I took these photos in Mamallapuram in Tamil Nadu. The temple dates from the Pallava dynasty (4th-9th centuries). I think the first photo is the Pallava script. I'm not sure about the second one, though.

The lines underneath those in Pallava script appear to be in plain old Tamil script. I recognise a few glyphs. There is some controversy about the origins of the Pallavas, and I am not sure if the language of the inscriptions is in a Dravidian or an Indic language. I spent a pleasant though hot afternoon in Mahabalipuram (aka Mamallapuram).

zmjezhd, do you mean this script is Tamil? It looks too curvy to me.

I very much enjoyed my few days in Mamallapuram and Pondicherry. I was in Mamallapuram a few days before the tsunami. I'm sure it looks quite different now.

or are you saying that the upper of the two scripts in the second photo is Pallava, and the lower one is Tamil? I'm sure the first photo is Pallava, but the script in the second photo looks quite different to me. And I don't know what happened with the lower script - it's like the carver got bored.

Sorry, Gooofy, I got the pictures mixed up. I was referring to the third image you linked to, which isn't really a photo but shows an inscription in one script (on top) and a description and transliteration of the script (in Telegu script) on the bottom. I took it around to a couple of Indian progammers at work yesterday. A Tamil programmer identified the language on the bottom as Telegu (by its script), so off I went to a Telegu engineer. Neither recognized the language of the top inscription. Looking around the site you found the image on. I see that the script is in fact Tamil Grantham which was used to write Sanskrit. Now, I must take a closer look at your photos, but the server their on doesn't seem to be responding.

It's responding now I hope.

I was under the impression that the third image was Pallava script. But you're right, it's Tamil Grantham. Sorry for the confusion.

Yes, it's working now. Thanks, gooofy. I really can't tell. The two lines do appear to be in different but related scripts. Was there any indication at the site of the age of the inscriptions?

I don't know how old either inscription is. Ah well. I find it fascinating just how many scripts India has. Every time I look I find more of them.

Thanks for your help!