________________
142
THE SANGAM AGE.
The origin of Pallavas.
not contain any reference to the Pallavas or their activities. Let us consider the soundness of this argument.
The otigin óf Pallavas is even to-day considered a mystery. It is one of the many unsolved problems of Indian history. The rise and progress of the Pallavas seem to be as astonishing as the various theories propounded regarding their origin. Certain facts, however, in their history are matters of common knowledge. In the seventh or the middle half of the seventh century A.D., they were predominant in South India and the various Tamil kingdoms were more or less subject to them. At the end of the fourth and the beginning of the fifth century A.D., their rule remained obscure : perhaps it was not widely known. The question now is when they assumed the name of Pallava. By what other name were they originally known ? Were they foreign or indigenous to India ? Unless these questions are satisfactorily answered, there can be no force in the argument that because Sangam literature makes no reference to them, the Sangam itsell must have flourished long before their rule conimenced: The Allahabad pillar inscription of Samudragupta merely speaks of Vishnu Göra as the ruler of Kāñchi. The name Pallava does not occur there. From this it is evident that in the fourth century A.D. the name Pallava was little used by them. Let us next see whether what is known as the Sangam literature yields us any clue as to the origin of
