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EPIGRAPHIA INDICA
[Vol. XXXII
The object of the epigraph is to record the construction of a temple by the sister's son of Sömäsiyårl who appears to claim some distinction. The name of this relative is partially preserved in the expression Kumā[ran). This appears to be the earliest known reference to the construction of a structural temple in the Tamil country.
The epigraph is of importance on uocount of the fact that it is one of the few early insoriptions on stone written in archaic Tamil. Added to this is another fact that it is also one of the few inscriptions referring to the reigns of the early Pallava rulers and citing the regnal years. The epigraphs of the early Pallava kings of the Sinhavishņu line are characterised by the following notable features. They are incised generally on rocks and in caves; their script is Pallava-Grantha of the ornamental variety and their language is Sanskrit. Most of them are of the nature of mere labels comprising royal titles and epithets. Even if we take into account & few more Tamil inscriptions of the early period belonging to private agencies, purely Tamil epigraphical records as such containing specific allusions to the contemporary rulers are conspicuous by their paucity. Only two such instances have come to our notice so far. One is the Vallam cave inscription mentioning Pallava Mahendravarman I and the other the Tirukkalikupram epigraph referring to his successor Narasimhavarman 1. The present record, therefore, makes & weloome addition to this meagre list,
There is probably only one place-name mentioned in the record and it is Ālaväy. This place is usually identified with Madura. But if we connect the word Alavāyil with eduppitta occurring later, it will show that the temple was constructed at Alaväy which may have been an early name of Tenkäranai, the provenance of the reoord.
TEXTS
Upper Side 1 Sri-Mahārāja-Paramēsvaravarummarkku yandu talaitta2 vadu Tūpan-gilavaru!=Alavayil Sõmāsiya
Right Side 3 ru-marumagan Kumā[ran] .... 4. Juppitta kö[yıl]....
Lower Side 5. .......]][vu]m se
Left Side 6 ydār tadumāv=orkka [1]
188mAblyar may be contracted either from Bomayajiyar or Somajiyar.
For instance, Tirumayyam inscription (811, Vol. XII, p. 3, n. 1); Panjëri records (ibid., No. 23 A); A.R.Ep., 1937-38, Nos. 133, 140, etc. .A.R.Ep., 1932-33, p. 55.
*[The langusgo of the record seems to mean that Somadiyar hailed from the locality called Alavt 11. -D.C. 8. 1 - From impressions.
