Arachalur (அரச்சலூர்) - 3

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XXIX .  Arachalur (அரச்சலூர்) - 3
871
A.
L. 1     kai      ta         tai       ta       kai
L. 2     ta        [kai*    ta*      kai*   ta*]
L. 3     tai       ta        kai2     ta      [t]ai
L. 4     ta        kai      [ta*     kai*   ta* ]
L. 5     [kai*    ta*      tai*]    ta      [k]ai
    
அ.
வரி 1    கை      த          தை       த          கை
வரி 2    த         [கை*    த*          கை*    த*]
வரி 3    தை       த          கை         த        தை
வரி 4    த         கை      [த*          கை*   த*]
வரி 5    [ கை*   த*       தை*]      த         [கை]
Locus
Above the stone bed at right in the cave; badly damaged.
No. of lines
5
Length
Size : 34 x 28 cm.
Date
ca. 4th century C.E.
Notes
1. Another musical notation as in 86, but with different syllables (kai, ta and tai). These two compositions are referred to in 85. Only 15 letters in this inscription have survived wholly or partially; the others are restored taking advantage of the symmetry of the composition. See ETE 2, Commentary (86 & 87) for a recent interpretation on the musical notations in the Arachalur inscriptions.
2. RN and Krishnan (1974) agree on the reading and restoration of all the syllables of the composition. (In L. 2: letter 2, ti seems to be a misprint for tai in Krishnan.) However, I read kai where they read tai (L. 2: letters 2 & 4; L. 3: letter 3; L. 4: letters 2 &4). On rechecking in situ I find that kai is seen clearly in the middle of L. 3 and less clearly as the 2nd letter in L. 4. I have restored [kai*] for the other three syllables to preserve the symmetry.
Field Notes