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Overview of Devanāgarī Script

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56 views6 pages

Overview of Devanāgarī Script

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Uploaded by

Rengga Adi
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© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Devanāgarī (दे वनागरी लिपि)

The Nāgarī or Devanāgarī alphabet developed from eastern variants of the Gupta script called
Nāgarī, which first emerged during the 8th century. This script was starting to resemble the
modern Devanāgarī alphabet by the 10th century, and started to replace Siddham from about
1200.

The name Devanāgarī is made up of two Sanskrit words:deva, which means god, brahman or
celestial, and nāgarī, which means city. The name is variously translated as "script of the city",
"heavenly/sacred script of the city" or "[script of the] city of the Gods or priests".

Notable Features
 Type of writing system: Abugida / Syllabic Alphabet
 Writing direction: left to right in horizontal lines.
 Script family: Proto-Sinaitic, Phoenician, Aramaic, Brāhmī, Gupta, Siddham, Nāgarī,
Devanāgarī
 Consonant letters carry an inherent vowel which can be altered or muted by means of
diacritics or matra.
 Vowels can be written as independent letters, or by using a variety of diacritical marks
which are written above, below, before or after the consonant they belong to. This
feature is common to most of the alphabets of South and South East Asia.
 When consonants occur together in clusters, special conjunct letters are used.
 Used to write: Aka-Jeru, Angika, Athpare, Avestan, Awadhi, Bahing, Balti, Bantawa,
Belhare, Bhili, Bhumij, Bilaspuri, Bodo, Bhojpuri, Braj, Car, Chamling, Chhantyal,
Chhattisgarhi, Chambeali, Danwar, Dhatki, Dhimal, Dhundari, Digaro Mishmi, Dogri,
Doteli, Gaddi, Garhwali, Gondi, Gurung, Halbi, Haryanvi, Hill Miri, Hindi, Ho, Jarawa,
Jaunsari, Jirel, Jumli, Kagate, Kannauji, Kham, Kangri, Kashmiri, Khaling, Khandeshi,
Kharia, Khortha, Korku, Konkani, Kullui, Kumaoni, Kurmali, Kurukh, Kusunda,
Lambadi, Limbu, Lhomi, Lhowa, Magahi, Magar, Mahasu Pahari, Maithili, Maldivian,
Malto, Mandeali, Marathi, Marwari, Mewari, Mundari, Nancowry. Newar, Nepali,
Nimadi, Nishi, Onge, Pahari, Pali, Pangwali, Rajasthani, Rajbanshi, Rangpuri, Sadri,
Sanskrit, Santali, Saraiki, Sirmauri, Sherpa, Shina, Sindhi, Sunwar, Sylheti, Tamang,
Thakali, Thangmi, Wambule, Wancho, Yakkha, Yolmo
 The order of the letters is based on articulatory phonetics.

1
Devanāgarī alphabet

Other symbols

2
Consonants

Variant letters
Some letters are two forms: the Classical, Northern or Kalikata (Calcutta) form is used in the
north of India; while the Modern, Southern or Mumbai (Bombay) form is used in the south India
and has become the standard form.

A selection of conjunct consonants


There are about a thousand conjunct consonants, most of which combine two or three
consonants. There are also some with four-consonant conjuncts and at least one well-known
conjunct with five consonants.

3
Complete chart of conjunct consonants

Devanāgarī conjunct consonants


्क ख ग घ ङ च छ ज झ ञ ट ठ ड ढ ण त थ द ध न प फ ब भ म य र ल ळ व श ष स ह
कक्कक्खक्गक्घक्ङक्चक्छक्जक्झक्ञक्टक्ठक्डक्ढक्णक्तक्थक्दक्धक्नक्पक्फक्बक्भक्मक्यक्र क्लक्ळक्वक्शक्ष क्सक्ह
खख्कख्खख्गख्घख्ङख्चख्छख्जख्झख्ञख्टख्ठख्डख्ढख्णख्तख्थख्दख्धख्नख्पख्फख्बख्भख्मख्यख्रख्लख्ळख्वख्शख्षख्सख्ह
ग ग्कग्खग्गग्घग्ङग्चग्छग्जग्झग्ञग्टग्ठग्ड ग्ढग्णग्तग्थग्दग्धग्नग्पग्फग्बग्भग्मग्यग्र ग्लग्ळग्वग्शग्षग्सग्ह
घ घ्कघ्खघ्गघ्घघ्ङघ्चघ्छघ्जघ्झघ्ञघ्टघ्ठघ्डघ्ढघ्णघ्तघ्थघ्दघ्धघ्नघ्पघ्फघ्बघ्भघ्मघ्यघ्र घ्लघ्ळघ्वघ्शघ्षघ्सघ्ह
च च्कच्खच्गच्घच्ङच्चच्छच्जच्झच्ञच्टच्ठच्डच्ढच्णच्तच्थच्दच्धच्नच्पच्फच्बच्भच्मच्यच्र च्लच्ळच्वच्शच्षच्सच्ह
छछ्कछ्खछ्गछ्घछ्ङछ्चछ्छछ्जछ्झछ्ञछ्टछ्ठछ्डछ्ढछ्णछ्तछ्थछ्दछ्धछ्नछ्पछ्फछ्बछ्भछ्मछ्यछ्र छ्लछ्ळछ्वछ्शछ्षछ्सछ्ह
जज्कज्खज्गज्घज्ङज्चज्छज्जज्झज्ञ ज्टज्ठज्डज्ढज्णज्तज्थज्दज्धज्नज्पज्फज्बज्भज्मज्यज्र ज्लज्ळज्वज्शज्षज्सज्ह
झझ्कझ्खझ्गझ्घझ्ङझ्चझ्छझ्जझ्झझ्ञझ्टझ्ठझ्डझ्ढझ्णझ्तझ्थझ्दझ्धझ्नझ्पझ्फझ्बझ्भझ्मझ्यझ्रझ्लझ्ळझ्वझ्शझ्षझ्सझ्ह
ञ ञ्कञ्खञ्गञ्घञ्ङञ्चञ्छञ्जञ्झञ्ञञ्टञ्ठञ्डञ्ढञ्णञ्तञ्थञ्दञ्धञ्नञ्पञ्फञ्बञ्भञ्मञ्यञ्र ञ्लञ्ळञ्वञ्शञ्षञ्सञ्ह
णण्कण्खण्गण्घण ण ण्छण्जण्झण्ञण्टण्ठण्डण्ढण्णण्तण्थण्दण्धण्नण्पण्फण्बण्भण्मण्यण्रण्लण्ळण्वण्शण्षण्सण्ह
त त्कत्खत्गत्घत्ङ त्चत्छत्जत्झत्ञत्ट त्ठत्ड त्ढ त्णत्तत्थत्द त्धत्नत्प त्फत्ब त्भत्मत्यत्र त्लत्ळत्व त्शत्ष त्सत्ह
थ थ्कथ्खथ्गथ्घथ्ङथ्चथ्छथ्जथ्झथ्ञथ्टथ्ठथ्डथ्ढथ्णथ्तथ्थथ्दथ्धथ्नथ्पथ्फथ्बथ्भथ्मथ्यथ्र थ्लथ्ळथ्वथ्शथ्षथ्सथ्ह
द X X द्गद्घX X X X X X X X X X X X X द्द द्ध द्नX X द्बद्भ द्म द्यद्र X X द्वX X X X
ध ध्कध्खध्गध्घध्ङध्चध्छध्जध्झध्ञध्टध्ठध्डध्ढध्णध्तध्थध्दध्धध्नध्पध्फध्बध्भध्मध्यध्र ध्लध्ळध्वध्शध्षध्सध्ह
न न्कन्खन्गन्घन्ङन्चन्छन्जन्झन्ञन्टन्ठन्डन्ढन्णन्तन्थन्दन्धन्नन्पन्फन्बन्भन्मन्यन्र न्लन्ळन्वन्शन्षन्सन्ह
प प्कप्खप्गप्घप्ङ प्चप्छप्जप्झप्ञप्ट प्ठप्ड प्ढ प्णप्तप्थप्द प्धप्नप्प प्फप्ब प्भप्मप्यप्र प्लप्ळप्व प्शप्ष प्सप्ह

4
फफ्कफ्खफ्गफ्घफ्ङफ्चफ्छफ्जफ्झफ्ञफ्टफ्ठफ्डफ्ढफ्णफ्तफ्थफ्दफ्धफ्नफ्पफ्फफ्बफ्भफ्मफ्यफ्र फ्लफ्ळफ्वफ्शफ्षफ्सफ्ह
ब ब्कब्खब्गब्घब्ङ ब्चब्छब्जब्झब्ञब्ट ब्ठब्ड ब्ढ ब्णब्तब्थब्द ब्धब्नब्प ब्फब्ब ब्भब्मब्यब्र ब्लब्ळब्व ब्शब्ष ब्सब्ह
भ भ्कभ्खभ्गभ्घभ्ङभ्चभ्छभ्जभ्झभ्ञभ्टभ्ठभ्डभ्ढभ्णभ्तभ्थभ्दभ्धभ्नभ्पभ्फभ्बभ्भभ्मभ्यभ्र भ्लभ्ळभ्वभ्शभ्षभ्सभ्ह
म म्कम्खम्गम्घम्ङम्चम्छम्जम्झम्ञम्टम्ठम्डम्ढम्णम्तम्थम्दम्धम्नम्पम्फम्बम्भम्मम्यम्र म्लम्ळम्वम्शम्षम्सम्ह
य य्कय्खय्गय्घय्ङय्चय्छय्जय्झय्ञय्टय्ठय्डय्ढय्णय्तय्थय्दय्धय्नय्पय्फय्बय्भय्मय्यय्र य्लय्ळय्वय्शय्षय्सय्ह
र कक खक गक घक ङक चक छक जक झक ञक टक ठक डक ढक णक तक थक दक धक नक पक फक बक भक मक यक रक लक ळक वक शक षक सक हक
ल ल्कल्खल्गल्घल्ङल्चल्छल्जल्झल्ञल्टल्ठल्डल्ढल्णल्तल्थल्दल्धल्नल्पल्फल्बल्भल्मल्यल्र ल्लल्ळल्वल्शल्षल्सल्ह
ळळ्कळ्खळ्गळ्घळ्ङळ्चळ्छळ्जळ्झळ्ञळ्टळ्ठळ्डळ्ढळ्णळ्तळ्थळ्दळ्धळ्नळ्पळ्फळ्बळ्भळ्मळ्यळ्र ळ्लळ्ळळ्वळ्शळ्षळ्सळ्ह
व व्कव्खव्गव्घव्ङ व्चव्छव्जव्झव्ञव्ट व्ठव्ड व्ढ व्णव्तव्थव्द व्धव्नव्प व्फव्ब व्भव्मव्यव्र व्लव्ळव्व व्शव्ष व्सव्ह
श श्कश्खश्गश्घश्ङश्चश्छश्जश्झश्ञश्टश्ठश्ड श्ढश्णश्तश्थश्दश्धश्नश्पश्फश्बश्भश्मश्यश्र श्लश्ळश्वश्शश्षश्सश्ह
ष ष्कष्खष्गष्घष्ङ ष्चष्छष्जष्झष्ञष्ट ष्ठष्ड ष्ढ ष्णष्तष्थष्द ष्धष्नष्प ष्फष्ब ष्भष्मष्यष्र ष्लष्ळष्व ष्शष्ष ष्सष्ह
स स्कस्खस्गस्घस्ङस्चस्छस्जस्झस्ञस्टस्ठस्डस्ढस्णस्तस्थस्दस्धस्नस्पस्फस्बस्भस्मस्यस्र स्लस्ळस्वस्शस्षस्सस्ह
ह ह्कह्खह्गह्घह्ङह्चह्छह्जह्झह्ञह्टह्ठह्डह्ढह्णह्तह्थह्दह्धह्नह्पह्फह्बह्भह्मह्यह्र ह्लह्ळह्वह्शह्षह्सह्ह

Note: Syllabic letters ङ, ठ, ड and ढ never prefix the conjunction mark (Virama)

Download the chart (Excel, 39K)

Numerals

More information about the Devanagari Script

Languages written with the Devanāgarī alphabet


Aka-Jeru, Angika, Athpare, Avestan, Awadhi, Bahing, Balti, Bantawa, Belhare, Bhili, Bhumij,
Bilaspuri, Bodo, Bhojpuri, Braj, Car, Chamling, Chhantyal, Chhattisgarhi, Chambeali, Danwar,
Dhatki, Dhimal, Dhundari, Digaro Mishmi, Dogri, Doteli, Gaddi, Garhwali, Gondi, Gurung,
Halbi, Haryanvi, Hill Miri, Hindi, Ho, Jarawa, Jaunsari, Jirel, Jumli, Kagate, Kannauji, Kham,
Kangri, Kashmiri, Khaling, Khandeshi, Kharia, Khortha, Korku, Konkani, Kullui, Kumaoni,
Kurmali, Kurukh, Kusunda, Lambadi, Limbu, Lhomi, Lhowa, Magahi, Magar, Mahasu Pahari,
Maithili, Maldivian, Malto, Mandeali, Marathi, Marwari, Mewari, Mundari, Nancowry. Newar,
Nepali, Nimadi, Nishi, Onge, Pahari, Pali, Pangwali, Rajasthani, Rajbanshi, Rangpuri, Sadri,
Sanskrit, Santali, Saraiki, Sirmauri, Sherpa, Shina, Sindhi, Sunwar, Sylheti, Tamang, Thakali,
Thangmi, Wambule, Wancho, Yakkha, Yolmo

5
Links

Information about Devanagari


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Common questions

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Devanāgarī is used by languages spanning the Indo-Aryan, Dravidian, and Tibeto-Burman families, such as Hindi, Marathi, and Nepali . Its adoption is due to historical cultural exchanges and its robust system of diacritics and conjuncts accommodating complex phonetic nuances .

The Devanāgarī script uses special conjunct letters for consonant clusters . There are about a thousand known combinations, often involving two or three consonants. Examples include forms like क्क (kka), ग्क (gka), and क्ष (kṣa). Four-consonant and even a five-consonant conjunct exist, demonstrating the script’s complexity .

Devanāgarī's structured use of diacritics and conjunct consonants suit digital encoding . However, challenges arise in capturing its extensive conjunct combinations, potentially leading to display errors or limitations in text processing software .

Evolving from Nāgarī, A derivative of eastern Gupta variants in the 8th century, the Devanāgarī script attained its modern semblance by the 10th century . This transition marked its preference over the Siddham script by 1200 due to its adaptiveness to a range of local dialects, thus becoming a foundation for North Indian scripts .

As an abugida, Devanāgarī represents each consonant with an inherent vowel, transformed or muted by adding diacritics, unlike alphabets where letters represent individual sounds . This results in a synthetical approach to writing, where syllables are inherent, thus streamlining vowel representation for languages with frequent vowel sounds .

The arrangement of Devanāgarī letters follows articulatory phonetics, ordering sounds from the back to the front of the mouth, from gutturals to labials . This systematic approach aligns pronunciation with script organization, illustrating linguistic efficiency and phonetic precision .

Devanāgarī is an abugida script used for various languages, characterized by its inherent vowel in consonants, altered with diacritics . Developed in the 8th century from the Gupta script variants, it resembles its modern form by the 10th century, replacing the Siddham script around 1200 . It is written from left to right and known as the 'script of the city' or 'heavenly script' .

Using conjunct consonants in Devanāgarī involves memorizing numerous combinations, over a thousand such forms . This poses challenges in learning and digital text processing due to the requirement for fonts and software capable of rendering these complex characters correctly .

Devanāgarī belongs to the script family descending from Proto-Sinaitic, Phoenician, Aramaic, and Brāhmī . This lineage influenced numerous regional scripts across South and Southeast Asia, with its system of diacritic vowels and conjoint consonants being common traits in alphabets such as Tamil and Thai .

Devanāgarī has two significant forms: the Classical or Kalikata form in northern India and the Modern or Mumbai form in southern India . This bifurcation highlights regional adaptations, with the southern form gaining standard status due to its wider acceptance and clarity .

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