Early Tamil Epigraphy: From the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century A.D. c25.s15.t3.5

c25.s15.t3.5

***ḻ:*** The later form of the Tamil-Brāhmī letter *ḻ* with the loop as in the Tirupparankunram cave inscription (No. *55*, ca. 1st century A.D.) occurs in the name *puḻumāvi* in the coin-legend on the reverse (corresponding to the form *puḷumāvi* in the Prakrit legend on the obverse). The earlier readings of this letter as *ḷu* or *ḍu* were merely from the context without taking into account the actual forms seen in the coin-legend on the reverse. In the three issues I have seen (from clear photographs of exceptionally well-preserved forms), the letter is written as *ḻu* in two cases (coins 1 & 2 in Fig. 5.9) and as *ḻa* in one case.² A somewhat similar-looking Brāhmī letter *j* occurs in the Asokan inscriptions at Khalsi,¹ which does not suit the context. On the other hand, treating the letter as the Tamil-Brāhmī form of *ḻ* (as in the Tirupparankunram cave inscription) yields a meaningful reading suited to the context. The occurrence of *ḻ* in this coin-legend is of exceptional importance; it provides us for the first time with the indigenous form of the name of this famous and powerful Andhra monarch confirming his Dravidian lineage; it proves that the script of the coin-legends on the reverse of these coins is Tamil-Brāhmī; it also confirms the date of ca. 1st century a.d. for the Tirupparankunram cave inscription.