The Historical Inscriptions of Southern India (collected till 1923) and Outlines of Political History c7.11

c7.11

As far back as the time of the Purāṇas the people of South India were known as belonging to three nations, Pāṇḍyas, the Chōḷas and the Kēraḷas. The Rāmāyaṇa adds a fourth, namely, the Telugu country of the Āndhras. Their languages, and when they acquired the art of writing, their alphabets, were quite distinct. The Tamil alphabet is Semitic in character. This division of nations lasted down to comparatively modern times. But there were many sub-divisions.