Indian Palaeography c15.s8.t1.3

c15.s8.t1.3

(ii) Pl. XVI. 2 is taken from the Halsi plates of Kākusthavarman and Ravivarman. It depicts the style seen in some of the inscriptions of the line of Mayūraśarman. The other style with square head-marks has already been discussed.¹ There is one more style, known from the Prakrit inscription of Mayūraśarman.² Here the medial vowels are not of the same type as seen in (i) above. They have been executed in a very careless manner, as may be seen in the case of the medial *i*, which is a short curve to the left, and the medial *ā*, which is a short stroke to the right. Three varieties of the medial *ū* have been detected—two curved strokes as in *kū*, an extended curve to the left as in *dū*, and a curl attached to the right arm of *ya* in *yū*. The only angular style is seen in the long verticals of *a*, *ka*, and *ra*, which recall the long verticals of the Ikshvāku writing. The date may be fourth century A.D. But the appearance of odd forms, such as *ka* and *ra*, optionally with short verticals, *ṇa* with a straight base, *ta* with a rounded appendage as seen in the later inscriptions of the Kadambas and the Chālukyas, and *ya* with its middle arm longer than the other two, raises doubt as to the genuineness of the inscription. The photograph is completely blurred and my remarks are based on the neat drawing in the publication referred to above.