Indian Palaeography c15.s1.53

c15.s1.53

The most conspicuous symbol in the copper plates of this period is that which stands for the auspicious sound *oṁ*, the various forms of which are given in Fig. 15*b*. It will be seen that in North India it generally assumes the form of a curled head with a tail either to the left, right, or bottom. In South India this tail is generally spiral. Another development is seen in the case of a final consonant used without any vowel. The usual practice was to write the final consonant in smaller size slightly below the usual line. In this period we see the use of an arc-like mark over the consonant, or a slanting mark attached to the right foot of the consonant in order to indicate that the vowel is absent. This last practice is the real source of the modern *halanta* (i.e. consonant without vowel). The use of the *jihvāmūlīya* and the *upadhmānīya* has been noted in the last chapter, and the forms given there were usually adopted in North India. In the south slight variations are seen, and these will be discussed in the relevant sections. The cross-form of *ṛi* noticed in the last chapter curves the arms of the cross in one type, while in the other type the left curves are separated from those of the right and joined by a bar, and the upper left curve optionally has a line head-mark. These forms are found in the Bower MS. In the Horiuzi MS. only the simplified type of the second form is seen. In this case the right curve is straightened, and the form comes closer to that of the Nāgarī letter. The initial *ṛi* is formed by adding a slant to the foot of the right limb. A new letter *ḷi* is also met in the last manuscript. It consists of a fish-hook upside down with the hook turned to the left. The initial *l̥ī* is formed by adding a curved slant to the vertical of the first.