Let Us Learn Kashmiri

How to read and write Kashmiri in Devanagari ?
M.K.Raina

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||z| |`|| -||at| -|| -| e|e||?

How to read and write Kashmiri in Devanagari?

By

M.K.Raina

Updated January 2006
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Kashmir News Network http://iKashmir.net/mkraina/index.html

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M.K.Raina

ABOUT KASHMIRI LANGUAGE AND DEVANAGARI-KASHMIRI SCRIPT:

Introduction:

In olden times, Kashmiri was written in Sharada, one of the oldest scripts which was
developed around 10th century. Some scholars are of the view that Sharada used to be
our script for writing Sanskrit, which we subsequently used to write Kashmiri. Indo-
Roman type was used for writing Kashmiri for quite some time, but it could not become
popular. The Persio-Arabic script has been recognised as the official script for Kashmiri
by the government. Devanagari-Kashmiri did not receive any official patronage but it
continued to be used by Kashmiri Pandits as a medium of writing. However there was
one lacuna. Writers used different set of diacritical marks to represent peculiar Kashmiri
sounds and this resulted in chaos and confusion among the readers.
In 1995, a committee of scholars agreed on adopting a particular set of diacritical
marks for the peculiar Kashmiri sounds. This set of diacritical marks continued to be
used in Devanagari-Kashmiri till the year 2002, when another committee of experts led
by Dr. Roop Krishen Bhat, under the auspices of Northern Regional Language Centre of
the Central Institute of Indian Languages (Ministry of Human Resources Development),
decided to further modify some of the diacritical marks. The said Committee agreed
upon a set of modified vowels and diacritical marks, leading to finalisation of the
Standardised Devanagari-Kashmiri script towards end of the year 2002. This Script is
now being used, or set to be used by all for uniformity in writing Kashmiri in Devanagari.
The Standardised Devanagari-Kashmiri Alphabet has the following set of Vowels and
Consonants:

Vowels (+|)
|, |, |, |, ||, ||, ;, ;, =, =, ~|., |, |, |, ||, ||, ||, |

|, |, |, ||, |, and || have been introduced in Kashmiri Vowels to represent the
peculiar Kashmiri sounds which are strange to Nagari. There is no place for Visarga
(|) in Kashmiri. | and | are considered vowels when they represent second
members of a conjunct (as in |-| and =| )

Consonants (||-|)
|, =|, | |, a, |
.|, a, . | c, s, =
-|, |, :, | -|, -|, |, -|

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M.K.Raina

|, , -|, | |, |, r ~|

There are three affricative consonants in Kashmiri which are strange to the Nagari
alphabet. They are, as you see above, .|, a and . |.
Kashmiri has no aspirated sonants like |, ;|, c, | and -|. So ||c can be written
as ||c and -|| as || in Kashmiri. Similarly |, -| and :| are also not part of the
Kashmiri alphabet. They are often but not always retained in Kashmiri to write words
directly borrowed from Sanskrit and Hindi. = and | are generally replaced by Anusvara
( ) in Kashmiri, but can also be used to represent words borrowed from Sanskrit and
Hindi. For example, |-|||= can also be written as |-||=.

Vowels (+|)

|, |, |, |, ||, ||, , , =, =, >|r, , , , ||, ||, ||, | and | & |
(when they represent second members of a Conjunct).

We all know how to read and pronounce the Vowels which already exist in Hindi
alphabet viz:

|, ||, , , =, =, >|r, , , ||, ||, |, -|, -|

Some illustrations using these vowels (and their matras) in Kashmiri are given here:

| |.|, |=|, |:|r, |s
|| |||, |||, ||a, ||
| ||, ||-|, :||, ||:
;|c|-|, ;||.||
|` |`||, |`:|-||, |`|||, |`|-|
;-|||, ;|
| ||, |||, -||

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M.K.Raina

= =||, =-|-||
|a, ||, r|
= =|, =||
|, =:, ||
>|r ~|.|:
||, -|--|
||`-||.|
-|=|, r-|-|, -|s
||
||s
|| |||, ||c, ||-||
| ||=|, -||, |-||
|| |||:, ||.||
| ||
| ||, |
|:=|, |:|, ||=
-| :|=| (r|=|), r||| (s|||)
-| :|: (:), |:, :|=| (=|)

Now, we will learn reading and pronouncing the Vowels which have specially been
introduced in the Standardised Devanagari-Kashmiri alphabet to represent some
peculiar sounds of the Kashmiri language viz:

|, |, |, ||, , ||


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M.K.Raina

| |= (half), | (arm)
:| (a piece of cloth)
: (hard), |-||-| (ill)
||`-|| (swallow), -|r (yellow rice)
|||| (poverty), ||`-|| (whom)

| |:-| (bridge), c=| (run)
| (me), -||-| (skin)
|-| (come), || || (slowly)
|= (first), =| (slip)
:| (a type of shawl)

| ||`s-|, |s|-| (eighth), =|-| (tent)
-| (cold), :-| -||-|| (deep mala)
||s (veil),
=|=| (one who speaks through nose)

|| ||| (mouth), || (plum)
:| (window), r| (maina)
-|| (cucumber), ||| (similarity)

|r||| (favour), r (flame)
:r (body), -||`-| (then)
=|r (wetness), |r (sparks)

|| ||| (clouds), ||| (blind)
||a (frail), ||a (bribe)
=||-| (flock)


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M.K.Raina

Let us now combine Anusvara with , |, , , and | :

: -|= (branch), |.| (swan)
||| (fig), ||| (coloured)
|r| -|=| (around), |.|=| (to count)

| : -||| (stone of the fruit)
|||`| r|.| (boatman)
||-|| (to shiver), ||s (kite)
|||| (made of bamboo)

: |r-|| (to groan)
|= (scoundrel), -|.|r (twentyfive)
: |.|r--|.|r (make excuses)
|| |c (younger female child)

: |r (somethimg)

| : |||| (finger), .||| (fire)
|||-| (a flower)

Before proceeding further, we will have a look at the symbols and diacritical marks in
Indo-Roman script, devised by Project Zaan, to represent Vowels and diacritical marks
of the Devanagari-Kashmiri alphabet:


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M.K.Raina

Kashmiri in Indo-Roman Script Vowels:

| is represented by a
| is represented by
| is represented by
| is represented by
|| is represented by
is represented by
is represented by
= is represented by
= is represented by
>|r is represented by r
is represented by
is represented by
is represented by
|| is represented by au
| is represented by n


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M.K.Raina

Kashmiri in Indo-Roman Script Consonants:

In the last Lesson, we learned the symbols and diacritical marks in Indo-Roman script, to
represent Vowels and diacritical marks of the Devanagari-Kashmiri alphabet. In this
Lesson, we will learn about those Consonants, which have varied applications in the
Indo-Roman script:

=| is represented by kh
| is represented by ch
.| is represented by ts
a is represented by chh
.a is represented by tsh
.| is represented by z
c is represented by
s is represented by h
= is represented by
-| is represented by t
| is represented by th
: is represented by d
-| is represented by ph
| is represented by sh
~| is represented by tr


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M.K.Raina

Exercise 1
Using Vowels in Indo-Roman Script

a sar (lake) (|)
mas (hair) (-||)
nz (swan) (|.|)
ln (lame) (-|=)
dr (window) (:|)
lr (cucumber) (-||)
yr (friend) (||)
nr (fire) (||)
b (I, me) (|)
rs (slip) (|)
au aushad (medicine) (|||:)
daulath (wealth) (:|-||)
rth (month) (||)
dn (days) (r||)
dg (cauldron) (:|)
nr (go) (|)
rh (flame) (r)
srh (wetness) (=|r)
sr (secret) (|`|)
chran (fat of the entrails) (|`||)
sr (brick) (||)
vr (willow) (||)
i
vl
i
(quickly) (|-|)
kl
i
(dumbs) (|-|)
mkh (face) (-|=|)
sn (gold) (||)
mr (peacock) (-||)
snth (spring) (|||)
dr (hard) (:|)
kn (thorn) (||=)
kl (tree) (|-|)

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M.K.Raina

bsar (very hot water) (||)
ml (root) (-|-|)
sr (ashes) (|)
tr (cold) (-|)
dph (lamp) (:-|)


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M.K.Raina

Exercise 2
Reading Words with (|)

|a chh (eye)
|= (half)
||`=| j (bone)
|||| jb (strange)
|.| nz (swan)
|.| kts (how many)
|-||.| kmz (shirt)
||`-|| ktj (swallow)
||`-|| kms (whom)
|-||| kmn (mean)
||à| gtshn (let go)
| gr (watch)
|||| grb (poverty)
.|-||| zmn (land, earth)
-|-||.| tmz (manners)
-||| trk (way)
-|r thr (yellow rice)
:.| dz (burnt)
: dr (hard)
-|a| ptsh
i
(guests)
-||`| prn (let read)
||| bansr (flute)
-|a mchh (fly)
-|: mdrr (sugar)
-| lr (house)
|: sdr (sea)


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M.K.Raina

Exercise 3
Reading Words with (||)

||| b (fault)
||-||| phn (opium)
||| kn
i
(one-eyed)
|||| krgar (skilled person)
||-|| kph (plenty)
|||`-|-| ktl (murderer)
=||-|| khl (empty)
|| gr (water chestnut)
|||`r-| jhl (ignorant)
||-|| jl (fake)
c|s h (dear)
=|-| l
i
(present)
-||||.| tvz (amulet)
:|| dn (pomegranate)
:| dr (window)
-||| prn
i
(old)
|||`|| bry (wife)
||| bns (bamboo)
-||| mj (mother)
-||-|| mph (pardon)
-||| mnsh (buffalo)
-|| lr (cucumber)
||| vj (ring)
|||| vryv (in-laws place)
r||-| hnkal (chain, latch)

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M.K.Raina

Exercise 4

| b I, me
.| ts you
|:-| kdl bridge
|-| kal head
=| khr slip
c=| kh run
:| ds a type of shawl
-||| pann
i
own
-||-| msl problem
|-| vl come
|| || vr slowly
-||.| tasnz his, her
||.| kasnz whose
-|r.| thnz your
|-| yal loose
-||:| |r pdr
i
sh lion
=|| ||-| k vl post man
||.| vz cook
|-|| ||-| nalk vl plumber
||| kkr hen
|.| sts tailor
;| drk leech
|c va stigma
|c a shoulder
|: vand winter
|-| nat otherwise

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M.K.Raina

Exercise 5

|-| kt
i
how many?
|| kns
i
young ones
-| tr cold
-| rph form
=|-| khm tent
:-| dph incense
|-| st
i
along with
||s gngah veil
c|| nk
i
money
-|-| || tnt
i
kr catgut
=|=| khnkh one who speaks through nose
-||`.|-| pntsm fifth
||`s-| hm eighth
-||`| prth bedecked
=| s cudgel


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M.K.Raina

Exercise 6
Reading Words with ()

a chh is
|r knh something
-||`-| tl then
r rh flame
|r bh sit down
||`-| yli when
||`| gn wrinkles
||-| shshtr iron
~||-| trym third
|-|-| shtyl century
|||| shn
i
wife
-|r|| mahrn
i
bride
||| nchv son
|||-| skyl sandy
|||| shgnn to become
scorned
-||| pchan
i
paternal aunt


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M.K.Raina

Exercise 7
Reading Words with (||)

||-| nym lemon
:| dr hard
-||.| pz fact
|| kr did
||-| sm level
||-||| bmvr tuesday
.||| tsk sour
||| sn deep
c||s yh bitter
-||: lydr yellow
||| ths
i
lumps
r|r| hhvr inlaws
:|| db washerman
-|||| phyk shoulder
r|c h throat
||| sh tear
s|| hyr up
-||r ph Posha
-||: mdr sweet
-||-|-| tml rice
|| rs without
||-|-| krmt have done
||-|=| nmrn to bend
-||r|| mhnyv servant
-||.| pz fact
||| br clouds


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M.K.Raina

Exercise 8
Practice in reading words

||`=| aj bone
||==| rn to mix up
|||| gn fire
|r||| ahankr
i
conceited
|||`=|| khth untrue
||-||||r aktjh fortyone
|-|||| algb unknowingly
|||| ngj finger
||`.|-| nzm index finger
|| anr blindness
|||| shn
i
wife
|-|.|| apzyr liar
|||| asvn laughing
|||`||| yjr softness
|.|| zyk todays
|.||-| azl not burnt
||-||| phn opium
|= :|| a dg half pounded
|=|-| yl large bone
||= .||= z mutual abuse
|||`|.| jz helpless
|=|-|| akhty moreover
||| akr unboiled
|||-| kym first
|||`-|| lch sour cherry
|-|||| albn
i
plough
||r| anhr unmarried


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M.K.Raina

Exercise 9

|| || k bth ugly faced
|||`|-| kbl capable
||| kch lane
||:| kndrn
i
baker's wife
||| kngr fire pot
||`-|| klnj acute colic
|-|| kamch a whip
||-| knph trembling
=||:|| khabardr taking care
=||`| khj a Khoja
=|=| khkhr hollow
=|.|| khnzn to pluck
=||`| khrn
i
she-ass
=||.| |= khts b easily terrified
=|-| khatr punishment
=||`| -|: khay lad rusty
=|| khych obstruction
=||-|-| khymt eaten
=|| khsh happy
=|.| khzr date
|= gy bunch
|=|| gnyk first
|-||| glb rose
|.|=| gnzrn to count
||| gs anger
||s gnh kite


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M.K.Raina

Exercise 10

|`||r|| chchrhray scream
|| chg gown
||| chki desire
||-| chli excitemen
||| charr idiocity
|| chth drunk
||||| charvy quadruped
||c chn chin
||`c| chni chutnee
a|| chhngr hurry
a|=| chkh wound
a|-|| chhmbn threshing
a| chhanr emptiness
a|r chharh only
|à|| chhryv a kind of fish
a-|| chhatri umbrella
a|c| chhnn to pick
a.|=| chhtsrn to whiten
|| jgi ascetic
||| jjr hookah
||-| jli network
||-| jm Jammu
|-| jli a bag
|||| jn goodness
|-| jnphr a hut
|| jri pair
||||| javn youth


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M.K.Raina

Exercise 11

c|| ch a kind of cap
c=| i rumour
c|-| chal spotted
c| ng hillock
c|| ng tumour
c | ng a sob
c|=| kh a mere drop
|`c||-| kyl tethering peg
c|| ngr hand-hoe
c s nh self-conceit
s|`|-| hgl cheating
sr|| hhrv pause
s||| hkn stand firmly
|`s||| hkn abode
s-| hl large bag
s=|| hany cooling drink
s|| hni a trap
s|s hnh all property
=|= one & a half
= = uninvited
=|| ng a mace
=||`|| gni a witch
=|| ngr grain seller
=| jar looseness
=|| k hump-backed
|`=-| mbr the belley


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M.K.Raina

Exercise 12

-||| tb
i
dependent
-|| tabr axe
|`-|r thr apex
|`-|||||`.| tkyz because
-||`-| tl then
-|r th arrogance
-|r: thnd yours
-|-|| tlch defeat
-|-| tmbar cataract
||| thj
i
dish
||| thkn to boast
|| thn
i
butter
||-| thpr slap
||`|-|: thslad wearied
|-|| thaln to trim
||-| thkal spitter
| thar trembling
:| db upside down
:|| db washerman
:|=| dbrn to bury
:-|| d-br two-doored
|| dgan twofold
||| nchv son
||r navrh new year
|||`|: nyd barber
||| nrnay decision
|-| nastr flat nosed
|||`| nrj conduit


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M.K.Raina

Exercise 13

-||à| pchhn fowl
-||=: prd mercury
-|=| pn to ooze
-|r|-| pahl shepherd
-|=|| pakhch a wing
-|-| plr infirm
-|-|a pambchh lotus nut
-||| phngr penniless
-|r| phhr rough
-||| phjr blossoming
-|||| phkr beggary
-||-| phl boil
-||| phn froth
||a bchh hungry
||| bnbr flurry
|=| b ab ill shaped
||:|| bdg stupidity
|||=| bgrn to divide
|s|-| bhym twelfth
|`|=||| bkhr
i
beggar
||| bkr ugly
-||`|-| mchl poverty
-|= m foolish
-||=| mnn to knead
-|r-|||:|| mhmndr hospitality
-||| mj mother
-|=||| mkhs by rote
-|||-| mkl
i
a blow


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M.K.Raina

Exercise 14

||:|| ydvay although
|| yg age of world
|||`|-| ykl cross beam
|| yangr charcoal burner
||| yn
i
as soon as
||`-| yli when
|-|| yapr this side
|.|-|| yzman priests client
|a rchh watch
|= rn rascal
||| rjth king-hood
|=|| rkhys demon
|`|`|| rkn
i
slip
-| ral mixed
-| rph form
-|| labr high ground
-||||| lchr helplessness
-||:| ldan kindly help
-|: ldrr yellowness
-|=|| lay quarrel
-|=| lkh indecent abuse
||| vbth riches
|a vchhar fatness
|: vdr belley
|: vdr iron clamp
||-|| vgln to melt


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M.K.Raina

Exercise 15

||| shg green pigeon
||| shgan six fold
|s| -|: shh
i
lad frost bitten
|=| shnkh conch shell
|`|||| shkr
i
hunter
|a shchh message
|| shb splendour
|| shb auspiciousness
|`|||| shny destruction
||| snch mould
|:|r sadh sound
||:=| sdakh magician
||;|| sdrvr fresh
||=| sgrn to sprinkle
|| sg cheap
|=| sakhar set forth
|||-| skl good time
|-|s s-kah good son
||-||| slb floods
|||||| snbrvn to collect
|`r| hs part
r| harn
i
female deer
r|`|| harshth joyfulness
r|=| hasakh rivalry
r|c h throat
r-| htr white leprosy

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M.K.Raina

Exercise 16
Practice in reading sentences
(Courtesy: Project Zaan)

.| ||||`.| a=| s|r s|r ||`| ||||.
ts kyz chhkh hh hh krth asn

:-||| c|| ||à ||| ||||1
dapn ranas gatsh bn sn

|| -|.| a| ||r |=| |`.| .| a=| |s|r -|.|1
ath manz chhn knh shakh z ts chhkh shh tz

|`|-|| |||| a|| |`.|: |.||| r=|.
yman grban chhn znd rznk hakh ?

-|||`|| -|||`-|| -|||`| r.| ||à =|:-|| ||1
panns mls mj hnz gatsh khdmath karn
i

||||| a-| |`.| .| a| | ||=| |-|||1
bsn chhm z ts chhy n yrk vpn

|||`||r ||-| ||-| .| -||||1
vryh kl gm ts prrn

|-| |.| || -||| -||s| ||| ||||1
vl az karav prn
i
ph
i
kath bth

:-||| |.| || |`| ||`.|| |s|r =||1
dapn rz gav y bzth shh hrn

||-||| ||-||| ||-| |`-|-| ||`|| |||| -|s -| ||`-| r|-|=| |=|1

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M.K.Raina

vtn vtn vt
i
tm ks ngas ph t at dytkh thakh

=||| || -||r|`||`|| ||-|| -| .|| ||||| -||1
khjan kr mhnvs lav t tsras karnvn lr


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M.K.Raina

Exercise 17
Practice in reading sentences

.| ||||`.| a=| s|r s|r ||`| ||||.
ts kyz chhkh hh hh krth asn

:-||| c|| ||à ||| ||||1
dapn ranas gatsh bn sn

|| -|.| a| ||r |=| |`.| .| a=| |s|r -|.|1
ath manz chhn knh shakh z ts chhkh shh tz

|`|-|| |||| a|| |`.|: |.||| r=|.
yman grban chhn znd rznk hakh ?

-|||`|| -|||`-|| -|||`| r.| ||à =|:-|| ||1
panns mls mj hnz gatsh khdmath karn
i

||||| a-| |`.| .| a| | ||=| |-|||1
bsn chhm z ts chhy n yrk vpn

|||`||r ||-| ||-| .| -||||1
vryh kl gm ts prrn

|-| |.| || -||| -||s| ||| ||||1
vl az karav prn
i
ph
i
kath bth

:-||| |.| || |`| ||`.|| |s|r =||1
dapn rz gav y bzth shh hrn


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M.K.Raina

||-||| ||-||| ||-| |`-|-| ||`|| |||| -|s -| ||`-| r|-|=| |=|1
vtn vtn vt
i
tm ks ngas ph t at dytkh thakh

=||| || -||r|`||`|| ||-|| -| .|| ||||| -||1
khjan kr mhnvs lav t tsras karnvn lr


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M.K.Raina

Exercise 18
Practice in reading sentences - 2

|`| a ||-| -|||r ||-|| |a||1
y chh kl pagh slas gatshn.

||`-|| |||`| ||| |.|| -| -||| a| :||`| ||`~|1
ms s jn gzr t tavay chhas dy btr.

||| |à ||| -|||`| .||1 ||`| -||`.| -|||| ||| |-| || .|||| -|.| || ||1
kshr chh sn
i
mj zv. as paz pannn shrn st
i
th
i
zabn
i
manz kath karn
i
.

|s|r ||-| ||-| ||||| |`.| | -|=| r| -|||| -|| -| ||||| -|s |=| |`|-|||1
shh kl gm snchn z b lkh h pannn rasman t rvjan ph akh ktb.

r|| |||| |-|| || | ||r ||= -||r||1 |`:-| ||à ||= ||||1
dyr sn st gav n knh b mhnyv. dl gatsh b sn.

|| :|`||r| -|.| ||`| -|| || r ||.| -|| -||| ||`-| ||`|.
yath dnyahas manz ban prath knh chz magar mj kat ban.

| |=-| a-| ||: -|||| ||`-| |||` || |`|||`-| -||| |=| |=| |.| .||à |`|| ||c ||| -||||1
s vakht chhm yd pvn yl sns sngl pashas akh akh gaz zchh
shshar gn s lagn.

|`.|s|| |.|| |=| a -||c|| r: -|.|1
zhn yazath karn chh lkn hnd pharz.

-||=|| r|`: |=-| |`-| a ||||` |`r:-|||| |-| |-|: |||-|-|
pnvan hnd vakht t chh kshr hdstnas st
i
samband smt.

|`.|s|| r.| ||r| |à -|| ||-| ||| |`||||1 |`-|r.| ||à -||`.| -|| |||| ||1
zhn hnz h chh prath st bakr yvn. thnz gatsh paz man sv karn
i
.

||||` |à -|| ||s-| -| =||| ||`| .|s ||s-| r -|-|-||`-| |`:|| -||||1
kshr chh prath ham t khs krth zh ham dh tlml dvay lagn.

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M.K.Raina

Exercise 19
Practice in reading sentences - 3

-||`-| ||| |s|r ||, -||| |||`| || ||-||1
tat s shh br, tavay y s
i
vpas.

|||-|| -|.| a ||`-| |s|r =: -||||1
barstas manz chh yt shh rd pvn.

-||-|| |r| |r| |à ||| r.| |=| |.| |-|||1
parbatas nd
i
nd
i
chh kann hnz akh thz kaly.

-|| ||`s| ||| |||| :|, |-|| ||| -||`-| ||| |-|1
tath khs s aky dr, am s tat gsh kam.

|||`| ||`-|| |à |=| -|| || |||||1
bn kls chh b
i
pan vthr sn.

|-| -||-| a -||r| |||||| |`|||| -||||1
rt mgl chh manhs jnvr yvn mann.

|||`|| ||||| -|.| |à .|| -|| |-| -| .| -|-| |-|1
sns ngnas manz chh tsr phras kl
i
t z tl kl
i
.

|`| | |à -||| -||-| || -|s ||`|-|.|1
y gr chh myn
i
ml
i
nbr ph nmts.

||-| ||`|| -|s ||| |= -|||`||1 -||-| |||`-||| r|-| ||`| |=|1
bl thngs ph s jan lgth. tt vtthy dyt as thakh.

|-|-||`| ||| |||| -|s =| ~||||| |= -|.| |`||||1
glmarg s shnas ph khr trvnas ba maz yvn.

||| |`||||| a |-|| ||| -|| |||1
snth yvny chh kln nv pan nrn.

30
M.K.Raina

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||z| |`|| -||at| -|| -| e|e||?

How to read and write Kashmiri in Devanagari?

By

M.K.Raina

Updated January 2006
-------------------------------------------------------------

31

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How to read and write Kashmiri in Devanagari ?

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