Indian Palaeography c14.s10.t2.4

c14.s10.t2.4

The Eastern Malwa style of the fourth century A.D. is the continuation of the ornamental style that was seen in this region in the earlier century. The Bijayagadh inscriptions, already described, differ from this style in the formation of the head-mark and also in fondness for over-ornamentation. Of the present style the classic examples are the Eran inscription of Samudra Gupta and the Udayagiri cave inscriptions of Chandra Gupta II, dated in the (Gupta) year 82. These inscriptions show solid square head-marks. But the Sanchi inscription of Chandra Gupta II, dated in the (Gupta) year 93, generally exhibits solid triangular head-marks, though in some cases it is difficult to distinguish these from the block head-marks. In all these inscriptions the medial vowels follow the system seen in the other inscriptions of this region. The main difference from the eastern style is in the addition of ornamental curves to the long verticals and of notches at the sides. Cursive forms are not found here, except the looped *na*. The open-mouthed type of *ṇa* is not found, but the letter develops a loop at the base, as we saw in the Bijayagadh inscription of Vishṇuvardhana. The base of *ma* is an oval, and generally tilted to the left. *Bha* optionally is of the southern notched type. An important change is seen in the letter *ya*. The loop at the left arm of this letter seen in the Mathura style gradually sinks into insignificance. Other southern features can be marked in the equal armed *ga*, *ta*, and *śa*, the broad variety of *cha*, the angular back of *ḍa* and *da*, the deep inward curvature of the left side of *ba*, *va* with a quadrangular loop on the left side of the vertical, and *ṅa* in the conjunct *ṅka* with its vertical deeply curving inwards. On the whole the forms are generally in the Malwa style.