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Arachalur (அரச்சலூர்) - 2

Inscription tracing

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XXIX. Arachalur (அரச்சலூர்) - 2
861 A. L. 1    ta       tai     tā2      tai     ta
L. 2    tai      tā      tē        tā      tai
L. 3    tā       tē      tai2     tē      tā
L. 4    tai      tā      [t]ē     tā      tai
L. 5    ta       tai     tā       tai     ta
அ. வரி 1    த    தை    தா    தை    த
வரி 2    தை    தா    தே    தா    தை
வரி 3    தா    தே    தை    தே    தா
வரி 4    தை    தா    தே    தா    தை
வரி 5    த    தை    தா    தை    த
Locus Above the stone bed at left in the cave; worn out but legible.
No. of lines 5
Length Size : 27 x 19 cm.
Date ca. 4th century C.E.
Notes

1. The inscription is a musical notation composed of the syllables ta, tā, tē and tai arranged symmetrically in five columns and five rows. See 87 and Commentary (86 & 87).

2. Krishnan (1974) reads the 3rd letter in L. 1 as tē and the 3rd letter in L. 2 as tē. He also notes that the rd letter in L. 4 as tai. I agree with RN that they have to be read respectively as tā and tē, which would also preserve the symmetry. I have rechecked the letters in situ.

Field Notes