Page:Tamil studies.djvu/372

Rh Mel (west or upper)-muri, Mel-attur, Tannir-kadu, and Kazhani-paramba support the theory that the ancient inhabitants of Kerala were Tamil Dravidians. Again, from the existence of Tamil words kizhakku (east) and inerku (+vest) in the Malayalam language, Dr. Caldwell argues that the Malayalam is an off-shoot from Tamil, and that the people by whom it is spoken were originally a colony of Tamilians'. This argument confirms beyond a shadow of doubt the Tamil origin of the Malayalam people, though it seems to Mr. Logan fanciful and ingenious. Prior to the fifth or sixth century A. D. the Tamil words GooÉS, GLÉS, QLÁG and QSPG expressed the four directions, while Byós and Couns then meant 'down - ward' and ' upward.' In all these the particle s is a dative case termination meaning 'direction. Later on குணக்கு and குடக்கு became classical or used only in literature, and their place was taken by கிழக்கு and மேற்கு which acquired that significance with reference to the position of the Tamil country lying east of the Western Ghauts. Notwithstanding the strikingly reverse configuration of the modern Malayalam and Tamil countries, the Tamil word

465 has come to denote the 'east' on both sides of the Ghauts and in both languages. This is no doubt an anomaly and can be explained only by accepting that the early inhabitants of the Malayalam country were Tamil immigrants from the East coast districts.

The word CDG has, however, retained in Malayalam its ancient Tamil meaning upward', and its