Indian Palaeography c15.s8.t1.6

c15.s8.t1.6

The Halsi plates show a developed style of the fifth century A.D. The medial vowels (Fig. 16) now exhibit the southern features. The medial *ā* is a horizontal stroke with a tick at the right end. This tick sometimes extends downwards, as is seen in *yā* and *sā*. The stroke is given in the middle of the letters *dhā*, *bā*, *mā* and *lā*. In *ṇā* the stroke is turned upwards as in the north. The medial *e* is a stroke similar to that of *ā* but placed on the left of the letters. In some cases, as in *ye*, the tick is again extended downwards. In *me* the stroke is placed at the middle, and in *khe* it curves downwards from the left bottom. The medial *i* is generally a circle, but sometimes we also get a left curve, while the medial *ī* has either two circles one within the other or a curve to the right. The medial *u* is either a short curve to the left as in *pu* or a broad curve to the right as in *bhu*. The medial *ū* has an additional short stroke or a downward curved stroke added to that of the medial *u*. The medial *o* is two horizontal strokes with ticks at either end, but in *lo* it is of the cursive type. The medial *au* has the curved form of the south, and the medial *ṛi* is a stroke curving to the left. A new form of the initial *ā* is seen, in which the left hook is assimilated in a closed loop. The initial *i* has its roof doubled. *E* has a stem projecting from the right end of a quadrangular body. The initial *ṛi* shows a development from the Roman ‘x’-form seen in the inscriptions of the Western Kshatrapas.¹ Here the lower two arms are transformed into curved strokes on either side of a middle bar, which has a notch. Some developments are also seen in the consonants: in *kha* the end of the lower horizontal is turned upwards; *ga* and *śa* have flat tops; both *ṇa* and *na* bend their bases. *ta* generally has its two arms meeting upwards in a rounded curve, but a new form having a curved appendage to a vertical is seen for the first time. This is the predominant type in the Chālukyan inscriptions, and henceforward it will be called the curved Chālukyan *ta*. Both *ḍa* and *ḍha* prolong their lower horizontals with a notch in the middle, but *da* maintains the old angular form. *Dha* optionally has the old broad form, but more usually we find the quadrangular form with its upper end slightly narrowed. The left side of *ba* has a deep inward curve. *Ma* has its lower loop almost quadrangular and tilted to the left. The third left arm of *ya* is replaced by a small loop. *La* extends the upper curl downwards. *Va* has a broad loop attached to a vertical on the right. *Śa* is of horseshoe type. *Sha* has a mid-line, and *ha* has a notch at the base. No cursive form of *ña*, as used in the conjuncts, is found, but it broadens its upper horizontal with a notch in the middle. The subscript *ya* henceforward is of the hooked type. The *upadhmānīya* is a cross within a rough quadrangle.