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138 JAINA ARCHAEOLOGICAL HERITAGE OF TAMILNADU
about the 3rd century B.C. down to the 6th century A.D.
Epigraphical discoveries are being made regularly by the assiduous Archaeologists and they have been reported in different Journals and magazines which are at times not easily accessible to all. In view of this difficulty, Jaina inscriptions discovered for the last ten years are presented here in this paper. Most of them have been reported in AVANAM, the Journal of Tamilnadu Archaeological Society, and the present author whole-heartedly acknowledeges the yeomen service of those who have brought to light these invaluable lithic documents.
Arittapatti
Arittapatti, a village in Melur taluk of Madurai district, contains a small hillock locally known as Kalinjamalai. It was from a cavern in the hillock an early brahmi inscription datable to the 2nd century B.C. was brought to light in the year 1971.
3
Recently, another early brahmi inscription of the same age has been discovered by the Department of Archaeology, Government of Tamilnadu. It discloses that the hermitage (cave) was caused to the made by Imayavan, son of Ilam Peratan of Ilanchi. The place Ilanchi is identified with the modern Ilanchi near Kurralam in Tirunelveli district. The hermitage is referred to here by the term Mulaukai, as against to the oft-repeated term Palli or Paali. In addition to this inscription, the one discovered from here in 1971, and another from Varichchiyur near Madurai also mention Mulakai and Mulaukai respectively referring to hermitage. The script of this new inscription (Fig) has close similarities with the Tamil Brahmi inscriptions found at Mangulam (near Arittapatti) and
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