Early Tamil Epigraphy: From the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century A.D. c25.s12.t1.32

c25.s12.t1.32

Another connected innovation is the representation of the sound *ḻ* by the reversed form of *ḍ* in the pottery inscriptions at Arikamedu. The choice of the reversed form of *ḍ* (unlike at Kodumanal) has the advantage of avoiding confusion with Prakrit inscriptions which also occur minimally along with Tamil-Brāhmī inscriptions on pottery at ancient Tamil sites. Karunaratne² first pointed out that in a Prakrit inscription from Arikamedu,³ the reversed *ḍ* denotes the Tamil *ḻ* in the expression *yaḻu-valabhutaya*⁴ 'of Yaḻu Balabhūtā'.