their handsome chariots on the Pothiya hill.[1] It appears therefore that the immigration of the Kosar took place in the 3rd or 2nd Century B.C., when the illegitimate Mauriyas were on the Magadha throne. The Kosar are said to have come from four different towns and they spoke four different dialects.[2] They were a very warlike people and were remarkable for their regard for truth.[3] In the first Century A. D., they were the Masters of the Konga country (the Modern Coimbatore District)[4] while in the Pandyan country they were the most honored of the subjects of the Pandya, inferior in rank only to Palayan-Maran.[5] They invaded Then-Pandi and the Chola territory also, but were repulsed by the Kings Thithiyan[6] and Killi.[7]
The Kosar appear to be no other than the Koshans, a branch of whom conquered Bactria in the second Century B.C. and the north-western portion of India, in the first Century B.C. They were the leaders of the four tribes of the Yuh-chi, i.e., the Asioi, Pasianoi, Tocharoi and Sakarauloi :[8] and their great god was Siva, as may be seen from the coins of Kanishka.[9]
As the Tamil immigrants came into Southern India at distant intervals of time and in separate tribes, and were fewer in number than the aboriginal Nagas and Dravidians, they had to adopt the ancient Dravidian language, and in course of time, they modified and refined it into the language now known as Tamil. The peculiar letter Rzha (ழ) found in the Tamil alphabet which does not occur in the other Dravidian or Sanskrit languages, was doubtless brought in by the Tamil immigrants. This letter, I understand, occurs only in some of the Thibetian languages. It indicates most clearly that the primitive home of the Tamil immigrants must have been in the Thibetian plateau. That they were not of Aryan descent
- ↑ Mamûlanar-Akam, 250.
- ↑ Mathuraik-Kanchi, II. 508-509.
- ↑ Old stanza quoted by Nachchinakiniyar In his commentary to the Tholkapiyam Porul-athikaram, Mr. Thamotharam Pillai’s edition, p. 329.
- ↑ Chilapp-athikaram Urai-peru-kaddurai.
- ↑ Mathuraik-kanchi, II. 772-774.
- ↑ Paranar-Akam, 195.
- ↑ Nakkirar-Akam, 204.
- ↑ Strabo XI. viii. 2
- ↑ Catalogue of coins of Greek and Scythic kings of Bactria and India, by R. S. Poole, p. xl.
