Indian Palaeography c15.s5.t1.5

c15.s5.t1.5

(v) Pl. XIII. 8 is taken from the Vasantagadh inscription of Varmalāta, dated in the (Vikrama) year 682, and Pl. XIII. 9 from the Nagda inscription of Aparājita, dated in the (Vikrama) year 718. These inscriptions show some further influences from the Middle Ganges Valley. These influences may have come even earlier, but no better inscriptions are available to illustrate them. Here we find fully developed ornamental medial vowels and *kuṭila* forms of the letters. The head-mark is a solid triangle. The local forms, at least in two letters, *a* and *sa*, are still seen. The medial vowels need not be described as they are of the same type as those of the Middle Ganges Valley at this time. Among the consonants we find the looped *ka*, the curved *ja* with its upper arm merged in the head-mark, the flat-topped *ṭa*, the bulged forms of *tha* and *dha*, the head-form of *na*, and *pa* and *pha* with their left corners rounded. Notable eastern influence can be marked in the form of *bha*, which has a triangular foot-mark at the left limb; *ma* which has a closed loop at the left; *ya* which is of the bipartite as well as of the tripartite form with the outward curl at the left vertical; *ra* with the triangular foot-mark; *la* with its left hook turning in a beautiful curl; the rounded type of *va*; *śa* with a rounded top, which in no. 8 has its mid-line aslant; and *ha* with its base double-curved and the hook extended downwards.