Science and Art of Calligraphy and Painting

Author(s): S Andhare
Publisher: Indian National Science Academy

Page 60

.
Phatiyu, Oliyo, or Rekhapati - A ruler board
2
One is astonisend to see the uniformity of lines and letters of the Jain Nagri script written by the scribes. It is the work of the Oliyo which is a kind of lineboard to produce equidistant lines on paper.
Required sizes of wooden or papier-mache boards are cut and thin holes are pierced at equal distance on two smaller sides of the board.
A medium size string is inserted through these holes and tied firmly at the back of the board. In orded to secure the stirngs., in their position the surface (upper) is coated with a thin slip of rice paste or the tamarind paste or any thick colour. When the board gets thoroughly dry, sheets of paper are cut to the size of the board. Each sheet is then held on the lines with the left hand and the rest of the paper is pressed over the threads with the right to get the impressions on the paper. Similarly by reversing the paper, we can get lines in between also. Once the impressions of lines are seen, the scribes start writing on the sheets. When the text is completely written down they are kept in between the two bookcovers, and the pothi is tied with a string. The lines disappear after a certain period.
Fig1
A,B,C,D Ruler board and the process of writing
b