Indian Palaeography c15.s7.9

Language: English

c15.s7.9.1

(d) *Vākāṭaka inscriptions*. The Vākāṭakas were mainly responsible for developing this Deccani style of writing. All their inscriptions are written in this style, except the Poona copper plate which has hollow triangular head-marks.² Wherever their rule extended, this style spread, and it is found in their inscriptions as far south as Ajanta. Wherever the influence of the Vākāṭakas reached, their writing had its effect on that of later dynasties. We notice its influence in the inscriptions of the Gurjaras of Broach,³ those of the Western Chālukyas, of the Kadambas, of the Pallavas, of the Madharas, and of the Gaṅgas of Kaliṅga. Within their own kingdom the style had different varieties. (i) The earliest variety is seen in the stone inscription of Vindhyaśakti at Nachne ki Talai (Fleet, nos. 53–54). It has hollow square head-marks, but the letter-forms are not yet affected by angular features. Morphologically the inscription appears to be earlier than the Eran pillar inscription of Samudra Gupta. (ii) The hollow square heads lead on to the hollow triangle, and we have the Poona copper plate of Prabhāvatī Guptā in this type. This inscription and others similar have already been described. (iii) The next variety is of the solid square type. It is illustrated in Pl. XV. 4, taken mainly from the Chakmak copper plate of Pravarasena II. It is this particularly solid square type that is copied in the inscriptions of the neighbouring kings.

c15.s7.9.2

The solid square may be a regional variety of the solid triangle so much in fashion in the inscriptions of North India. But the idea that this is a regional variation should not be unduly stressed. The letter-forms of the Vākāṭaka inscriptions are entirely different from those of the north. In them we see a development of the style of writing known in the late Sātavāhana records. The hand shows a mixed tendency to both angular and round shapes. The angular shapes are marked in the forms of *a*, *ka*, *kha* (optionally), *ga*, *gha*, *ṭa*, *ḍa*, *ta*, *da*, *dha*, *pa*, *ba*, *ya*, *ra*, *la* (optionally), *va*, *sa* and *ha*. The remainder prefer round shapes. The verticals of *a*, *i*, *ka*, *ra* and the vertical-type of the medial *u* curve their lower ends, while *la* has its right vertical curled to the left. *A* maintains its hook on the left. *I* is of the roof-type. *Ī* has a dot on either side of the vertical. The lower end of the vertical of *u* bends in a broad curve to the right. *E* has a quadrangular body attached to a stem on the right. The medial vowels are all given in the southern style, though sometimes, as in *ai* and *o*, the top slants are also seen. Both medial *i* and *ī* curve to the left, but the latter has an additional upright. The medial *ā* in *mā* and *lā* and the medial *e* in *me* are applied to the middle of the letters, but the medial *e* in *khe* is a top left slant.

c15.s7.9.3

The medial *u* covers its lower end to the left, but in *tu* it is curved to the right. The medial *ū*, as in *sū*, has an additional stroke to that of *u*. In the case of *ru* the stroke is a mere slant on the right. The medial *ṛi* is a broad curve to the left. The medial *au* is of the curved type of the south. *Ka* has a cross-bar. In *kha* the loop at the lower end of the hook is seen very faintly. *Ga* has equal arms. The left arm of *gha* is bent, but the base is straight. *Cha* is of the broad type, and *chha* has its left loop bigger than its right one. *Ja* clearly has the two curves with a common central arm. *Ṭa*, *ḍa* and *da* have all angular backs. *Na* and *ṇa* are both looped. *Ta* has an angular hook attached to the right vertical. *Tha* has a curved stroke within an oval. *Dha* is rectangular. *Pa*, *sha* and *ha* have angular bends at the left arms. *Ba* is square. *Bha* is of the broad type. *Ma* has its lower loop tilted to the left. *Ya* is of the tripartite form with its left arm short and slightly curved inwards. *Va* is a rectangular loop attached to the right vertical. *Śa* has equal arms with a mid-line, and *sa* has a hook on the left. *Ha* extends its right hook downwards. The subscript *ya* is of the hooked type. The *upadhmānīya* takes the form of a Roman ‘x’ within a square. On the whole the writing shows more similarity to the southern characters than to the northern.

c15.s7.9.4

Only a very few forms, such as *i* with a curved roof, *e* with a quadrangular loop, *kha* with an insignificant looped base, *ta* with an angular hook on the left, *ma* with its loop tilted to the left, and *va* with a quadrangular loop, are distinctive of this region. But most important is the fact that the solid square head-marks have decidedly influenced the angular forms of the letters. Thus in a sense the square of the head-mark leads to the creation of angular forms.