Indian Palaeography c15.s5.t3: (c) Inscriptions of the Rāshṭrakūṭas
Indian Palaeography c15.s5.t3
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(c) Inscriptions of the Rāshṭrakūṭas
c15.s5.t3.1
Pl. XIV. 11 is taken from the Tiwarkheda plates of Nannarāja, dated in the Śaka year 553 (A.D. 631), and Pl. XIV. 12 is derived from the Samangada plates of Dantidurga, dated in the Śaka year 675 (A.D. 753), and the Paithan plates of Govinda III, dated in the Śaka year 716 (A.D. 794). As has been remarked earlier, these copper plates show only the simplified style, but there is a marked difference between no. 11 and no. 12. The first shows the influence of the *kuṭila* writing of the north and has short line head-marks, while the second illustrates the simplified copper plate style of Rajasthan, and here the head-marks cover the entire breadth of the letters. In no. 11 tails are not so well marked, except in *da*, but no. 12 has long tails in *ka*, *kha*, *gha*, *cha*, *ja*, *da*, *na*, *pa*, *ya*, *ra*, *la*, *va*, *sha*, *sa* and *ha*. The medial vowels are of the same type as those of the Barah copper plate analysed earlier, with only this difference, that the long *ā* is sometimes given in no. 11 only by a short vertical stroke on the right of the letters. The initial *a*, *ā* and *i* in no. 11 follow the forms of the Middle Ganges Valley, but in no. 12 are of the same type as in the Barah copper plate. The simple triangle of *e* in no. 12 has a flat top. *Kha* in no. 11 has its triangle outside the right limb and slightly opens its mouth, as is seen in the late forms of the eastern region.² *Ṇa* has the well-developed cursive form in no. 12, but *na* maintains the looped variety. Both *tha* and *dha* are of the bulged form, with *tha* having a loop on the outer side. Both *bha* and *sa* open their triangular mouths. These forms were obviously brought in from the north, as we saw in the Barah copper plate. The rounded form of *va* is used for both *ba* and *va*. *Ma* has a loop at the left angle and *ya* is of the bipartite type. *La* gracefully curls its left hook, and *śa* has a rounded top. *Ha* has a rounded base as well as a wavy curve with a tail. The cursive forms are very prominent in the conjuncts. The lower *ṭa* in the conjunct *ṭṭa* has its mouth turned downwards, as in the eastern region. On the whole these forms show a great advance in the direction of the development of proto-Nāgarī. It is quite obvious that the Rāshṭrakūṭas were responsible for introducing proto-Nagarī character in this part of the Deccan.
c15.s5.t3.2
² See above, p. 135.