Book Title: Alphabet Key To History Of Mankind
Author(s): David Diringer
Publisher: Hutchinsons Scientific and Technical Publications
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INDIAN BRANCH
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Chamba State. This script is also used for the other dialects of the same group, Gadi (15,000 people), Churahi (30,000) and Pangnali (4,000).
The Chameali is the best revised Takri variety; it has a complete series of vowels, and is as legible and correct as the Deva-nagari. Types have been cast and books have been printed in it, including some portions of the Bible. As there are no types for the Dogri character used in the neighbouring Jammu State, the types of the allied Chameali are also employed for books printed in Dogri.
Mandeali Character
It is another variety of the Takri. The most peculiar feature of this script is the sign yo which represents the sound va, and sometimes also an initial long o. This script is employed for Mandeali and Suketi, both belonging to the Mandi group, which is the most occidental of the western Pahari dialects. Mandeali is spoken by about 150,000 people in Mandi State, and Suketi by about 55,000 people in Suket State.
Sirmauri Character
The Takri variety known as the Sirmauri Character is employed for Sirmauri, a western Pahari dialect spoken by about 125,000 people in Sirmur or Sirmaur State (Punjab), also in Ambala and Jubbal. The Sirmauri script is partly influenced by the Deva-nagari character.
Jaunsari Character
The Jaunsari script is allied to the Sirmauri. It is employed for Jaunsari, another western Pahari dialect spoken by about 50,000 people in Jaunsar-Bawar (United Provinces), who also use the Deva-nagari character.
Kochi Character
The Kochi writing is also a variety of the Takri character. Like the preceding two scripts, it has also struck out on independent lines, and suffers from the same imperfections; initial vowels often represent non-initial long vowels. The initial y is frequently dropped; often no distinction is made between short and long vowels, both forms being represented either by the short form (in the instances of u and a) or by the long form (in the case of i). The Kochi script is used for Kochi, a Kiuthali sub-dialect of western Pahari, spoken by 52,000 people in Bashahr, the most extensive of the Simla Hill States.
Kului Character
The Kului is another allied script. It is employed for Kului, a western Pahari dialect of the Kulu group, spoken in the Kulu Valley (Punjab) by about 55,000 people. There are two varieties of this script.
