New inscriptions found on granite outcrops in the Cardamom Hills of Kerala have been identified as the Tattva-Gatika, or the 'Flow of Essentials.' Dating back to the 6th century CE, the text outlines a radical Ontology of Change, suggesting that the primary nature of reality is not 'being' but 'becoming.' It uses the seasonal flow of spices and mountain mists as a metaphor for the Gati (motion) of the cosmic soul.
Epigraphists note that the inscription uses a transitional Vatteluttu script to convey complex Vedic concepts, indicating a sophisticated intellectual culture in the deep forests of the Western Ghats. The philosophy advocated in the Tattva-Gatika suggests that ethical living consists of aligning one's internal rhythm with the 'essential motion' of the environment, a precursor to modern ecological ethics.