Indian Palaeography c15.s9.t3.20

c15.s9.t3.20

(*d*) Pl. XVIII. 4 is taken from the British Museum plate of Vijaya Skandavarman. The writing in this inscription is still poor, but remarkable developments are seen in the forms of the letters. No trace of the special forms of letters used in the two earlier plates of the Pallavas is found here. The characteristic long verticals of the old records are also absent. On the other hand, we find a definite change in the use of the new type of medial vowels. The circle type of the medial *i* and *ī* is seen for the first time, though the old form of the medial *ī* persists in *vī*. The medial *e*, as applied to *chhe*, *ṭe* and *de*, has a curled end, the vertical of the medial *ā* in *chā* is extended, and the left stroke of the medial *ū* in *lū* also curves downwards. We may also note the new forms of the letters—the additional stroke of the initial *ā* is given with the same sweep of the hand as the curving of the right vertical; both *ṇa* and *na* have their bases bent, while the two upper horizontal curves of *ṇa* have curled ends. The Deccani type of *ta* is rarely used; we find either the looped *ta* or the form in which the two arms meet upwards in a curve. The dot of *tha* is now replaced by drawing in the end of the circle, as is the practice in Central India. Most unusual is the occurrence of the bipartite *ya* (only once), and this may be a chance development from the tripartite form with a loop at the left arm generally used in this inscription. Hence the single occurrence of the bipartite *ya* should not be taken as of great chronological significance. Two other letters adopted from Northern Deccan are *ḷa* with a form like that of double *ṭṭa*, and *la* with its upper curl extended around the bottom of the letter. Of the remaining forms *kha* does not have a loop at the base but a horizontal line, the lower ends of *ga* are slightly curved inwards, *cha* is of the broad type with a stem, but *chha* has no stem at all, and *ja* optionally shows the double curve of the Gujarat region. There is no change in the remaining letters. These changes suggest the arrival of new traditions from Central India, and if this is the case the dating of this inscription should fall in the beginning of the fifth century A.D. Some of these forms are also seen in the Kadamba inscriptions of the fifth century A.D.