Indian Palaeography c15.s2.6

c15.s2.6

(i) Pl. X. 2 is taken from the Karamdanda inscription of Kumāra Gupta I and the Bhitari pillar inscription of Skanda Gupta, both the inscriptions showing influence from the Mathura region. The letters have distinct head-marks, which are either notched or triangular. Of the initial vowels a fundamental change is seen in the forms of *a* and *ā*. The left limb hangs down from the triangular head and ends in a hook open to the left, instead of a curve to the right as seen in the Allahabad inscription. The middle bar joining the two limbs is generally horizontal. The long *ā* has an additional hook attached to the right limb. These forms are the real basis from which the later developments in North India took place. They are also found in the early fifth-century inscriptions of Malwa and Rajasthan.³ Henceforward this form will be called the curved *a*. The form of *i* with a vertical and two dots on the left, as seen in the Allahabad inscription, continued here, but optionally at Bhitari we have the older form consisting of three dots—a practice also seen in the Mathura region. *U* shows a definite influence from Mathura in the bending of the horizontal tip—a practice already noticed in the inscriptions of the Kushāṇa period. No other initial vowels are seen here. In the case of the medial vowels the Mathura style of the Kushāṇa period is usually followed. Both medial *ā* and *e* are top slants, but in the case of *hā* the local style of the horizontal mark is kept. The medial *o* is made of two top curved slants, one going to the left and the other to the right, while a vertical mark is added to them to make the medial *au*. The medial *ai* has two top slants going to the left. The medial *i* has a curve to the left while the medial *ī* has it on the right with a prominent initial mark recalling the two verticals of earlier times. The medial *u* curves its horizontal downwards, except in letters such as *thu*, *pu*, *mu*, *nu*, and *su*, in which the old practice of prolonging the right vertical continued. The medial *ū* has either an additional curved mark or a horizontal mark with bent tip attached to the right or left of the vertical. The medial *ṛi* curves its horizontal mark to the right.