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110
Development of Nāgarī Script
which maintain distinguished calligraphic peculiarities. In order to understand clearly the development with distinctive characteristics northern Nāgarī may be assorted into three groups: I. The Middle Gangā Valley, II. Central India and III. Rajasthan. But it is difficult to fix the exact limit of one type of writing because there are overlappings due to socio-political reasons.
The Middle Gangā Valley 11th Century
Table D, is taken from Goharwa plates of Kalachuri Karna (A.D. 1041-73) and Table Da from Chandrāvati plates of Gāhadavāla Chandradeva (A.D. 1093 and 1099). Among initial vowels, the peculiarities of the region which reflect from these inscriptions are noticed in a and i. In a, the lower limb of the left curve prolongs upward and the upper joining bar disappears, or shortens. Table D5 shows a new innovation in i of which curve and circles are substituted by a line. It may be identified as the first progenitor of its modern counterpart. In this period, such type of development only occurs in this region. Other initial vowels, ā and u resemble modern Nagari in forms and e curves its left limb.
Among consonants, the distinctive letters are cha, bha and sa. The upper left limb of cha detaches from the right vertical and prolongs upwards. Bha shows only transitional phase with right vertical. The outer looped or hooked sa develops to attain the modern counterpart, while in other regions old forms of these letters are more common.
In other letters, right limb of ka extends to right, kha and ga resemble modern counterparts. The left curve of gha moves up. A fully developed form of it can be seen in ghā of Goharwa plates, Chha presents developing process by placing loops one upon the other. Dha is yet to develop upper oblique shape. The right appendage of pha starts from middle portion in modern style, only differing by right hooked shape instead of modern curvature. Sha slants its middle bar. However, rest of the letters approach fully developed shapes.
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