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Kaithi
Historical script used in Awadh and Bihar regions of India

Kaithi (𑂍𑂶𑂟𑂲, IPA: [kəɪ̯t̪ʰiː]), also called Kayathi (𑂍𑂨𑂟𑂲), Kayasthi (𑂍𑂰𑂨𑂮𑂹𑂟𑂲, IPA: [kəjəst̪ʰiː]), or Kayastani, is a Brahmic script historically used across parts of Northern and Eastern India. It was prevalent in regions corresponding to modern-day Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Jharkhand. The script was primarily utilized for legal, administrative, and private records and was adapted for a variety of Indo-Aryan languages, including Angika, Awadhi, Bhojpuri, Hindustani, Maithili, Magahi, and Nagpuri.

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Etymology

The name Kaithi script is derived from the term Kayastha, a socio-professional group historically linked to writing, record-keeping and administration.2 This community served in royal courts and later in British colonial administration, maintaining revenue records, legal documents, title deeds, and general correspondence.3 The script they utilized was thus named Kaithi, reflecting their association with written documentation.

History

Documents in Kaithi are traceable to at least the 16th century. The script was widely used during the Mughal period. In the 1880s, during the British Raj, the script was recognised as the official script of the law courts of Bihar. Kaithi was the most widely used script of North India west of Bengal. In 1854, 77,368 school primers were in Kaithi script, as compared to 25,151 in Devanagari and 24,302 in Mahajani.4 Among the three scripts widely used in the 'Hindi Belt', Kaithi was widely perceived to be neutral, as it was used by both Hindus and Muslims alike for day-to-day correspondence, financial and administrative activities, while Devanagari was used by Hindus and Persian script by Muslims for religious literature and education. This made Kaithi increasingly unfavorable to the more conservative and religiously inclined members of society who insisted on Devanagari-based and Persian-based transcription of Hindi dialects. As a result of their influence and due to the wide availability of Devanagari type as opposed to the incredibly large variability of Kaithi, Devanagari was promoted, particularly in the Northwest Provinces, which covers present-day Uttar Pradesh.5

In the late 19th century, John Nesfield in Oudh, George Campbell of Inverneill in Bihar and a committee in Bengal all advocated for the use of Kaithi script in education.6 Many legal documents were written in Kaithi, and from 1950 to 1954 it was the official legal script of Bihar district courts. Present day Bihar courts struggle to read old Kaithi documents.7

Classes

On the basis of local variants Kaithi can be divided into three classes viz. Bhojpuri, Magahi and Trihuti.89

Bhojpuri

This was used in Bhojpuri speaking regions and was considered as the most legible style of Kaithi.10

Magahi

Native to Magah or Magadh it lies between Bhojpuri and Trihuti.11

Tirhuti

It was used in Maithili speaking regions and was considered as the most elegant style.12

Consonants

All Kaithi consonants have an inherent a vowel:

Occlusives
VOICELESS PLOSIVESVOICED PLOSIVESNASALS
UnaspiratedAspiratedUnaspiratedAspirated
Velar𑂍kIPA: /k/𑂎khIPA: /kʰ/𑂏gIPA: /ɡ/𑂐ghIPA: /ɡʱ/𑂑ṅIPA: /ŋ/
Palatal𑂒cIPA: /c/𑂓chIPA: /tʃʰ/𑂔jIPA: /ɟ/𑂕jhIPA: /dʒʱ/𑂖ñIPA: /ɲ/
Retroflex𑂗ṭIPA: /ʈ/𑂘ṭhIPA: /ʈʰ/𑂙ḍIPA: /ɖ/𑂛ḍhIPA: /ɖʱ/𑂝ṇIPA: /ɳ/
𑂚ṛIPA: /ɽ/𑂜ṛhIPA: /ɽʱ/
Dental𑂞tIPA: /t/𑂟thIPA: /tʰ/𑂠dIPA: /d/𑂡dhIPA: /dʱ/𑂢nIPA: /n/
Labial𑂣pIPA: /p/𑂤phIPA: /pʰ/𑂥bIPA: /b/𑂦bhIPA: /bʱ/𑂧mIPA: /m/
Sonorants and fricatives
PalatalRetroflexDentalLabial
Sonorants𑂨yIPA: /j/ 𑂩rIPA: /r/𑂪lIPA: /l/𑂫vIPA: /ʋ/
Sibilants𑂬śIPA: /ɕ/𑂭ṣIPA: /ʂ/𑂮sIPA: /s/
Other𑂯hIPA: /h/

Vowels

Kaithi vowels have independent (initial) and dependent (diacritic) forms:

Vowels
Trans.Shown with ⟨𑂍⟩Trans.Shown with ⟨𑂍⟩
Guttural𑂃a𑂍𑂄𑂰ā𑂍𑂰
Palatal𑂅𑂱i𑂍𑂱𑂆𑂲ī𑂍𑂲
Rounded𑂇𑂳u𑂍𑂳𑂈𑂴ū𑂍𑂴
Palatoguttural𑂉𑂵e𑂍𑂵𑂊𑂶ai𑂍𑂶
Labioguttural𑂋𑂷o𑂍𑂷𑂌𑂸au𑂍𑂸

Diacritics

Several diacritics are employed to change the meaning of letters:

DiacriticNameFunction
𑂀chandrabinduA chandrabindu denotes nasalisation although it is not normally used with Kaithi.13
𑂁anusvaraAn anusvara in Kaithi represents true vowel nasalisation.14 For example, 𑂍𑂁, kaṃ.
𑂂visargaVisarga is a Sanskrit holdover originally representing /h/. For example, 𑂍𑂂 kaḥ.15
𑂹halantaA virama removes a consonant's inherent a and in some cases forms consonant clusters. Compare 𑂧𑂥 maba with 𑂧𑂹𑂥 mba.16
𑂺nuqtaA nuqta is used to extend letters to represent non-native sounds. For example, 𑂔 ja + nuqta = 𑂔𑂺, which represents Arabic zayin.17

Vowel diacritics

The following table shows the list of vowel diacritics on consonants. The vowel diacritics on consonants are called kakahārā (𑂍𑂍𑂯𑂰𑂩𑂰).

्𑂃𑂄𑂅𑂆𑂇𑂈𑂉𑂊𑂋𑂌𑂃𑂁𑂃𑂂
𑂹𑂍𑂍𑂍𑂰𑂍𑂱𑂍𑂲𑂍𑂳𑂍𑂴𑂍𑂵𑂍𑂶𑂍𑂷𑂍𑂸𑂍𑂁𑂍𑂂
𑂹𑂎𑂎𑂎𑂰𑂎𑂱𑂎𑂲𑂎𑂳𑂎𑂴𑂎𑂵𑂎𑂶𑂎𑂷𑂎𑂸𑂎𑂁𑂎𑂂
𑂹𑂏𑂏𑂏𑂰𑂏𑂱𑂏𑂲𑂏𑂳𑂏𑂴𑂏𑂵𑂏𑂶𑂏𑂷𑂏𑂸𑂏𑂁𑂏𑂂
𑂹𑂐𑂐𑂐𑂰𑂐𑂱𑂐𑂲𑂐𑂳𑂐𑂴𑂐𑂵𑂐𑂶𑂐𑂷𑂐𑂸𑂐𑂁𑂐𑂂
𑂑𑂹𑂑𑂑𑂰𑂑𑂱𑂑𑂲𑂑𑂳𑂑𑂴𑂑𑂵𑂑𑂶𑂑𑂷𑂑𑂸𑂑𑂁𑂑𑂂
𑂹𑂒𑂒𑂒𑂰𑂒𑂱𑂒𑂲𑂒𑂳𑂒𑂴𑂒𑂵𑂒𑂶𑂒𑂷𑂒𑂸𑂒𑂁𑂒𑂂
𑂓𑂹𑂓𑂓𑂰𑂓𑂱𑂓𑂲𑂓𑂳𑂓𑂴𑂓𑂵𑂓𑂶𑂓𑂷𑂓𑂸𑂓𑂁𑂓𑂂
𑂹𑂔𑂔𑂔𑂰𑂔𑂱𑂔𑂲𑂔𑂳𑂔𑂴𑂔𑂵𑂔𑂶𑂔𑂷𑂔𑂸𑂔𑂁𑂔𑂂
𑂕𑂹𑂕𑂕𑂰𑂕𑂱𑂕𑂲𑂕𑂳𑂕𑂴𑂕𑂵𑂕𑂶𑂕𑂷𑂕𑂸𑂕𑂁𑂕𑂂
𑂹𑂖𑂖𑂖𑂰𑂖𑂱𑂖𑂲𑂖𑂳𑂖𑂴𑂖𑂵𑂖𑂶𑂖𑂷𑂖𑂸𑂖𑂁𑂖𑂂
𑂗𑂹𑂗𑂗𑂰𑂗𑂱𑂗𑂲𑂗𑂳𑂗𑂴𑂗𑂵𑂗𑂶𑂗𑂷𑂗𑂸𑂗𑂁𑂗𑂂
𑂘𑂹𑂘𑂘𑂰𑂘𑂱𑂘𑂲𑂘𑂳𑂘𑂴𑂘𑂵𑂘𑂶𑂘𑂷𑂘𑂸𑂘𑂁𑂘𑂂
𑂙𑂹𑂙𑂙𑂰𑂙𑂱𑂙𑂲𑂙𑂳𑂙𑂴𑂙𑂵𑂙𑂶𑂙𑂷𑂙𑂸𑂙𑂁𑂙𑂂
𑂛𑂹𑂛𑂛𑂰𑂛𑂱𑂛𑂲𑂛𑂳𑂛𑂴𑂛𑂵𑂛𑂶𑂛𑂷𑂛𑂸𑂛𑂁𑂛𑂂
𑂹𑂝𑂝𑂝𑂰𑂝𑂱𑂝𑂲𑂝𑂳𑂝𑂴𑂝𑂵𑂝𑂶𑂝𑂷𑂝𑂸𑂝𑂁𑂝𑂂
𑂹𑂞𑂞𑂞𑂰𑂞𑂱𑂞𑂲𑂞𑂳𑂞𑂴𑂞𑂵𑂞𑂶𑂞𑂷𑂞𑂸𑂞𑂁𑂞𑂂
𑂹𑂟𑂟𑂟𑂰𑂟𑂱𑂟𑂲𑂟𑂳𑂟𑂴𑂟𑂵𑂟𑂶𑂟𑂷𑂟𑂸𑂟𑂁𑂟𑂂
𑂹𑂠𑂠𑂠𑂰𑂠𑂱𑂠𑂲𑂠𑂳𑂠𑂴𑂠𑂵𑂠𑂶𑂠𑂷𑂠𑂸𑂠𑂁𑂠𑂂
𑂹𑂡𑂡𑂡𑂰𑂡𑂱𑂡𑂲𑂡𑂳𑂡𑂴𑂡𑂵𑂡𑂶𑂡𑂷𑂡𑂸𑂡𑂁𑂡𑂂
𑂹𑂢𑂢𑂢𑂰𑂢𑂱𑂢𑂲𑂢𑂳𑂢𑂴𑂢𑂵𑂢𑂶𑂢𑂷𑂢𑂸𑂢𑂁𑂢𑂂
𑂹𑂣𑂣𑂣𑂰𑂣𑂱𑂣𑂲𑂣𑂳𑂣𑂴𑂣𑂵𑂣𑂶𑂣𑂷𑂣𑂸𑂣𑂁𑂣𑂂
𑂹𑂤𑂤𑂤𑂰𑂤𑂱𑂤𑂲𑂤𑂳𑂤𑂴𑂤𑂵𑂤𑂶𑂤𑂷𑂤𑂸𑂤𑂁𑂤𑂂
𑂹𑂥𑂥𑂥𑂰𑂥𑂱𑂥𑂲𑂥𑂳𑂥𑂴𑂥𑂵𑂥𑂶𑂥𑂷𑂥𑂸𑂥𑂁𑂥𑂂
𑂹𑂦𑂦𑂦𑂰𑂦𑂱𑂦𑂲𑂦𑂳𑂦𑂴𑂦𑂵𑂦𑂶𑂦𑂷𑂦𑂸𑂦𑂁𑂦𑂂
𑂹𑂧𑂧𑂧𑂰𑂧𑂱𑂧𑂲𑂧𑂳𑂧𑂴𑂧𑂵𑂧𑂶𑂧𑂷𑂧𑂸𑂧𑂁𑂧𑂂
𑂹𑂨𑂨𑂨𑂰𑂨𑂱𑂨𑂲𑂨𑂳𑂨𑂴𑂨𑂵𑂨𑂶𑂨𑂷𑂨𑂸𑂨𑂁𑂨𑂂
𑂹𑂩𑂩𑂩𑂰𑂩𑂱𑂩𑂲𑂩𑂳𑂩𑂴𑂩𑂵𑂩𑂶𑂩𑂷𑂩𑂸𑂩𑂁𑂩𑂂
𑂹𑂪𑂪𑂪𑂰𑂪𑂱𑂪𑂲𑂪𑂳𑂪𑂴𑂪𑂵𑂪𑂶𑂪𑂷𑂪𑂸𑂪𑂁𑂪𑂂
𑂹𑂫𑂫𑂫𑂰𑂫𑂱𑂫𑂲𑂫𑂳𑂫𑂴𑂫𑂵𑂫𑂶𑂫𑂷𑂫𑂸𑂫𑂁𑂫𑂂
𑂹𑂬𑂬𑂬𑂰𑂬𑂱𑂬𑂲𑂬𑂳𑂬𑂴𑂬𑂵𑂬𑂶𑂬𑂷𑂬𑂸𑂬𑂁𑂬𑂂
𑂹𑂭𑂭𑂭𑂰𑂭𑂱𑂭𑂲𑂭𑂳𑂭𑂴𑂭𑂵𑂭𑂶𑂭𑂷𑂭𑂸𑂭𑂁𑂭𑂂
𑂹𑂮𑂮𑂮𑂰𑂮𑂱𑂮𑂲𑂮𑂳𑂮𑂴𑂮𑂵𑂮𑂶𑂮𑂷𑂮𑂸𑂮𑂁𑂮𑂂
𑂹𑂯𑂯𑂯𑂰𑂯𑂱𑂯𑂲𑂯𑂳𑂯𑂴𑂯𑂵𑂯𑂶𑂯𑂷𑂯𑂸𑂯𑂁𑂯𑂂

Signs and punctuation

Kaithi has several script-specific punctuation marks:

SignDescription
𑂻The abbreviation sign is one method of representing abbreviations in Kaithi.18 For example, 𑂪𑂱𑂎𑂱𑂞𑂧 can be abbreviated as 𑂪𑂲𑂻.19
𑂽The number sign is used with digits for enumerated lists and numerical sequences.20 It can appear above, below, or before a digit or sequence of digits.21 For example, 𑂽१२३.
𑂼The enumeration sign is a spacing version of the number sign.22 It always appears before a digit or sequence of digits (never above or below).
𑂾The section sign indicates the end of a sentence.23
𑂿The double section sign indicates the end of a larger section of text, such as a paragraph.24
𑃀Danda is a Kaithi-specific danda, which can mark the end of a sentence or line.
𑃁Double danda is a Kaithi-specific double danda.

General punctuation is also used with Kaithi:

  • + plus sign can be used to mark phrase boundaries
  • ‐ hyphen and - hyphen-minus can be used for hyphenation
  • ⸱ word separator middle dot can be used as a word boundary (as can a hyphen)

Numerals

Kaithi uses stylistic variants of Devanagari numeral. It also uses common Indic number signs for fractions and unit marks.25

Unicode

Main article: Kaithi (Unicode block)

Kaithi script was added to the Unicode Standard in October 2009 with the release of version 5.2.

The Unicode block for Kaithi is U+11080–U+110CF:

Kaithi[1][2]Official Unicode Consortium code chart (PDF)
 0123456789ABCDEF
U+1108x𑂀𑂁𑂂𑂃𑂄𑂅𑂆𑂇𑂈𑂉𑂊𑂋𑂌𑂍𑂎𑂏
U+1109x𑂐𑂑𑂒𑂓𑂔𑂕𑂖𑂗𑂘𑂙𑂚𑂛𑂜𑂝𑂞𑂟
U+110Ax𑂠𑂡𑂢𑂣𑂤𑂥𑂦𑂧𑂨𑂩𑂪𑂫𑂬𑂭𑂮𑂯
U+110Bx𑂰𑂱𑂲𑂳𑂴𑂵𑂶𑂷𑂸𑂺𑂹𑂻𑂼 𑂽 𑂾𑂿
U+110Cx𑃀𑃁𑃂 𑃍 
Notes1.^ As of Unicode version 16.02.^ Grey areas indicate non-assigned code points

Publications

The first Bhojpuri quarterly Bagsar Samāchar was published in this script in 1915.26

See also

References

  1. King, Christopher R. 1995. One Language, Two Scripts: The Hindi Movement in Nineteenth Century North India.New York: Oxford University Press. ↩

  2. Grierson, George A. 1899. A Handbook to the Kaithi Character. Calcutta: Thacker, Spink & Co. ↩

  3. Pandey, Anshuman (6 May 2008). "L2/08-194: Proposal to Encode the Kaithi Script in ISO/IEC 10646" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 15 June 2019. Retrieved 23 March 2018. https://www.unicode.org/L2/L2008/08194-n3389-kaithi.pdf ↩

  4. Rai, Alok. "Hindi Nationalism", p. 13 ↩

  5. General Report on Public Instruction in the Bengal Presidency, p. 103. ↩

  6. Rai, Alok (2007). Hindi Nationalism (Reprint ed.). London: Sangam Books. p. 51. ISBN 978-81-250-1979-4. 978-81-250-1979-4 ↩

  7. "कहीं पन्नों में दफन न हो जाए कैथी". inextlive (in Hindi). 19 March 2012. Archived from the original on 7 April 2022. Retrieved 2 September 2020. https://www.inextlive.com/jharkhand/ranchi/kaithi-albhabet-is-in-danger-201203140011 ↩

  8. Grierson, G.A. (1881). A Handbook to the Kayathi Character. Calcutta: Thacar Spink and Co. p. 4. ↩

  9. Grierson, G.A. (1902). Linguistic Survey of India, Vol. V, Part II. ↩

  10. Grierson, G.A. (1881). A Handbook to the Kayathi Character. Calcutta: Thacar Spink and Co. p. 4. ↩

  11. Grierson, G.A. (1881). A Handbook to the Kayathi Character. Calcutta: Thacar Spink and Co. p. 4. ↩

  12. Grierson, G.A. (1881). A Handbook to the Kayathi Character. Calcutta: Thacar Spink and Co. p. 4. ↩

  13. Pandey, Anshuman (6 May 2008). "L2/08-194: Proposal to Encode the Kaithi Script in ISO/IEC 10646" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 15 June 2019. Retrieved 23 March 2018. https://www.unicode.org/L2/L2008/08194-n3389-kaithi.pdf ↩

  14. Pandey, Anshuman (6 May 2008). "L2/08-194: Proposal to Encode the Kaithi Script in ISO/IEC 10646" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 15 June 2019. Retrieved 23 March 2018. https://www.unicode.org/L2/L2008/08194-n3389-kaithi.pdf ↩

  15. Pandey, Anshuman (6 May 2008). "L2/08-194: Proposal to Encode the Kaithi Script in ISO/IEC 10646" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 15 June 2019. Retrieved 23 March 2018. https://www.unicode.org/L2/L2008/08194-n3389-kaithi.pdf ↩

  16. "The Unicode Standard, Chapter 15.2: Kaithi" (PDF). Unicode Consortium. March 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on 11 March 2020. Retrieved 21 March 2020. https://www.unicode.org/versions/Unicode13.0.0/ch15.pdf#G69704 ↩

  17. Pandey, Anshuman (6 May 2008). "L2/08-194: Proposal to Encode the Kaithi Script in ISO/IEC 10646" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 15 June 2019. Retrieved 23 March 2018. https://www.unicode.org/L2/L2008/08194-n3389-kaithi.pdf ↩

  18. Pandey, Anshuman (6 May 2008). "L2/08-194: Proposal to Encode the Kaithi Script in ISO/IEC 10646" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 15 June 2019. Retrieved 23 March 2018. https://www.unicode.org/L2/L2008/08194-n3389-kaithi.pdf ↩

  19. Pandey, Anshuman (6 May 2008). "L2/08-194: Proposal to Encode the Kaithi Script in ISO/IEC 10646" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 15 June 2019. Retrieved 23 March 2018. https://www.unicode.org/L2/L2008/08194-n3389-kaithi.pdf ↩

  20. Pandey, Anshuman (6 May 2008). "L2/08-194: Proposal to Encode the Kaithi Script in ISO/IEC 10646" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 15 June 2019. Retrieved 23 March 2018. https://www.unicode.org/L2/L2008/08194-n3389-kaithi.pdf ↩

  21. Pandey, Anshuman (6 May 2008). "L2/08-194: Proposal to Encode the Kaithi Script in ISO/IEC 10646" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 15 June 2019. Retrieved 23 March 2018. https://www.unicode.org/L2/L2008/08194-n3389-kaithi.pdf ↩

  22. "The Unicode Standard, Chapter 15.2: Kaithi" (PDF). Unicode Consortium. March 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on 11 March 2020. Retrieved 21 March 2020. https://www.unicode.org/versions/Unicode13.0.0/ch15.pdf#G69704 ↩

  23. "The Unicode Standard, Chapter 15.2: Kaithi" (PDF). Unicode Consortium. March 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on 11 March 2020. Retrieved 21 March 2020. https://www.unicode.org/versions/Unicode13.0.0/ch15.pdf#G69704 ↩

  24. "The Unicode Standard, Chapter 15.2: Kaithi" (PDF). Unicode Consortium. March 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on 11 March 2020. Retrieved 21 March 2020. https://www.unicode.org/versions/Unicode13.0.0/ch15.pdf#G69704 ↩

  25. "The Unicode Standard, Chapter 15.2: Kaithi" (PDF). Unicode Consortium. March 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on 11 March 2020. Retrieved 21 March 2020. https://www.unicode.org/versions/Unicode13.0.0/ch15.pdf#G69704 ↩

  26. Journal of Historical Research. Department of History, Ranchi University. 2004. https://books.google.com/books?id=7qZQAQAAMAAJ&q=bagsar+samachar+bhojpuri ↩