Newari scripts

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Template:Short description Script error: No such module "about".Script error: No such module "Infobox".Template:Template otherScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". Template:Sidebar with collapsible lists Newari scripts (Nepal Lipi: 𑐣𑐾𑐥𑐵𑐮 𑐁𑐏𑐮, Devanagari: नेपाल आखल) are a family of alphabetic writing systems employed historically in Nepal Mandala by the indigenous Newar people for primarily writing Nepal Bhasa. It is also used for transcribing Sanskrit and Pali.[1] There are also some claims they have also been used to write the Parbatiya (Khas) language[2]Script error: No such module "Unsubst"..

These scripts were in widespread use from the 10th to the early 20th-century, but have since been largely supplanted by the modern script known as Devanagari. Of the older scripts, about 50,000 manuscripts written in Nepal Lipi have been archived.[3]

History

File:Ranjana prayer wheels.jpg
Prayer wheels with the mantra "Om mani padme hum" in Ranjana script at Swayambhu, Kathmandu.
File:Nepalese mohar 816.jpg
The coin reads "Shree Shree Jaya Bhupatindra Malla Dev 816" (1696 AD) in Prachalit script.
File:Letter in nepal script.jpg
Letter in Nepal Bhasa and Nepal script dated 7 May 1924 sent from Lhasa to Kathmandu.
File:Ghorashar letterhead 1958.jpg
Nepal script used on letterhead of Nepalese business house in Lhasa dated 1958.
File:Jing An Temple Stone Sanskrit Om.jpeg
Rañjanā "Oṃ" syllables surrounding the implements of the Four Heavenly Kings. Jing'an Temple, Shanghai, China.

Pre development

Prior to development of Nepal Scripts, people in the Nepal Mandala used the following scripts which are shared within the South Asian region.[4][5]

Early usage and development

The 'Nepal Script' or 'Nepalese script'[6] appeared in the 10th century. The earliest instance is a manuscript entitled Lankavatara Sutra dated Nepal Era 28 (908 AD). Another early specimen is a palm-leaf manuscript of a Buddhist text the Prajnaparamita, dated Nepal Era 40 (920 AD).[7] One of the oldest manuscript of Ramayana, preserved till date, was written in Nepal Script in 1041.[8]

The script has been used on stone and copper plate inscriptions, coins (Nepalese mohar), palm-leaf documents and Hindu and Buddhist manuscripts.[9][10]

Among the famed historical texts written in Nepal Lipi are Gopalarajavamsavali, a history of Nepal, which appeared in 1389 AD,[11] the Nepal-Tibet treaty of Nepal Era 895 (1775 AD) and a letter dated Nepal Era 535 (1415 AD) sent by Chinese Emperor Tai Ming to Shakti-simha-rama, a feudatory of Banepa.[12][13]

Besides the Kathmandu Valley and the Himalayan region in Nepal, the Ranjana script is used for sacred purposes in Tibet, China, Japan, Korea, Mongolia, Bhutan, Sikkim and Ladakh.[14]

The Jokhang Temple in Lhasa, Tibet is ornamented with mantras embossed in Ranjana script, and the panels under the eaves are numbered using Nepal Lipi.[15]

Decline

In 1906, the Rana regime banned Nepal Bhasa, Nepal Era and Nepal Lipi from official use as part of its policy to subdue them, and the script fell into decline. Authors were also encouraged to switch to Devanagari to write Nepal Bhasa because of the availability of moveable type for printing, and Nepal Lipi was pushed further into the background.[16] However, the script continued to be used for religious and ceremonial purposes till the 1950s.

Revival

After the Rana dynasty was overthrown and democracy established in 1951,[17] restrictions on Nepal Bhasa were lifted. Attempts were made to study and revive the old scripts,[18] and alphabet books were published. Hemraj Shakyavamsha published an alphabet book of 15 types of Nepalese alphabets including Ranjana, Bhujimol and Pachumol.[19]

In 1952, a pressman Pushpa Ratna Sagar of Kathmandu had moveable type of Nepal script made in India. The metal type was used to print the dateline and the titles of the articles in Thaunkanhe monthly.[20]

In 1989, the first book to be printed using a computer typeface of Nepal script, Prasiddha Bajracharyapinigu Sanchhipta Bibaran ("Profiles of Renowned Bajracharyas") by Badri Ratna Bajracharya, was published.

Types

The scripts known to have been used by the Newar people of pre-Gorkha Nepal (i.e., Nepala Mandala) or dynasties that ruled over them in history are as follows:[4][5]

Among the different scripts based on Nepal script, Ranjana (meaning "delightful"), Bhujinmol ("fly-headed") and Prachalit ("ordinary") are the most common.[21][22] Ranjana is the most ornate among the scripts. It is most commonly used to write Buddhist texts and inscribe mantras on prayer wheels, shrines, temples, and monasteries. The popular Buddhist mantra Om mani padme hum (meaning ("Hail to the jewel in the lotus" in Sanskrit) is often written in Ranjana.

Description

Consonants

Pracalit Rañjanā <templatestyles src="Template:Tooltip/styles.css" />Dev.Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". <templatestyles src="Template:Tooltip/styles.css" />Rom.Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
File:Pracalit ka.svg File:Ranjana k.svg क ka
File:Pracalit kha.svg File:Ranjana kh.svg ख kha
File:Pracalit ga.svg File:Ranjana g.svg ग ga
File:Pracalit gha.svg File:Ranjana gh.svg घ gha
File:Pracalit ṅa.svg File:Ranjana ng.svg ङ ṅa
File:Pracalit ṅha.svg File:Ranjana ngh.svg ह्ङ ṅha
File:Pracalit ca.svg File:Ranjana c.svg च ca
File:Pracalit cha.svg File:Ranjana ch.svg छ cha
File:Pracalit ja.svg File:Ranjana j.svg ज ja
File:Pracalit jha.svg File:Ranjana jh.svg झ jha
File:Pracalit ña.svg File:Ranjana ny.svg ञ ña
File:Pracalit ñha.svg File:Ranjana nyh.svg ह्ञ् ñha
Pracalit Rañjanā <templatestyles src="Template:Tooltip/styles.css" />Dev.Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". <templatestyles src="Template:Tooltip/styles.css" />Rom.Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
File:Pracalit ṭa.svg File:Ranjana tt.svg ट ṭa
File:Pracalit ṭha.svg File:Ranjana tth.svg ठ ṭha
File:Pracalit ḍa.svg File:Ranjana dd.svg ड ḍa
File:Pracalit ḍha.svg File:Ranjana ddh.svg ढ ḍha
File:Pracalit ṇa.svg File:Ranjana nn.svg ण ṇa
File:Pracalit ṇha.svg File:Ranjana nnh.svg ह्ण ṇha
File:Pracalit ta.svg File:Ranjana t.svg त ta
File:Pracalit tha.svg File:Ranjana th.svg थ tha
File:Pracalit da.svg File:Ranjana d.svg द da
File:Pracalit dha.svg File:Ranjana dh.svg ध dha
File:Pracalit na.svg File:Ranjana n.svg न na
File:Pracalit nha.svg File:Ranjana nh.svg ह्न nha
Pracalit Rañjanā <templatestyles src="Template:Tooltip/styles.css" />Dev.Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". <templatestyles src="Template:Tooltip/styles.css" />Rom.Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
File:Pracalit pa.svg File:Ranjana p.svg प pa
File:Pracalit pha.svg File:Ranjana ph.svg फ pha
File:Pracalit ba.svg File:Ranjana b.svg ब ba
File:Pracalit bha.svg File:Ranjana bh.svg भ bha
File:Pracalit ma.svg File:Ranjana m.svg म ma
File:Pracalit mha.svg File:Ranjana mh.svg ह्म mha
File:Pracalit ya.svg File:Ranjana y.svg य ya
File:Pracalit ra.svg File:Ranjana r.svg र ra
File:Pracalit rha.svg File:Ranjana rh.svg ह्र rha
File:Pracalit la.svg File:Ranjana l.svg ल la
File:Pracalit lha.svg File:Ranjana lh.svg ह्ल lha
File:Pracalit va.svg File:Ranjana v.svg व va
Pracalit Rañjanā <templatestyles src="Template:Tooltip/styles.css" />Dev.Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". <templatestyles src="Template:Tooltip/styles.css" />Rom.Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
File:Pracalit śa.svg File:Ranjana sh.svg श śa
File:Pracalit ṣa.svg File:Ranjana ss.svg ष ṣa
File:Pracalit sa.svg File:Ranjana s.svg स sa
File:Pracalit ha.svg File:Ranjana h.svg ह ha
File:Pracalit kṣa.svg File:Ranjana ksh.svg क्ष kṣa
File:Pracalit tra.svg File:Ranjana tr.svg त्र tra
File:Pracalit jña.svg File:Ranjana jny.svg ज्ञ jña

The compound letters kṣa, tra and jña are often regarded as separate letters that are taught together with the other letters. Since the Newari language lacks retroflex consonants, the letters ṭa, ṭha, ḍa, ḍha, ṇa and ṣa are used only in loanwords. The same applies to the letter śa. Newari, on the other hand, has a number of sonorant consonants that are pronounced with creaky voice (ṅha, ñha, ṇha, nha, mha, rha and lha). They are written in compound letters consisting of "ha" combined with the letter for the corresponding modal sonorant.[23]

Contextual forms

File:Pracalit contextual forms.svg
Letters with alternative forms (bha and ha) and letters that form ligatures together with the vowel u (ja and ra ). Also note that "u" changes shape when combined with "bha".

Some letters have alternative forms that are used when combined with certain vowel diacritics or included in a consonant cluster.[24]

  • Letter bha and ha changes appearance when combined with any of the vowel diacritics u, ū, ṛ, ṝ, ḷ and ḹ.
  • Letter ja and ra forms ligatures together with the vowels u and ū.
  • Vowels u changes appearance when combined with the letters ga, ta, bha and śa.

Compound letters

Script error: No such module "Multiple image". Consonant clusters are written by writing several consonant letters together in complex ligatures. How they are written depends on the shape of the letters and some letters have alternative shapes that are used depending on their position in the cluster.[24]

Vowels

Pracalit Rañjanā <templatestyles src="Template:Tooltip/styles.css" />Dev.Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". <templatestyles src="Template:Tooltip/styles.css" />Rom.Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
File:Pracalit a.svg File:Ranjana a.svg अ a
File:Pracalit ā.svg File:Ranjana aa.svg आ ā
File:Pracalit i.svg File:Ranjana i.svg इ i
File:Pracalit ī.svg File:Ranjana ii.svg ई ī
File:Pracalit u.svg File:Ranjana u.svg उ u
File:Pracalit ū.svg File:Ranjana uu.svg ऊ ū
Pracalit Rañjanā <templatestyles src="Template:Tooltip/styles.css" />Dev.Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". <templatestyles src="Template:Tooltip/styles.css" />Rom.Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
File:Pracalit ṛ.svg File:Ranjana ri.svg ऋ ṛ
File:Pracalit ṝ.svg File:Ranjana rii.svg ॠ ṝ
File:Pracalit e.svg File:Ranjana e.svg ए e
File:Pracalit ai.svg File:Ranjana ai.svg ऐ ai
File:Pracalit o.svg File:Ranjana o.svg ओ o
File:Pracalit au.svg File:Ranjana au.svg औ au
Pracalit Rañjanā <templatestyles src="Template:Tooltip/styles.css" />Dev.Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". <templatestyles src="Template:Tooltip/styles.css" />Rom.Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
File:Pracalit ay.svg File:Ranjana ay.svg अय् ay
File:Pracalit āy.svg File:Ranjana aay.svg आय् āy
File:Pracalit ey.svg File:Ranjana ey.svg एय् ey

The vowel ṛ which in Sanskrit stands for syllable forming [ṛ] is used in Newar script to write the syllable ri.

In Newari, the vowels a and ā are pronounced with different vowel qualities. In order to write their long equivalents, some diacritics have been given partially different properties than what is otherwise usual in Brahmic scripts.

Letter Name Transcription Description
Pracalit Rañjanā Sanskrit Newari <templatestyles src="Template:Tooltip/styles.css" />Dev.Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". <templatestyles src="Template:Tooltip/styles.css" />Rom.Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
File:Pracalit aḥ.svg File:Ranjana ah.svg visarga lyuphuti अः aḥ Usually used to indicate that a vowel is followed by an h-sound. In Newari it is used instead of marking a long vowel.
File:Pracalit aṁ.svg File:Ranjana am̐.svg candrabindu milaphuti अँ am̐ Marks a nasal vowel.
File:Pracalit aṃ.svg File:Ranjana am.svg anusvāra sinhaphuti अं aṃ In other words, it can be seen as a combination of visarga and chandrabindu.

Vowel diacritics

Pracalit

Some of the vowel diacritics have different appearances depending on whether the consonant has a top line or not. There are seven consonants without top lines: ga, ña, ṭha, ṇa, tha, dha and śa.[24]

a aḥ ā āḥ i ī u ū ṛ ṝ e ai o au am̐ aṃ
क
ka 		File:Pracalit ka.svg File:Pracalit kaḥ.svg File:Pracalit kā.svg File:Pracalit kāḥ.svg File:Pracalit ki.svg File:Pracalit kī.svg File:Pracalit ku.svg File:Pracalit kū.svg File:Pracalit kṛ.svg File:Pracalit kṝ.svg File:Pracalit ke.svg File:Pracalit kai.svg File:Pracalit ko.svg File:Pracalit kau.svg File:Pracalit kaṁ.svg File:Pracalit kaṃ.svg
ग
ga 		File:Pracalit ga.svg File:Pracalit gaḥ.svg File:Pracalit gā.svg File:Pracalit gāḥ.svg File:Pracalit gi.svg File:Pracalit gī.svg File:Pracalit gu.svg File:Pracalit gū.svg File:Pracalit gṛ.svg File:Pracalit gṝ.svg File:Pracalit ge.svg File:Pracalit gai.svg File:Pracalit go.svg File:Pracalit gau.svg File:Pracalit gaṁ.svg File:Pracalit gaṃ.svg
Rañjanā

The vowel diacritics can have up to three different appearances depending on which consonant they are combined with.[25] The rules for ka are also used for ja, kṣa and jña. The rules for ga also apply to kha, ña, ṭha, ṇa, tha, dha and sha. The rules for ba are used for other letters.

Current use

Nepal Lipi is available in Unicode as Newa script. It is the official script used to write Nepal Bhasa. Ranjana script has been proposed for encoding in Unicode.[26]

The letter heads of Kathmandu Metropolitan City,[27] Lalitpur Metropolitan City,[28] Bhaktapur Municipality,[29] Madhyapur Thimi Municipality[30] ascribes its names in Ranjana Script.

In India, the official script for Newar language is Nepal Lipi.[31]

Gallery

See also

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External links

Notes

Template:Notelist

References

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  1. ↑ Tuladhar, Prem Shanti (2000). Nepal Bhasa Sahityaya Itihas: The History of Nepalbhasa Literature. Kathmandu: Nepal Bhasa Academy. Template:ISBN. Page 306.
  2. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  3. ↑ Nepal-German Manuscript Cataloguing Project
  4. ↑ a b Shakyavansha, Hemraj (1993, eighth edition). Nepalese Alphabet. Kathmandu: Mandas Lumanti Prakashan.
  5. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  6. ↑ Sakya, Hemaraj (2004) Svayambhū Mahācaitya: The self-arisen great Caitya of Nepal. Svayambhu Vikash Mandal. Template:ISBN, Template:ISBN. Page 607. Retrieved 29 March 2012.
  7. ↑ Shrestha, Rebati Ramanananda (2001). Newah. Lalitpur: Sahityaya Mulukha. Page 86.
  8. ↑ Institute of Scientific Research on VedasTemplate:Category handler[<span title="Script error: No such module "string".">usurped]Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
  9. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  10. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  11. ↑ Vajracarya, Dhanavajra and Malla, Kamal P. (1985). The Gopalarajavamsavali. Franz Steiner Verlag Wiesbaden GmbH.
  12. ↑ Tamot, Kashinath (2009). Sankhadharkrit Nepal Sambat. Nepal Mandala Research Guthi. Template:ISBN. Pages 68–69.
  13. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  14. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  15. ↑ Tuladhar, Kamal Ratna (second edition 2011). Caravan to Lhasa: A Merchant of Kathmandu in Traditional Tibet. Kathmandu: Lijala and Tisa. Template:ISBN. Page 115.
  16. ↑ Tuladhar, Prem Shanti (2000). Nepal Bhasa Sahityaya Itihas: The History of Nepalbhasa Literature. Kathmandu: Nepal Bhasa Academy. Template:ISBN. Page 14.
  17. ↑ Brown, T. Louise (1996). The Challenge to Democracy in Nepal: A Political History. Routledge. Template:ISBN, Template:ISBN. Page 21.
  18. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  19. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".Script error: No such module "Unsubst". Page 3.
  20. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  21. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  22. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1". Page 87.
  23. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  24. ↑ a b c Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  25. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  26. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  27. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".An example of a letter head in Kathmandu Metropolitan City
  28. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".An example of a letter head in Lalitpur Metropolitan City
  29. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".An example of a letter head in Bhaktapur Municipality
  30. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".An example of a letter head in Madhyapur Thimi Municipality
  31. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".

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