Indian Palaeography c14.s7.6

c14.s7.6

The next group of inscriptions of the Western Deccan belongs to the reigns of Nahapāna and Gautamīputra Śātakarṇi (Pl. IX. 2), which partly overlap the earlier series and partly come soon after them. Here again no head-mark is found in the letters. Tapering is faintly noticeable in a few inscriptions of Nahapāna from Nasik. The Karle inscriptions of Nahapāna and Gautamīputra Śātakarṇī show a surprising and remarkable difference in style from those of Nasik, but they are all, no doubt, contemporary. Hence the only conclusion that we can derive is that the older style of writing continued side by side with the new style in Western Deccan right down to the first quarter of the second century a.d. The older style is clearly seen in the persistence of the older system of marking the medial vowels. The change is specially noticeable in the ornamental signs for medial *i* and *ī* and the medial *ā* in *jā*. The two different systems are especially clear in the forms of *a*, *ka*, *kha*, *ga*, *gha*, *ḍa*, *ta*, *pa*, *bha*, *ya*, *la*, *sa* and *ha*. In the older style no particular care is taken over the length of the verticals. But in the new style the verticals are equalized and angularity is clearly marked. The letter *da*, with its mouth open to the left, retains the older form, though it is in some cases cursively drawn. The changes do not indicate borrowing from the Kushāṇa style of Mathura and Sanchi. The optional form of *kha* still gives prominence to the upper hook, while its triangular appendage is insignificant. The stem of the double-looped *chha* is moved on to the left. *Ḍa* is here round-backed. *Bha* is of the broad variety, though the notch does not yet appear. *Ya* does not show a loop or curl, and in the conjuncts maintains its tripartite form. The form of *sa* is still rounded. These fundamental differences clearly show that the writing style of the Western Deccan at this time cannot be derived from the Kushāṇa style of Mathura and Sanchi. On the other hand, they preserve the older features of the Nanaghat style mixed up with the forms derived from the Śaka Kshatrapas of Mathura. It is possible to see some connexion between the Nahapāna inscriptions from Nasik and the ‘early group’ of the inscriptions from Mathura,¹ which may be dated between the Mathura Kshatrapa style and the Kushāṇa style. Could it be that these Kshatrapas were survivors from the Mathura Kshatrapas in the Deccan? On such an assumption we could understand the presence of the Yavanas and the Śakas in the second half of the first century a.d. in the Deccan, where they make a solid contribution in bringing a new style of writing from the north.