Dear manju Seetharamu, Tamil inscriptions were discovered even in Egypt (in potteries).And discovering Tamil inscriptions in south east Asia is a very normal thing. Once upon a time, before the arrival of aryans, India was a land of dravidians who spoke a pro-proto-dravidian language.Tamil,kannada and Tulu segregated from southern proto- dravidian language, telugu from central dravidian language and kui, konda etc spoken by tribals in north-India segregated from northern proto- dravidian language. Brahui, another language which segregated from northern proto-dravidian language is not only spoken but also written in pakistan!. The sangam literature composed during christian era was in the standard format of southern-proto dravidian language.And todays Tamil represents it very well. kannada and Telugu might have segrated (only) as spoken languages before todays Tamil but Tamil is the most authentic one and most close to the southern-proto-dravidian language. it was having the so called 'SANGAM' or 'gathering' even before 2000 years for it's development. kannada is no where else near. It is indebted to sanskrit a lot.As a spoken dialect of ancient southern proto dravidian language, it influenced the sangam tamil, that's all. So don't be elated.Sangam literature deals with trade relations ship with romans and east asia, arresting of greeks by tamils (today's mallus) in arabian sea. Devaram, a tamil treatise sung in Thailand even today.
