Check out this in "THE HINDU" Editorial.http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/the-status-of-malayalam/article3962277.ece "As a language with a continuous history of more than 2,300 years and a long record of ancient and modern literary works of acknowledged excellence, its claim is incontestable, at least in relative terms." It says Malayalam has 2300 years History..!!! Regards,S.KarthikVandemataram
Malayalam is nothing but one of the early purest form of Tamil only though whatever the Malayalees may claim ! If you study the language closely we would be astonished !
every one has their regional pride...which is not wrong..but if we say that Malayalam should be only 1000 years old, they will fight with us... Cheraman peruman sung thirukailaya ula in Tamil...its 1300 years old. So tamil should have been the native language during that time.
There are no proofs in it. The word (the script)is tamil. It is well know fact established by scholars that Malayalam evolved from tamil about 600 years ago and the scripts and the words are from Tamil. The source you gave holds no ground.
Dear Arul, I am not defending or arguing for Malayalam Historical Period.I have just forwarded a Editorial in "THE HINDU" which call Malayalam as 2300 Years Old. There was a mail earlier circulated which had Inscription with Malayalam Script /words which was of 5th Century AD. And there was some interesting argument regarding this in this forum. I circulated this information only in order to get any further information regarding it.
"THE HINDU" Editorial does not generally carry fanciful imaginations.My purpose was to bring out anything as information is existant regarding this view with our members. Regards,S.KarthikVandemataram
Forwarding a "Hindu" - Editorial piece to support this premise is fanciful. I sincerely would advise you to not take the present day Editorials very seriously. There was a time during the by-gone era, when Editorials from the "Hindu" were pristine and genuine. 1. Presenting Classical status to a language is merely a political stunt nowadays to appease the voting public. it has nothing to do with the scientific and historical research in that languauge. 2. History of Malayalam is non - recognizable beyond 1000 years as it completely rode on Tamil's shoulders. 3. If you look closely, "The Hindu" - nowadays toes Congress lines.(oops should I say govt.'s lines) 4. The Hindu is never ready to prescribe to the established facts that Tamils are the main part of present day Srilanka's history and in fact right from their Mahavamsam to archaeological and linguistic findings tamils were the "Poorva Kudis" of Sri lanka. Word Eezham was not coined few years ago but couple ofmillenniaago. 5. It even wrote an editorial to condemn sending back few Srilankans - (which is right- it had to be condemned), but says nothing about the innocent people killed during the last phase of Eelam war and is shows itself to be proud to prostate in front of Rajapakse whenever he comes.
I understand most of the points here are not related to Malayalam's perceived history. But then I am really sorry if you still believe "The Hindu" 's Editorials to be sacred. If you start keenly following the political stands which it has been taking then may be the pattern behind its editorials won't seem new to you.
Please stay on topic, have a healthy discussion on the topic rather than finger pointing individuals. Otherwise any further emails on this topic will be deleted.
Several scholarly debates are happening on this subject following Sri Iyravatham Mahadevan's reading (ei pazhama). One reading suggests this as "si pazhami" which refers to an ancient mother goddess.
Some of the foremost historians of Kerala are silent on this reading and have not offered any further comments. More corroborative evidences will be necessary to prove the claim.
This subject need to be discussed diapassionately.
There is a cave inscription discovered in wayanadu which pushes Malayalam defenetly to 1000 years back.
Cheraman Perumal and Kulasekaraq Alwar - are from Thiruvanjaikkalam. At the same time the present day Karur is the Sangam Chera's Vanji.It is possible that there might have been a different language atleast as spoken by a group in the present day Kerala.
Also the Chola Inscriptions refers to " Malai Naattuk Kodun Thamizh".
The studies need to be dispassionate. At that same time there is no doubt that Tamil was spoken in Many parts of the present Kerala even in the period.Tamil Inscriptions are found till 12th C and in some cases even in 14th C.
Interestingly inThondaradippodi Azhwar Pasuram - Pachchai Mamalai pol meni
if you read that as such it is tamil
if you change a single word - Ichchuvai thavira yaan poi indira logam aalum as ichchuvaithavira "Gnaan" poi indira logam aalum - it will be Malayalam.