https://indianpedia.org/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Arachalur_Musical_InscriptionArachalur Musical Inscription - Revision history2026-07-30T15:34:54ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.45.4https://indianpedia.org/index.php?title=Arachalur_Musical_Inscription&diff=487214&oldid=prevAlberthaPickard at 07:22, 25 November 20252025-11-25T07:22:25Z<p></p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Short description|Historical Site}}<br />
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2023}}<br />
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2023}}<br />
{{Infobox religious building<br />
| name = Arachalur Rock-cut Musical Inscription<br />
| religious_affiliation = [[Hinduism]], [[Jainism]]<br />
| image = <br />
|map_type=India Tamil Nadu<br />
| alt = <br />
| caption = <br />
| location = Nagamalai, [[Arachalur]], [[Erode]], Tamil Nadu, India<br />
| coordinates = {{coord|11.173|77.7|format=dms|display=it}}<br />
| completed = 2nd century AD<br />
}}<br />
'''Arachalur Rock-cut Cave Musical Inscription''', also known as '''Arachalur Isai Kalvettu''' is a rock cut historical site of musical inscriptions at the south of Nagamalai hill in [[Arachalur]] Reserve Forest near [[Erode]] in [[Tamil Nadu]], [[India]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=TN Archaeology - Arachalur|url=https://www.tnarch.gov.in/sites/default/files/Arachalur-Agreement.pdf|access-date=2021-06-27}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Tamil Navigation|date=21 November 2020 |url=https://tamilnavigation.in/2020/11/21/arachalur-1800-year-old-music-inscriptions/|access-date=2021-06-27}}</ref><br />
<br />
==The Inscriptions==<br />
There are three 2nd century CE [[Jain]] inscriptions in Arachalur, which Dr. S. Raju discovered. On a Jain bed in the Arachalur hills, is an inscription — ‘ezhuthum punaruthan maniya vannakkan devan sathan.’ The word ‘punaruthan’ is an alteration of punarthan, which means organised.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/society/history-and-culture/the-influence-of-jainism-in-kongu-nadu/article19845654.ece|title=On how Kongu Nadu was a Jain bastion|last=Krishnamachari|first=Suganthy|date=2017-10-12|work=The Hindu|access-date=2019-09-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191023080330/https://www.thehindu.com/society/history-and-culture/the-influence-of-jainism-in-kongu-nadu/article19845654.ece|archive-date=2019-10-23|language=en-IN|issn=0971-751X}}</ref><br />
The other two inscriptions have musical syllables, which are the same when read from left to right, and vice versa; they are also the same when read from the top of a column to the bottom and vice versa. These two inscriptions show that 'Maniyan Vannakkan Devan Sathan' organised musical syllables.<ref>{{Cite web|title=11°10'19.6"N 77°41'28.7"E|url=https://www.google.com/maps/place/11%C2%B010%2719.6%22N+77%C2%B041%2728.7%22E/@11.1721,77.691297,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x0!8m2!3d11.1721!4d77.691297?shorturl=1|access-date=2020-11-05|website=11°10'19.6"N 77°41'28.7"E|language=en}}</ref> "This inscription, which belongs to the same period as Silappadikaram, is centuries older than the 'Kudumiyamalai inscriptions' on music, and yet the Arachalur inscription hardly draws visitors," rues Dr.S. Raju.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web|title=ஈரோடு இசை கல்வெட்டு {{!}} Erode Music inscription {{!}} Tamilnavigation - YouTube|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fid0cqXTveI&feature=youtu.be|access-date=2020-11-05|website=www.youtube.com| date=2 November 2020 }}</ref><br />
<br />
==Location==<br />
[[File:Digital Image of The Arachalur 400CE Musical Notations Inscription 04.png|alt=Digital images obtained by 3D scanning of the three 3-4th century Tamil-Brahmi inscriptions at Arachalur|thumb|440x440px|Digital images obtained by 3D scanning of the three 3-4th century Tamil-Brahmi inscriptions at Arachalur]]<br />
[[File:Digital Image of The Arachalur 400CE Musical Notations Inscription 02.png|thumb|440x440px|Digital image obtained by 3D scanning of the 3-4th century Tamil-Brahmi "musical" inscription]]<br />
[[File:Digital Image of The Arachalur 400CE Musical Notations Inscription 06.png|thumb|440x440px|Digital image obtained by 3D scanning of the 3-4th century Tamil-Brahmi Arachalur Tevan Cattan inscription]]<br />
The site is located on the Erode-Palani [[State Highway 83A (Tamil Nadu)|State Highway-83A]] about 20&nbsp;km from [[Erode Central Bus Terminus]] and 18&nbsp;km from [[Erode Junction railway station]].<br />
<br />
== References ==<br />
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}<br />
<br />
{{Jain history}}<br />
{{Jainism topics}}<br />
{{Authority control}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:2nd-century inscriptions]]<br />
[[Category:Archaeological sites in Tamil Nadu]]<br />
[[Category:Jain rock-cut architecture]]<br />
[[Category:Erode district]]<br />
[[Category:Tourist attractions around Erode]]<br />
[[Category:Music history of India]]</div>AlberthaPickard