Brahmi Alphabet
Vowels (เคธเฅเคตเคฐ)
Consonants (เคตเฅเคฏเคเฅเคเคจ)
Vowel Modifiers (เคฎเคพเคคเฅเคฐเคพ / Mฤtrฤ)
In Brahmi script, vowels can be written in two ways: as independent vowels (when they start a syllable) or as vowel signs/modifiers (mฤtrฤs) that attach to consonants. This section explains how vowels modify consonants.
Understanding Vowel Modifiers
Each consonant inherently contains the vowel "a" (๐ ). To change this vowel sound, we attach vowel modifiers (mฤtrฤs) to the consonant. Here's how it works:
| Vowel | Sign/Mฤtrฤ | Example with เค (ka) | Romanization | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ๐ (a) | โ | ๐ | ka | Inherent vowel (no sign needed) |
| ๐ (ฤ) | ๐ธ | ๐๐ธ | kฤ | Long "a" sign |
| ๐ (i) | ๐บ | ๐๐บ | ki | Short "i" sign |
| ๐ (ฤซ) | ๐ป | ๐๐ป | kฤซ | Long "i" sign |
| ๐ (u) | ๐ผ | ๐๐ผ | ku | Short "u" sign |
| ๐ (ลซ) | ๐ฝ | ๐๐ฝ | kลซ | Long "u" sign |
| ๐ (e) | ๐ | ๐๐ | ke | "e" sign |
| ๐ (o) | ๐ | ๐๐ | ko | "o" sign |
The Halanta (๐)
The Halanta is a special sign that depicts the consonant devoid of any vowel. It's used to create consonant clusters:
Interactive Examples
Click on any combination to copy it to your clipboard:
With เคค (ta)
With เคฎ (ma)
Common Conjuncts (Consonant Clusters)
Writing Practice
Practice writing Brahmi characters. Use your mouse or finger (on touch devices).
Character Recognition Quiz
What is this character?
Script Converter
For professional-grade transliteration between Brahmi and other scripts, we recommend using Aksharamukha - a comprehensive script conversion tool.
IAST โ Brahmi
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Devanagari โ Brahmi
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Brahmi โ Devanagari
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About Aksharamukha
Aksharamukha is a powerful transliteration tool that supports conversion between numerous Indian scripts and romanization schemes. It uses sophisticated algorithms to handle:
- Accurate character-to-character mapping
- Proper handling of conjuncts and viramas
- Context-aware transliteration rules
- Support for diacritical marks and special characters
Learn Brahmi
Lesson 1: Introduction to Brahmi
Brahmi script is one of the oldest writing systems of South Asia, dating back to at least the 3rd century BCE. It was used during the reign of Emperor Ashoka for his famous edicts carved on rocks and pillars throughout India.
Key Facts:
- Written from left to right
- No capital letters
- Ancestor of most modern Indian scripts
- Used primarily for Prakrit languages
Lesson 2: Basic Vowels
Brahmi has 10 primary vowels, each with its own character:
- ๐ (a) - as in "about"
- ๐ (ฤ) - as in "father"
- ๐ (i) - as in "it"
- ๐ (ฤซ) - as in "seen"
- ๐ (u) - as in "put"
- ๐ (ลซ) - as in "moon"
- ๐ (e) - as in "they"
- ๐ (o) - as in "go"
Lesson 3: Consonant Groups
Consonants are organized by place of articulation:
Velars (pronounced at the back of the throat):
๐ (ka), ๐ (kha), ๐ (ga), ๐ (gha), ๐ (แน a)
Palatals (pronounced at the palate):
๐ (ca), ๐ (cha), ๐ (ja), ๐ (jha), ๐ (รฑa)
Retroflexes (pronounced with tongue curled back):
๐ (แนญa), ๐ (แนญha), ๐ (แธa), ๐ (แธha), ๐ก (แนa)
Lesson 4: Reading Practice
Try reading these common Prakrit words:
- ๐ฅ๐ซ๐๐ซ (dhamma) - dharma, righteousness
- ๐๐ซ๐๐ซ (kamma) - karma, action
- ๐ฒ๐๐ (saแน gha) - community
- ๐ฆ๐ซ๐บ (nami) - to bow
Reference Materials
Historical Context
Brahmi script appeared in India around the 3rd century BCE during the reign of Emperor Ashoka. It is found in his famous rock and pillar edicts throughout the Indian subcontinent. The script evolved from an unknown prototype and became the ancestor of most modern Indian scripts.
Unicode Range
Block: Brahmi (U+11000โU+1107F)
Characters: 109 code points
The Brahmi script was added to Unicode Standard version 6.0 in 2010, making it accessible for digital use.
Character Reference Table
| Brahmi | Transliteration | Type | Unicode |
|---|---|---|---|
| ๐ | a | Vowel | U+11005 |
| ๐ | ฤ | Vowel | U+11006 |
| ๐ | i | Vowel | U+11007 |
| ๐ | ฤซ | Vowel | U+11008 |
| ๐ | u | Vowel | U+11009 |
| ๐ | ลซ | Vowel | U+1100A |
| ๐ | e | Vowel | U+1100F |
| ๐ | o | Vowel | U+11011 |
| ๐ | ka | Consonant | U+11013 |
| ๐ | kha | Consonant | U+11014 |
| ๐ | ga | Consonant | U+11015 |
| ๐ | gha | Consonant | U+11016 |
| ๐ | แน a | Consonant | U+11017 |
| ๐ | ca | Consonant | U+11018 |
| ๐ | cha | Consonant | U+11019 |
| ๐ | ja | Consonant | U+1101A |
| ๐ | jha | Consonant | U+1101B |
| ๐ | รฑa | Consonant | U+1101C |
| ๐ข | ta | Consonant | U+11022 |
| ๐ฃ | tha | Consonant | U+11023 |
| ๐ค | da | Consonant | U+11024 |
| ๐ฅ | dha | Consonant | U+11025 |
| ๐ฆ | na | Consonant | U+11026 |
| ๐ง | pa | Consonant | U+11027 |
| ๐จ | pha | Consonant | U+11028 |
| ๐ฉ | ba | Consonant | U+11029 |
| ๐ช | bha | Consonant | U+1102A |
| ๐ซ | ma | Consonant | U+1102B |
| ๐ฌ | ya | Consonant | U+1102C |
| ๐ญ | ra | Consonant | U+1102D |
| ๐ฎ | la | Consonant | U+1102E |
| ๐ฏ | va | Consonant | U+1102F |
| ๐ฒ | sa | Consonant | U+11032 |
| ๐ณ | ha | Consonant | U+11033 |
Descendant Scripts
Brahmi evolved into numerous scripts across South and Southeast Asia:
- North Indian: Devanagari, Gurmukhi, Bengali, Gujarati, Oriya
- South Indian: Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Sinhala
- Southeast Asian: Thai, Lao, Khmer, Burmese, Javanese, Balinese
- Tibetan scripts: Tibetan, Limbu, Lepcha
Fonts & Resources
Recommended Fonts:
- Noto Sans Brahmi (Google Fonts) - Download
- Installation:
- Windows: Right-click font file โ Install
- Mac: Double-click font file โ Install Font
- Linux: Copy to ~/.fonts/ directory
Online Learning Materials (Archive.org):
- Indian Epigraphy by D.C. Sircar - Comprehensive guide to ancient Indian scripts
- Ancient Indian Scripts - Archaeological Survey of India
- Indian Palaeography by G. Bรผhler - Classic reference work
External Tools & Resources:
- Aksharamukha Transliteration Tool - Advanced script conversion
- Unicode Standard - Brahmi - Official character specifications
- British Library - Ashokan Inscriptions - Historical manuscripts
- Ancient Scripts - Brahmi - Detailed overview
Academic Resources:
- "Indian Epigraphy: A Guide to the Study of Inscriptions" - D.C. Sircar
- "The Origin and Development of the Bengali Script" - Suniti Kumar Chatterji
- "Brahmi Script and Its Derivatives" - Academic papers collection