Early Tamil Epigraphy: From the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century A.D. c20.s4.5

c20.s4.5

³ *ARE 139/1937-38*= No. *78*. It was discovered by the ASI in the narrow passage on the northern face of the hill leading to the cave shelter on the western side (see Fig. 1.15). The passage is a mere cleft and " a portion of the approach has to be negotiated on all fours underneath a projecting boulder, a false step meaning a fatal drop down the precipitous side" (*ARE 1937-38*, Part I, paragraph 2). During our search in December 1991, one of the members of our team nearly lost his foothold and was saved in time, but he dropped the brush (used in preparing estampages) which rolled down the precipice. In spite of our intensive search, the inscription could not be located and is presumed lost. It has been edited in this volume from the estampage taken when the inscription was discovered.