destroyed the Aryan might together with the treaty of Bharatha. For this act of fratricide, Ashoka was declared an out caste by the Supreme Council. He then became a Budhist and, out of vengeance, destroyed all the Dravido-Aryan temples and Gurukulas bringing the Dravido Aryan Civilization, Laws, Culture and caste mobility to an end. (Note that there are no great temples or stone structures structures older than Ashoka's Sarnath in his erstwhile empire while the Ramayana describes, in detail, the countless Vimanas (towers) during that pre-temple worship Aryan age). Ultimately, as the Aryan military reputation began to fade over the Centuries and devolved into warring petty chieftains with the extinction of Bharatha Varsha, this rendered the Legendary Aryan Military Might extinct and laid India open to every possible adventurer and plunderer who came this way.

Courtesy: S Suchindranath Aiyer

Further reading, http://postcard.news/cholas-tamil-nadu-regarded-one-mighty-warriors-times/?utm_medium=onsignal&utm_source=onsignal&utm_campaign=onesignal&utm_content=onesignal