[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Archaeology, epigraphy and coins](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy) › [Early Tamil Epigraphy: From the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century A.D.](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003) › c6 # Early Tamil Epigraphy: From the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century A.D. c6: Acknowledgements Early Tamil Epigraphy: From the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century A.D. c6 - **Language:** English ### Acknowledgements ### [c6.1](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c6.1) A project of this magnitude lasting four decades would not have been possible without the active co-operation and assistance of many institutions and scholars, too many to be enumerated here. However, I should be failing in my duty if I do not acknowledge at least the more direct support I have received for the present work. ### [c6.2](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c6.2) The Office of the Director of Epigraphy (DE) at Mysore with its centralised storage of estampages of South Indian inscriptions copied by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is the Mecca for epigraphists. Throughout the period I was engaged in the study of Tamil cave inscriptions, I received unstinted support from successive Government Epigraphists and (later) Directors of Epigraphy, Mr. K.G. Krishnan, Dr. K.V. Ramesh and Dr. M.D. Sampath. I was allowed unlimited access to the original estampages, transcriptions and the valuable collection of books in the library. I was also supplied with most of the photographs of estampages included in this book. Dr. Sampath and his colleagues, Dr. S. Swaminathan and Mr. S. Rajavelu, accompanied me to some of the caves and helped with the reading of inscriptions at the sites. ### [c6.3](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c6.3) The Tamil Nadu State Department of Archaeology (TNSA) under the dynamic leadership of Dr. R. Nagaswamy and his able successor, Mr. Natana Kasinathan, has done much to promote epigraphical studies in Tamil Nadu. Dr. Nagaswamy was my colleague in the study of cave inscriptions right from the beginning. He placed the resources of his department at my disposal during my field trips, himself accompanying me to many of the caves. Natana Kasinathan has also participated in the field studies. A new generation of Tamil epigraphists trained by Dr. Nagaswamy in the decipherment of Tamil-Brāhmī and Early Vaṭṭeḻuttu inscriptions is now active in the field. The 'Madurai Group' comprising Mr. C. Bose, Dr. S. Rajagopal, Mr. C. Santhalingam and Dr. V. Vedachalam of the TNSA accompanied me to almost all the caves during the second field expedition and helped in solving many knotty problems in reading the inscriptions. I have no hesitation in acknowledging that the final readings of the inscriptions as they have now emerged are due to the expertise and experience of the Madurai Group of epigraphists of the TNSA. ### [c6.4](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c6.4) During the first field expedition, Mr. R. Selvakumaraswamy, Executive Engineer, erected the steel scaffolding for copying inscriptions from inaccessible heights as at Alagarmalai. During both the expeditions, Mr. Madagadi K. Thangavelu, civil engineer, made the tracings direct from the stone, the accuracy of which owes much to his experience as a draughtsman. Mr. Alakkudi Arumugha Seetharaman, a young numismatist from Thanjavur, volunteered to be my Research Assistant and was in charge of the logistics during the second expedition. ### [c6.5](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c6.5) Several more archaeologists of the TNSA joined the field work at sites falling within their territorial jurisdiction: Messrs. K. Arjunan, C. Chandiravanan, K. Kulandaivelan, S. Krishnamurthy, R. Poongundran, S. Selvaraj, N. Srinivasan, T. Subramanian, Mrs. A. Padmavathy and Mrs. R. Vasanthakalyani. Other archaeologists of the TNSA who helped the research project in various ways include Messrs. A. Abdul Majeed, K. Damodaran, P. Rajendran, Senthil Selvakumaran, K. Sridharan, Mrs. N. Marxia Gandhi and Mrs. S. Vasanthi. In Kerala, Profs. M.G.S. Narayanan, M.R. Raghava Varier and Rajan Gurukkal joined our team at Edakal and Ezhuttukallu. In Karnataka, Dr. B. Rajasekharappa, lecturer in Kannada, Chitradurga, took us to Tamatakallu, the northernmost site with an Early Vaṭṭeḷuttu inscription which he had discovered earlier. ### [c6.6](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c6.6) I am especially grateful to Profs. K.V. Raman and P. Shanmugam of the University of Madras and Profs. Y. Subbarayalu, S. Raju and K. Rajan of the Tamil University for sharing with me their expertise in excavation, generously permitting me to study the pottery collections from Arikamedu and Kodumanal and making available photographs of pottery inscriptions. ### [c6.7](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c6.7) I have interacted with a number of senior scholars and benefited from their suggestions and constructive criticism. Among them I must mention Prof. Gift Siromoney of the Madras Christian College and Dr. Vimala Begley, Iowa City, USA. It is my misfortune that neither of them is alive to see the completion of this work. ### [c6.8](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c6.8) A number of well-wishers have helped in my research work in various ways over the years. The foremost among them is Dr. N. Mahalingam, a noted industrialist, philanthropist and Tamil scholar. In particular, I must mention his generous assistance during the second field expedition in making available vehicles, material for steel scaffolding and technical support. Mr. R. Krishnamurthy, Editor, \*Dinamalar\*, who has led the numismatic revolution in Tamil Nadu in recent years, has been a longtime colleague who generously permitted me to study his valuable collection of coins and has made available enlarged photographs of coins with Tamil-Brāhmī legends for my study. These have since been published in his \*magnum opus\*, \*Sangam Age Tamil Coins\* (1997). Dr. Kodumudi S. Shanmugam, Superintending Engineer and noted Tamil scholar, rendered assistance to our team in the field work and copying of inscriptions. Among those who evinced keen interest in the progress of the work and kept encouraging me, I must single out the names of Prof. R. Narasimhan, formerly of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Bombay, and Prof. R. Champakalashmi, formerly of the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi. My sincere thanks are due to both of them. ### [c6.9](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c6.9) I had to remain in Mysore for several months during 1995-96 for studying the original estampages and transcriptions in the Office of Director of Epigraphy. During this period, I stayed at Dhvanyaloka, the \*āśrama\* for seekers of knowledge established by Prof. C.D. Narasimhaiya. I can never forget the warm hospitality extended to me by Prof. and Mrs. Narasimhaiya during my stay with them. ### [c6.10](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c6.10) Many of the photographs of pottery inscriptions and other inscribed objects (coins, seals and rings) have been taken by the Institut Français d' Indologie, Pondicherry, from the pottery collections housed in the Government Museum, Pondicherry, and from the numismatic collections of Mr. A. Seetharaman. I am beholden to Ms. Françoise L'Hernault of L'École Française d' Extrême-Orient and Mr. K. Rajaram, Curator of the Government Museum, Pondicherry, for their generous assistance. Photographs of pottery inscriptions were also made available by the ASI, New Delhi; TNSA, Chennai; Prof. Y. Subbarayalu, Tamil University; Profs. K. V. Raman and P. Shanmuguam, University of Madras; Dr. P. Pushparatnam, Jaffna University, Sri Lanka; Prof. J.H. Johnson, American Research Centre in Egypt and Prof. S.E. Sidebotham, University of Delaware, USA. ### [c6.11](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c6.11) Photographs of the silver portrait coins of the Satavahanas were made available by Mr. P.V. Radhakrishnan, Indian Institute of Research in Numismatic Studies (IIRNS), Nashik, and Miss. R. Vanaja, Keeper, National Museum, New Delhi. Photographs of inscribed objects were made available by the Government Museum and TNSA, Chennai; Profs. K.V. Raman, P. Shanmugam, Y. Subbarayalu and R. Thangamani; Dr. Chitra Viji, Mr. Sankaran Raman, Mr. A. Seetharaman and Mr. P.B. Venkataraman. ### [c6.12](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c6.12) Photographs of the general views of hills and caves and close-up views of the cave inscriptions were taken by Mr. C.Santhalingam and Dr. V.Vedachalam (TNSA) and Mrs. Mangai Raghavan and Mr. C. Veeraraghavan of Viluppuram. Data for locating the sites on the two maps included in this volume were collected by Mr. K. Rajavelu (ASI) and Mrs. S. Vasanthi (TNSA). To all of them my sincere thanks are due. I am also grateful to Dr. C. Chandramouli IAS, Director of Census Operations, Tamil Nadu, and his colleagues for assistance in drawing the maps. ### [c6.13](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c6.13) The palaeographic charts showing the evolution of Tamil-Brāhmī into Early Vaṭṭeḻuttu have been assembled by the computer from direct tracings to ensure fidelity to the originals. This was done at Sudarsan Graphics, Chennai. The palaeographic chart of the Early Vaṭṭeḻuttu script of the Pulankurichi inscriptions is based on the inputs supplied by Dr. S. Rajagopal and Dr. V. Vedachalam (TNSA). ### [c6.14](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c6.14) When the work on the book was nearing completion, I had the good fortune to come into contact with Prof. R. Kalyanakrishnan of the Department of Computer Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Chennai. He suggested, and arranged for, computer enhancement of direct colour photographs of important historical inscriptions of the Early Pāṇḍiyas at Mangulam, and of the Early Cēras at Pugalur. The faint inscriptions which defied decipherment for long can now be seen in legible reproductions. I wish this had happened earlier and more direct photographs processed by computer for enhanced clarity had been included in this volume. Perhaps this work would be taken up by other scholars in future. ### [c6.15](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c6.15) I am grateful to the authorities of the U.Ve. Swaminathaiyar Library, Chennai, for permitting me to consult the invaluable collection of Tamil books and old manuscripts in the library and for assistance in locating the earliest attestation of inscriptional words occurring in literary works. I am beholden to the authorities of the Institute of Asian Studies, Chennai, for providing computer facilities for typesetting the first draft of the Corpus of Early Tamil Inscriptions included in this volume. I have drawn liberally on the resources of several other research institutions in Tamil Nadu to pursue my research. Among them are the International Institute of Tamil Studies, Dr. C.P.Ramaswami Aiyar Institute of Indological Research, Mozhi Trust and Roja Muthiah Research Library, Chennai, and Dr. Rajamanikkanar Centre for Historical Research, Tiruchirapalli. ### [c6.16](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c6.16) I thank Mr. K. Selladurai, my part-time secretary, for undertaking the laborious and none too easy task of typesetting this voluminous work bristling with diacritical marks and conventional symbols. ## Linked texts (1) - [Kodumanal](https://indike.org/pramana/inp.site.kodumanal) --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c6](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c6) · Pramāṇa