Early Tamil Epigraphy: From the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century A.D. c25.s10.32

c25.s10.32

**The *āytam* (*ḵ*):** The unique Tamil sound *āytam* is not represented graphically in the Tamil-Brāhmī or Early Vaṭṭeḻuttu inscriptions.⁵ The phrase *muppāl puḷḷi* (*Tol. Eḻu.* 2) has been interpreted by some commentators (e.g., Nacciṉārkkiṉiyar) as 'dots on three sides' supposedly referring to the graphic shape of the *āytam*. However, as the character with three dots in a triangular pattern represents the initial vowel *i* in Tamil-Brāhmī, the same character could not have represented the *āytam*. The alternative interpretation of the *sūtra* as referring to 'three types of sounds marked by dots viz., the shortened *-i* and *-u* and the *āytam*' seems to be correct (e.g., Pērāciriyar). However, there is no inscriptional evidence that the dependent sounds, shortened *-i* and *-u*, were marked by the *puḷḷi*. It is likely that the present form of the *āytam* with three dots is itself a result of the later misinterpretation of this *sūtra* as referring to the graphic shape of the letter. There would have been no confusion as by this time in the early medieval period, the letter *i* was no longer being written as three dots (compare *i* in Charts 4 & 8).