Rice grain relics recovered from archaeological sites in Pirak, Baluchistan, indicate that the area was known for rice cultivation around 1700 BC. The mixed civilization at the time was composed of Vedic scholars and proto-Tulu, proto-Tamil, and Dravidian communities at Pirak, as discussed in previous posts here.

The origin of the Sanskrit word ‘Vrihi,’ which means rice (Oriza sativa) and occasionally other cereals such as wheat and barley, has been debated by Indological experts such as Asko Purpola. The word is said to be unrelated to or influenced by the Dravidian words ‘arih’ (Tulu) and ‘arisi’ (Tamil) that represent rice. On the other hand, it is widely accepted that the Tamil word ‘arisi’ was adopted as ‘rice’ by Greek, Latin, and English.

According to Sankaran Nair (2003), ‘Vrihi’ is a shortened form of the word ‘varahi.’ He stated that several rice varieties such as Graishmic, Hemanti, Varshic, Sharada, Salini, and others are described in ancient Sanskrit texts. Varahi is the female incarnation of Lord Vishnu’s boar incarnation, Varaha. (The name Varahi also refers to a river in Western Karnataka.)

The term ‘Varahi’ has additional meanings. The first connotation is that the Varaha was worshipped at the time by the communities and cultures that existed in the Pirak area. Even today, spirits worshipped by Tulu communities include ‘Panjurli,’ the Tulu form of Varaha. Apparently, the Panjurli or Varaha was more widely worshipped at the time. Later in history, the Varaha concept was absorbed as one of Lord Vishnu’s ten incarnations.

As rice was primarily grown and consumed by those who worshipped the Varaha or Panjurli, the word ‘vrihi’ may have entered Sanskrit usage. Furthermore, there is some similarity in the pronunciation of the words ‘vrihi’ and ‘arih’.