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118
Development of Nāgarī Script
is still of beaked variety. Chha is of peculiar oval variety with slanted cross bar of tail. The right limb of ja is yet to take single vertical form. Bha denotes its transitional phase. In ligature bdha, the use of the old square form of b can be seen. Like earlier inscriptions of the region, this inscription also represents more frequent use of the vertical form of e.
Maharashtra 11th Century
I have selected Kauthem Plates of Chālukya Vikramāditya V (A.D. 1008), Kalas-Budrukh Plates of Yādava Bhillam III (A.D. 1026), Bhandup Plates of Silāhāra Chhittarāja (A.D. 1026), Kharepätan Plates of Silāhāra Anantadeva I (A.D. 1094) and illustrated them in Table D1, D13, D14 and Dis respectively. These inscriptions show some peculiarities of the region. They also show some differences among themselves which may be due to these inscriptions belonging to different dynasties who had their own cultural gravity. Of that sequel distinction in the inscriptions are discernible.
Kauthem Plates of Chālukya king Vikramāditya V represent the developed form of Western or southern Nāgarī (D2). Initial a is found in fully developed western or southern variety. The left portion of it is formed by two curves which are joined by a horizontal bar with the right vertical. I persists with its old shape. In the formation of e, the influence of northern regions is clearly marked in which the right limb is formed by a single stroke which is unlike the e found in Gujarat region. Rare au shows its old features. In consonants, left limb of the letters kha, ga and sa are marked with a triangular formation. Left notch of gha is placed horizontally. Cha retains beaked form. The forms of chha and pha are almost same. Both letters furnish a tailed inner loop in the right portion. The letters na and ta show modern features side by side with the old cursive shape. The upper horn of dha is yet to develop. Na retains old curved shape. The archaic form of bha denotes a tail in the left limb. Sa is also of old inner looped variety.
Table D13, which has been taken from Kalas-Budrukh Plates of Yādava Bhillan III, shows the northern form of a without lower stroke,
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