CHAPTER -Il Paleography and epigraphy (Its origin and nature of script) The subject concerned has been dealt with in a broader context to show the background of the evolution of different scripts in both regional and international perspectives. In the light of the background the evolution of Meitei or Manipuri script has been discussed in the following section. The earliest writing in the world is recorded in Sumer city of Mesopotamia ascribed to C5500 B.C." in the form of picture writing on a limestone tablet. The first baked clay tablet, which was dated as 3100 B.C. ? represented the inscribed symbols denoting various objects and parts of the body, and a sledge with other marks, probably counts. The Ideogram represents more than the object drawn but related to it. Non-pictoral styles i.e. cuneiform or wedge writing [Cuneus = wedge] represents symbol drawn with single strokes by the wedge-ended pieces of reed. It is called symbol writing pigraphy represents the transformation of the human thoughts, actions and ideas in the form of writing mostly on stones and metals. The writing medium may be on the less perishable textures in the form of ideographic or alphabetic characters. 1. The last two million years, Reade4r Digest, “ History of Man London” Pp 302-3 2. Ibid Pp 304 -5The first and foremost alphabet was invented prior to 1000 B.C.* by a Semitic man in Asia Minor, It was known as Semitic or phonician alphabet. This is the origin of all the alphabetic scripts in the world. The ideographic writing survives till now in China and Japan, which proves that one time, both alphabetic and ideographic or pictographic writing were used at the same time. The alphabetic writing becomes more convenient then pictographic writing. Thus people adopted the above writing style. This style of writing spread from near to far countries of the somatic people. The Indus script was one of the earliest scripts found in India. Sir John Marshall discovered it in 1922 A.D. from the excavation at Harappa and Mohenjodaro now in Pakistan. As the Indus script is not yet deciphered properly or accepted by the people, A.H. Dani in his book had listed 537 symbols of different forms and figures, which is more pictographic in nature. * A cursory examination of the Indus script shows that neither it is Sumerian nor any other known script. Some scholars are of the opinion that this script is ideographic while others pleaded as phonemes The Brahmi script is the first Indian alphabetic script. It presumes that Brahmi is the origin of all the Indian scripts. So far the Indian alphabetic script used as descended from Bharami with slight modification and derivations 3. Ibid4. Ahamad Harsan Dani, Indian Paleography oxford 1963 p 12India had adopted the alphabetic script after the extinction or much later after the disappearance of the Indus valley civilization. It is in actuality and fact that Indian had employed alphabetic scripts prior to the regime of the Mauryan emperor Ashoka, the great (268-232 B.C.) 5 But the origin and cvolution of the Brahmi, the conventional, popular, one for all alphabetic script are sometimes to find a solution to this standard of academic status. However, on the other hand, learned A.H. Dani writes us.° “Its origin and growth are rooted in the civilization of the ancient world of which India was a member. The discovery of the Indus pictographs or ideographs or whatever the system of writing was, provides an ample evidence of direct contact between India and the cultural centers of western Asia. The appearance of the Indo Aryans in history further strengthened this contact. It is in Western Asia also that the different stages in the evolution of alphabet are more or less clear. It is no wonder that the principle underlying alphabetic writing soon spread with trade and commerce and it may be suggested that as the Brahmins found this principle a great help in their Vedic recitals, the grammatical treaties.” 5. Ibid: P24 6. Ibid:P 23‘The Indians were maintaining the alphabetic system of writing until now with minor addition and omission from time to time since prior to the regime of emperor Ashoka down to the present day for C 2000 years. Hence A.H. Dani concludes that — “ It is on the basis of this alphabets that we have to understand the origin and development of Brahmi.”? As proved by the minute and critical analysis and synthesis of the earliest examples of Indian writing, the writing known to India was preceded over the grammer, though it conceives of vowels and consonants, still does not have pure consonants. * Each Indian consonant, where not followed by a vowel explicitly it cannot be pronounced or spoken out. Hence Indian consonants mostly imply on an inherent vowel. popularly and especially vested only on one vowel i.e. “a” and no other.” Corresponding to this nature A.H. Dani put forth as- this peculiar characteristic of the Indian system is traced by Diringer “to the influence of the Mamio language, in which the final “aleple” predominated”. But the necessity of this inherent is also felt in the Sanskrit language, in which the consonants are required to be pronounced with some definite vowel unless they are explicitly characterized as vowel less. It is therefore not necessary to look further a field for this feature. The peculiar character of the Indian alphabet is the contribution of the Indian grammarians. '° 7. Ibid: P26 8 Tid: P24 9 Ibid: P24 10. Ibid: P24David Deringer’s note regarding the nature of Indian alphabet is neutralized here by A.H. Dani. Hence, the Semitic alphabetic system even though the Indian system was derived modified from it, has not similar with the Indian alphabetic Brahmi and Brahmi is not the clavish adoption of the (north) Semitic symbols as to be shown by the table "below = SEMITIC AND EARLY PHONILIAN ALPHABETIC SYSTEM AND LETTERS [SLNo. |Name Figure [Name Figure | Corresponding | and form | and form | roman letter _ Aleph ce) A (AA A | Gimel Ke Ga A | G } Teth & 11. David Diringer: The alphabet (London ~1949): P 336Table No. 1 Indian Brahmi alphabetic system has not only the number of letters as shown above and it is also divided into more systematic phenomenon of vowels and consonants as well as unaspirates and aspirates with regards to its letters the following table will show its full contents and context. Indian alphabetic Brau (Vowel and consonant) Vowels SiNo. | Brahmi | Roman | SINo. | Brahmi | Roman | SENo. [Brahmi | Roman | | : | | |» iA L [osaanes (ep =e eee 2 | 7 Aa Ee 10. | E [00 3 | Ang E M. Zz 0 | 4 [|_| Abh Ai (2. [| 2 [Aw0u | Consonants [ SLNo, | Brahmi Roman | SINo. | Brahmi | Roman | SLNo._ Brahmi | Roman | 31397 | Kha 3. AO 4} Wy S| d 6. & 2 | 8. H % 70. Ee +India alphabetic Brahmi (Unseparates, aspirates and exceptions SINo. [Letter |Key [SINo. [Letter | Key [SINo. [Letter | Key | a |__| r 4 }Gha | 1. + |Ka 1. | \y i | z | [Cia 27K | nian | oieeea| \Ta : ee lie KY © |ta [4 | @ [Ta | | | 6 Ce | 6 [aso | Dia 6) a | Ba | — + — 1 [Pha |Z Dha jb Fo Ps | 8 (Hoi Bha fy [xa] | 7 ~ — 7 19, { Na | The letter O Tha is stated in both the aspirate [70. IC Nea | and exception. i h Niyya | |G | Tha After the minute and detail studies of the origin and nature of Brahmi, the Indian first and foremost alphabetic script so far known to the history and anlytic synthesis of the features of the forms and figures of letters in Brahmi alphabet, some, modern scriptologists withstand to defend the research decision of their Opponents which wrote as“The forms of the Sanskrit letters show that they and the related Hindu alphabets are derivatives, though much altered over, form Phoenician or some kindred primitive northern Semitic writing, Exactly how this was carried form the Mediterranean to India has not been determined. But it appears as the Brahmi alphabet in the inscriptions of the famous Buddhist king Asoka around 250 BG.C.” But in the critical study of the origin of Brahmi A.H. Dan put forth many grounds, fundamental, bases to oppose the statements and comments of the reknown alphabetic Researcher, David derringer and some remarkable lines are as follow: There has also been a controversy over the question of the particular branch of the Semitic alphabet Brahmi is “derived”. Opinions have vivid the south Semitic to North Semitic or particularized to Phoenician or to Aramaic the similarity with the North Semitic letters is the closest written this broad division derringer prefers the “Aramaic alphabet s the prototype of the Brahmi script” since Aramaic is known to have been used right up to the borders of India. But the choice need not be limited to Aramaic alone as the Brahmi letters were not litera“derived” from the Semitic as is commonly understand, but are based on them A.H.Dani, even when he writes so had not directly point to the parental evolute and the originating point of history of this alphabet. Hence, he furnishes neither his affidavit in the language of “Neither was the Brahmi the pure invention of the Indian grammarians nor was the above alphabet (the writing prior to emperor Asoka, the great) developed out of Brahmi.” '* 12. Ahmead Hasan Dani : Op. cit. : P 28 13. Ahmad Hasan Dani : Op. cit. : P 29.It is also known to all that from the very beginning when Brahmi was made for writing in India in basis of the North Semitic writing, had determined its direction of writing form left to right on the horizontal plane, The Brahmi had given to raise a different form of early Hindu script called Kharoshthi or Indo-Bacterian alphabet of the Punjab. The Kharosthi spreaded from the Punjab up to Turkestan, but soon died out in India by shifting its center to Bacteria. As it were create out by the fusion of the teacher and contacts of the Bramhi and Arabic-Iranian writing it ‘turned away out of the normal directojnof spread up to the research of the pacific coast and arrived on the Mediterranean coast of Turkestan towards the west. '* In this similar way Kharosthi has opposite direction of writing as ruled by the right to lefis writing on the normal horizontal plain. But after a long period of history the fight and left writing style was enhanced by the Urdu writing. HE ORIC ND NATURE OF MEITEI SCRIPT The Meitei even though in population, has their own script to which they’re literature and linguafranca or the principal language ride. The name of the actual and exact inventor of the Meitei script is still in obscurity. As some Meitei scriptures of archaic literature referred in this subject as to have been assembled the letters form the resourceful persons. Migrated from different formers and native scholars. It is observed that the assemblage was held during the tenure of office of Meitei king Khagemba (1597-1652 A.D.) 14, Ahmad Hasan Dani : Op. cit. : P29It is also mention that after the assembled of above 15 to 20 letters as on alphabet, the scholars of the succeeding Meitei kinds, like Hingthangkhomba or Bhagyachandra, Gambhir singh, etc, reviewed and rendered to additions adoptions and developed the Meitei script. Hence Meitei script is to mean the alphabet, which is in used in Manipur an independent autonomous kingdom prior to 1891 A.D., The state has been trying to revive the script and introduce in the schools since king Khagemba (1597-1652). '° Even though the Meitei script or archaic Manipur alphabet was recognized, as the alphabet of the state by the Khagemba, his Majesty Bodhachandra ding (1941-48 A.D.) it was recognized partially by the modern, democratic and peoples government of Manipur in 1980 '°. This recognisation was on the points of view of the forms and figures of the features and denotations or the round representatives signs determining from among the fundamental basic signs of the archaic sound representatives. These signs are altogether 35, in number with an additional symbol of prayer (Anji=® for the beginning of writing. This symbol of prayer is affined as accustomed to the traditions trend and trait of writing or scribing on the Meitei alphabet since it was invented and introduced. The customary alphabet is designed and designated as “ the alphabet of the school of 35 letters now a day after revolutionary therapeutic alphabet of the school of 18 letters was put forth to comfort the customary alphabet of the school of 35 letter in C. 1958-62. a 15= Ibid : P26 aaa 16 = Kroeber: op. cit.-532.15 Further a movement to have a conventional alphabet was run form every corner of intellectual, academic and middle classed peoples. Thus a composite alphabet earring on the alphabet of the school of 18 letters land earring some letters from the alphabet of each school of 135 letters, was formed to solve the problem of the peoples demand in 1980 which was recognized in the same year by the government of Manipur. But appeals and acknowledgment of an alphabet, which can write all the language of the world, the care for affording a conventional and worth alphabet of Manipur and her people is pending stage. Manipur being the launching pad and meeting harbour of the merchants and traders of the south and south east Asia and the market place of the Indians, Burmese Chinese etc. of the ancient and medieval historical ages, absorbed in denoured and suck up almost all the centuries whatsoever and whatever happened to present and appear on her soil of the Manipur valley. The merchants who so ever had their own indigenous or national script to write up in the transaction of buying or selling so to keep on account of gross profit. Hence even though those traders who calculated and accounted the amounts of sales and purchases in written ways and means. Manipur had the experience of writing character prior to the invention of her own script. As the land of Manipur was subjected to several immerged and submerged areas in the mainland valley, the ancient people of Manipur, even when they are presumed to be the son of the nation of highly cultured and civilized people had forgotten and given up the art of writing. '7 17. =Lm Tbungohal and N- Khelchandra singh Op. eit.» p 3616 With the passing away of the people of the ancient historical people of Manipur influences and inflows on immigrants of different nationalities from different directions severally. From the cast and west began to come and encroach. In this way the population of Manipur was raised since the regime of Meitei king senbee Kiyamba (1467-1508) ‘The immigrants settled in Manipur since the reign of Meitei king Kiyamba included the bookish Brahmins who were habited n the Brahmi and Devanagari script, the Chinese, the tai and Shans who were accustomed to the Chinese pictographic writing and the Burmese, Thai, etc. were devoted to the Indian Pali script. But they were all working the field or writing in their own ways. The foreign diplomatic relation of Meitei king Kyamba and Pong king Khekhomba '’(Sao-Ngan-Hpa in his Shan Mame '*), points to the milestone of introduction of the trait of recording and recorded king in Manipur (even though the trends were cut shirt). As it were dine by Shan writer presented by Sao-Ngan-Pha. "” in his known and learnt script in the Shan script’. Manipur had also experienced the writing of Shan script for a short period. The Pong king offered a Mao Shan learned person named “Loutareng” as a gift to the meitei king Kiyamba to set him in the allotment of work in the State Library and educational functions. So the adoption of the Shan script as a measure of his literary recording and written record keeping conceived. Moreover Captain Robert Bailine Pemberton mentioned for his possession of Shan chronicle written in the Shan alphabet during the tenure of office as a physical instructor and Assistant commissioner of Manipur levy. Deputed b the then East India Company in 1825 -30 A.D as remarked in his book “ The North Eastern Frontier of British India 18. =Manipur Government order No, 4 78-S/SE dated 24.4.1980 and 16.6,1980.7 On the other side the Brahmins even though they were not formally recognized as the subject people of the state were employing the Brahmi” or Devanagari”or Brahmi-Devanagari script in their ways of religious life. Thus the origin and evolution of the Meitei script is marked by the blend and fusion of the brahmi-Devanagari and Tibeto Shan scripts ” The main ground work and fundamental footing of the Meitei script as exhibited by its letters are on the basic base and radical basis of the Tebeto-Shan alphabetical foundation while the major plinth and substratum on the Brahmi Devanagari colloquial framework in grouping and pronunciations of the letter in the Meitei script. Hence, the Brahmi script is the progenitor and the Kharoshthi alphabet is the progenitress of the Meitei script as the letter alphabet was the influential informal originator of the chain of scripts from Tibet to Shans States. Therefore, the Meitei script has the motto, motive and motivation of hybrid naturalism and mannerism with its particularities and specialized of the localized alphabets of the sound system and symbolic scheme of the Mongoloid characteristics 19. =P. Gogoi : The Tau and Tai kingdom (Guahati -} 20, Lm Thungohal and N. Kulachandra Singh cl a IN Soraren = ras 222 242 aa a ‘ol-1 (Delhi 1987) : p- 180 NS 21. =P. Glogoi : Op. cit : Pp 185-90, 2 longpok Haramlon, M.S. 2B = Compiled by Athority the gazateer of BThis alphabetical letters spreaded towards the east to Khofan passing through the hilly routes of the Pamr ranges as the rout as the famous silk route of the world. As the business of trade and commerce carried such cultures frequently as the essential equipment of merchant business, the motto and motive of the writing encroached into the various places of the ancient and medial Tibet. But as the Pali script the reknown and well-known alphabet of the Budhistic literature. “Trepitaka” had dominated over the use of the indo Greek seript of Kharosthi Hence even though there were influences and defectiveness of Kharosthi script on the letters of the various local alphabets of Tibet, the fundamental rule and the grouping etc the system of letters of the Brahmi had controlled and ruled the ground and frame works of the indigenous alphabet of Tibet. From Tibet a line of series of alphabets are adopting to the reach of the Shan state in Myanmar. The chain of local alphabets swaying over the different localities are portraying her under by gathering the alphabetical Ictters from the inscriptions standing in chain between Tibet and the Shan States of upper Myanmar From the above facts and findings of the letters of the inscriptions of the (1) Kyayksa (2) Patimolaha, (3) Boromat (4) Dbuchan (5) Dbumed (6) Kani (7) Pasipa (8) Ahom and (9) Meitei and exhibited letters of Shan script it is brought to light that the hybrid script to the parentage of the Brahmi and Kharosthi scripts are scattering every where from the Tibetan region to the Shan States from where the radical roots of the Ahom and Meitei scripts were brought in their respective kingdoms in the days of the yoreThe brahmi-Devanagri alphabets, carried into Manipur by the westem immigrants mainly from the academic bare of Para Meitei Sylhet (European) and Tibeto-Shan alphabets brought in Manipur by the eastern immigrants mainly from the academic base of sencoi kingdom through Mogaung, the capital town of the Pong were flourishing side by side as the means of writing since the reign of Meitei king Kiyamba as aforementioned to the regime of Meitei king Khagemba. These scripts were nominally acknowledged by the then government of Manipur. But the essentiality for having a conventional and common alphabet of Manipur was felt and desired by the academic and scholar peoples and scholars on men of letters during the regime of king Khagemba. The devine king, being the fountain of almost all the archetypes of cultural models, mottos and motives of Manipur schemed and projected to own such alphabet. To fulfill this object of common interest and general necessity devine Khagemba, the state high command, initiating as a man of letters and pressuring the academic scholastic and scholarly personnel in his court converted meeting to solve the transitional drift of the burning question of the alphabetical measure. To speak the truth it was a bone of contention between the ethos of the easterners and the westerners. But by the hard and forceful efforts of Meitei king Khagemba invented by creation composition or compilation and introduced the State sponsored Meitei alphabet in 1615 A.D. for general use in its fields of convention as the backbone of State literacy and literary education. The then introduced alphabet during the regime of Meitei king khagemba and prevailed as in the same forms during the reigns of his three succeeding kings is appeared to embrace and initiated the alphabetical traits and trends of the bond of the Brahmi family scripts and20 Brahmi-Kharoshthi family scripts. The bond is probable to form by admitting and admiring the treaties of mining, combing and collocating the alphabets of both the families and their descended scripts in the Brahmi-Kharoshthi from their respective chains of descendants. It is obvious that it brought out a common and general process of the Meitei script in the hybridized forms, physical structures order, grouping etc. of the two chains. The two chains are (i) The chain of Brahmi family scripts 1s old, The first chain was coming through the Indian mainland and other caster regions of India while the second chain was coming just beyond the ranges and offshoots of Himalaya in Manipur. The brahmi-Kharosthi bond can be scen in this alphabet as its contains of only one pure —bart-vowel sound from which other vowels are derived and modified by additions of other sign representatives which represent the basic radical sounds of the medial vowels as in Kharoshthi script and 15 consonants which are evaluated, pronounced and valued with their inherent “a” as in Brahmi script. The consonants of its 6 and the semi vowels while one of them had modified or manifested into the contractive sound forms by writing in the same feature of the headline of the letter with the common headline as the top of the vertical for the up and down marking while proceeding through the two horizontal lines of the left to right writing in the motto, featureor scripture of the fundamental parental letter. There are also joint double or conjunctive vowels in the Meitei alphabet is more advanced that the Roman, Bhrahmi, Devanagri, Bangali etc. the Meitei script under study has the signs of short stop, full stoop and paragraph etc. ending stopin the punctuation marks as double vertical lines and some other signs for indication of the prayer (Anji =?)21 The letters appeared as flourished during the regime of Meitei king Charairongba as descended as the same in the inchanged forms invented and introduced in 1615 A.D. are: (A) Consonants: - @ TU) =ka 2M suhe 3s a 4. Bache 6.Weta 6. lathe 4. Wana a TMT =P 4 TR =e ve Wr =A u.J2eYa 12. Aele 19-7 = Va wa w. Vs Sa Ss, eH In this alphabet the basic, pure and true vowel letter = A and the semi vowels JQ =Ya, -=Laand 1=-Va are treated as consonants as it were permanently behave in the alphabet of the school of 35 letters. (@ medial VoweLS'- O> =A @©P= 1 @®M=v ©--- =€& Of Ler ©—o— =o @ &— aw fou (©) Conjunctive Medial Vowels:- baleicaay Or- m/e © + =wh @ 2 Lamy (D) Intermediate Vowels: © = Red Ov Vem (E) Contractive consonants:- (F) Punetuation Mark:- (1 = Short or full stop (q) CONSOMANT common TAKING |— X x R \ MIT =H KP kha — khekhi hakeThe Meitei script, after its introduction and continuation for about a century later began to enter into more vigorous process and progresses of development and improvement stage by stage the letters were transformed their features and structures as well as addition of new letters and omissions of old figures the letter which had undergone through regimes of ensuing kings after king Khagemba until king Gambhir Singh (1825-34 A.D.). ‘The developmental process is mainly effected by additions of new letters which are displaying as under:- 1. Meitei king Charairongba’s (1697-170-09 A.D.) period:- 1.F = Phe. RITZ abha 2. 7aie ada 4. AT aha 5. IL =e ae g. ik. =Av Ee [17 “| 2. Meitei king Garibaniwaza’ Ss 5(1709- -48 AD. Rosine - Le payy aha 2. Zo =Ta 2-9 = Mya A. Zc Ba 3. Raja Bhagyachdndra (1763-98) Regime: {8 Consonant snjoni sem an Sm, 0, ‘aG. fs fe |ATURE OF MEITIE SCRIPT. The hybridized nature and manner are the basic and fundamental radicles of the Meitei Script in the ancestral line of Brahmi-Kharoshthi families. As the Meitei has the paternal society in Manipur, the Meitei alphabet also follows and adopts the nature of its paternal line of the Brahmi in the framework even when the forms, figures and structural features of letters and arrangement of sound system in formation of syllables, words etc., accentuations of such syllable and letter either vowel or consonant and formations, derivations and modifications of vowels from basic vowel are adopted to it maternal line of Kharoshthi and her descendants. The fundamental ground works of the order, grouping and writing direction are in the motives and motivation of the Brahmi. His descendants Meitei alphabet has the mottoes division of unaspirated aspirated and specially aspirated letters, divisions of nasal, dental, palatal, etc. letters and design of writing from left to right. The names and pronounhciations of the letters with it permanent inherent vowel “a” if no other yowel is accentuated to the letter, are also not a parted from the norms of the Brahmi family alphabets. But as a matter of hybridized with the Kharosthi family alphabet. Meitei script has only one basic vowel, which is treated as consonant letters and put on the first place of the set of five letters, which are not pure or composite consonants of which the four letters are semi vowels. Even though there are some differences and variations between the alphabets of Schools of the 35(thirty five) and 18 (eighteen) letters, they may have the same origin, The alphabets of school of 27 letters is no doubt to recommend it as the hybridized alphabets of the above two schools,To peruse and see the nature of the Meitei alphabet, it is required to display it for examineable experiences. Ist Set Key 2nd set key 3rd set key 4th set key Sth set key 6th set key 7th set The Alphbet of The School of 35 Letters umm Ke men eq UO wm a uke a he Nl RK Y2 Gr 4 K tohe ae Tle Nye “Im GH AA mM EF Ta be Da dha Na WY Wbu HY TL 7 Yo. Yo Do Wn wa 1m, RT YY peasy iB fidh Pa Pha Ba Ba ma Loc, UR Near ALA a Ma tte fe Wy 48 1.4% QU Stata Whale, Sa Ha aVowels of school of 35 (Thirty five) letters. gem YOWeLS:- Reva, aka, Cebe PT ave 2. Modified Vowels:~ i 5 io: m s-asir-a; at, Wi SOE AR Rei te 1. Basic Vowel: (le =A 2a, 4+¥s EU These vowels are accounted as the Initial vowels and the vowels Gi", = € & CE 2, Neand oh aa & (exceptionally)are treated as final vowels A180, tnedind vowels: Naha 2A ‘Dart /Rra—f = a1 wpe /Rel pes OGG =%/a ©? 4-0 = € met = aif: @ ary» 20 @ wre eee O¢421 ani @a errs 8 OM y_ ne gO Sale: Syllabi Fi Final Fouels IP Wal O49, 921, be | OY,2-€;m6,0,0 = 6 These intermediate dr sylfabic Final vowels can be employed as Medial vowels in the long sound accents of medial vowels. 5. Conjunctive vowels, Ox ev Le26 Consonants of School of 35 letters The consonants of the school of 35 (thirty five) letters, if no one of the vowels except the contractive form of the basic and pure vowel “A” is accentuated, the contractive “A” are inhered to each and every one of them,. If it be not so the consonant letter cannot be pronounced by itself alone and it cannot also stand to represent the necessitated sound without the association or assistance of any other sound to be stood before or after the sound of the vowel less or vowel blankedconsonants. Such type of consonants is called the contractive consonant. The vowel inherent consonants of the Meitei alphabet of this school have 30(thirty) altogether in number. They can be grouped as: - Unaspirates Aspirates Exceptional Aspirates. TU ete Je Aretha TU, Fs, Dil = kha R, BR: H=Ge NW 2 che Fo, Fo Suha T.Zek B%ete oye ute Mme GM =the Bw =the A A) 204 LiL aphe Tm S77, J Pa EE = Phe Siwy = be JT,UT, 72 aha27 Other Exceptional Aspriatt Weta 9m ete YD athe fe tha an M edhe Remaining Unaspiratabale Ones RR, ame od @ /Oeva ‘onsonants Contractive Consonants & Sem The Meitei alphabet of the school of 35(thirty five) letters has 30(thirty) consonants and 4(four) semi-vowels with their inherent “W=A” in its contractive modification only in sound but not with representative sign. Out these 34(thirty four) letters of consonant-behaving ones (seven) of them have contractive of soft sound modifications as alone- described elsewhere above and they have also modified signs by changing some portion of the structural feature. This change of feature in the form of letter means nothing but withdrawal of the inherent contractive “@-=A” from the consonant letter. Some of these contractive consonants have modified more into the softer sound while the contractive semi-consonant ¥“=L” is adopted as the shorter sound and its representative sign of contractive ee The contractive consonant signs are: -28 SI.No_ | Primary/Basic Letter | ContractiveFrom | 2, (rt, 2br, Ufl-mos, | 4A. [C6066 ened | 6. TM, STL, me fay |I, STL fo, se 6. RR TFET ieee q. [aa | 8, Teh 7 op |[72Na y@en7¥, | 2. Piape w]e 7] T | More ContractiveFrom \ IWS TL, =n 1, Rg m peta | uly, e/a | ‘ | 0 omy REE a |} Ya poThe conjunctions of letters of the alphabet of the school 35(thirty) letters are formed by prefixation of the contractive consonant and suffixation of the constractive semi-vowel to the consosnant with its “ =A” or medial vowels. Hence the inherent “ A” of the preceding consonant is to lose to form or if it is to make the consonant conjuction. The conjunctive letter either of consonant or semi-vowel are to writren in the form of either the primary letter or its another modified or partial structure in the way motto, etc. of either up and down or left and right and side by side, etc. of the full or smaller size of the primary or contractive form of the letter to be prefixed or suffixed to the basic consonant letter of the conjunctions. The mode and motto of writing conjunction of letters sin models of the numerator and the denominator of la vulgar fraction in the pattern of up and down writing motto in cohesive of the two letters in partial touch of the feature of right hand or lower side of the contractive letter with the feature of the left hand or upper side of the primary design of left and right or side by side writing motto is the followings: 1, Upand Down Writing pattern: i)FBI= Ska/Scha, Gi) (7 =Sna, (iy A = wha VERE Nia ete, 2. Side by side Writing Design:- Daqy AD Mu= kya, (i) FFF = Rmma, (ii) = Kra iv) 17 =Npi(v) pM =kvarkova, (vi) 7,7, = Sra vii) [7c =Nda, (viii) QBc— Naha, (ix) He = Xma/Kshma %) HV =Kla, Ka, (xi) = Mmam(xii) & = Nna.Some Words Related to Conjunctive Letters: i) St Ct=krisna/krsna, (ii) 777A. = Bhisma, (iii) fe School iv) ASH Industry, W)SPUTUF Mae. =Bhagyachandra, vi) ef> WAG = Kshetri, (ity CHP = Bramhi, (vii) OF FET = =Bhrahmi ix) WW FRY= Kyamba, (x) RPP Mukti, osteee =Punjab xii) SEY P= Shrivasa ete. etc. Exceptional Qualities of Vowels There is only one pure and basic vowel in the alphabet of the school of 35 letters. From this basic vowel other vowel or the initial vowel are derived or modified by means of addition of different signs which are designed as the medial vowels or the shortest value of the sound manifestation of vowel in accentuation of letter. Some semi- vowels, especially and all the semi-vowels assisted the basic vowels to pronounce other derived vowels as shown above. The initial vowels after the provision of the medial vowels, the intermediate and syllabic ending of final vowels are also afforded as its contractive forms. The intermediate and syllabic ending vowels can act as the medial vowels in the longer sound accentuations of the medial vowels but the intermediate vowels are not permitted to act as the initial vowels to start a word, as they were the representatives of the contractive sounds. The Specific Exceptional Qu: of Medial Vowels The specific exceptional qualities of the medial vowels on the most peculiar nature of consonants of the alphabet of the school of 35(thirty- five) letters is the addition of attachment of more than one medial or3 conjunctive vowels to a consonant to accentuate the formation of syllables in the construction of word as the common consonants of the medial or conjunctive vowels. Some one or two scripts which have the affinities and alikenesses of the natures and characteristics, can be traced as to inherit the nature and characteristic to their ancestral line of the same origin with Meitei Script. one of such consolidated and hybridized alphabets, probably in the contemporary base of origin, evolute and evolution is the Ahom script kept or set aside as the scholastic alphabet” of Assam. This specific exceptional qualities of the Meitei alphabet or the common taking capacity of consonant cannot be found in the natures and characteristics of the letters of the alphabet of the schools of the 18(eighteen) and 27(twenty-seven) letters. These alphabets or the creators of these two scripts are ignored of this knowledge or the scientific method technique and style of cursive writing. Some Examples i) SPP omy sf 2” = (Broadened form) 3 ETA amy fe 5m \ TAT ‘MHIP — Kha-Khagee Khaeengamba (Meaning)(1) The conqueror of the southern portion of the country of Khagee/Chinese or (2) the name of a divine Meitei-Lord who reigned from the 1597 to 1652 AD. 26-B. Barua : Ahom Primer ( Guwahati — 1991) : P. 1-2a i) = (Spreaded form) Jie JM FtCe We SRY = Pe Puba (Meaning)(1) Carrying of the umbrella or (2) the _beared/earrier of umbrella, Ca fe be iit) Me’ = (Stretched form) i) PawereuP =i oer (Meanign)(1) Let me forget it or (2) Let it be forgotten. Numeral Figure: ‘The numeral figures of the alphabet of the school of 35(thirtyfive) letters are appeared to have been invented and introduced in the later historical period of Manipur probably during the tenure of Sir Churachand Singh, K.C.S.L.C.B.E. (1891-1941A.D.). It is evidenced by the Meitei scriptures that almost all the meitei scriptures written or copied prior to date of accession of Sir Churachand Singh have the numbering of the leaves in the Bangali alphabetical numerals * The numerals of this school are in the proposing state and the proposals of different figures and forms of numeral with different proposes and supporters are a waiting to settle a decision to bring out and adopt a conventional numerals of this alphabetical school. 27= Mutua Bahadur & P Gunindro Singh, Op. cit, P 3 and plate No. 1 The Konthoujam Lairemma Stone inscription. 28= Any Meitei Scripture in the Manipur ArchivesThe popular schools of numerals, which are in the proposal for adoption as the conventional one for several uses are displaying here under: - 1) ThetstSchool - oz yee OS © $9? 2) ThedndSchool 1 v a & & TEA 3) The 3rd School rv aa OLE ® 5 4) TheBangaliNumens G2 2 8 & © 9 & 5) The Roman Numerals ~i i ii iv v vi vii viliix 0 6) TheEnglish Numeral -1234567890 ‘Among the proposed popular numerals for the Meitei alphabet of the school of 35 letters, the second on (SI.No.2) is the most popularly used by different scholars of this alphabetic school Punctuation Marks The alphabet of this school of 35 letter possesses some punctuation marks as shown above in stages of development of this script: Those are:~ 2 jmss | jones | un {se EJ) veke Ee) | ——— ——- SLNo. rar [Name | KEY | | 1 1 | Cheikhan | Short | | sm | {ot [| f SLNo. | P.Mark [Name “Tey | | | | pone $toF) cr} oj} | ° 6 ° 6The aspirants of this, alphabetical school adopted also some modern idea of the punctuation marks and introduced in their writing, like (yy) in the name and style of Ngakpa or the Note of exclamatory (!) and (x) in the nomenclature of Hangba or the Note of interrogation (?) Thus they borrow the mathematical signs, such as ~ (i) Addition/plus (+) as (/) =Tinsinba, (ii) subtraction/minus (-) as (\) = Khaidokpa, (iii) Multiplication (x) as ( - ) = Puriba, (iv) Division (+) as (1) = Yenba, (v) Equivalance or is equal to (=) as (:) = Mannaba and (vi) Brackets [{()}]. The adopted and borrowed sings are appeared to have been in uses at the atest period of the 20th century. Borrowing and adoption of something for the good purpose are not be objectionable as it were the habit and nature of the human being have permitted for all the nations at any time. ‘The Peculiar Signs: The alphabet of this school owns some peculiar signs of itself. They are: - | SLNo. T Symbol Meaning Enclosures of word/ tence by dots or dot oa ine. se i apeseneeeeey Cancellation of the word/ | [sentence | To pronounce the A half circle/ zero like | figure is to keep on the , figure of the likeness of its | Inst syllable in| | alphabetic letter of repgatation as — | | Ajo (#4) reee Imma, or RECT A: | | (mannana) | ee‘The Bangali numeral To pronounce the | 2(two) | word in | repeatatign as | | iB Pa | | | (pnatnna FFL | Phamna) or , | | | (chana chana).—[ A dot mark at the centre | Anji, the symbol ofan are, which ison the | of Prayer to the | top of a serpentive figure. | universal father | God represented | by dot, the | universal mother | goddess | | represented by | | the serpentive | figure as the | | goddess of | | tearning for | beginning the art | | | of writing for any | | ar * lying in the insert state of rest as the dot point or the state energy scientifically. These symbols are not possessed by the alphabets of the two schoolsOf 18 and 27 letters. The list symbol (2)=Anji is to mark on the Starting point of the left hand side of the topmost line of the writing. To speak the truth, Anji is a sakta-Tantric symbol for prayer to the paramshiba lying in the inert state of rest as the dot point or the static energy scientifically the parama prakiti moving in the nonstop motion asa oscillating body in the path of the dynemic energy, scientifically their divine son concentrating in the body of the serpentine figure or resultant force of the static and dynamic forces scientifically and the world of matter philosophically. Such symbols of prayer for the start of writing will be found displaying in the scriptures and inscriptions of the Deccan, Myanmar, Tibet and Assam ete.The alphabet of the schoolof 18 eighteen] letters The alphabet of the school of 18 letters was put up a Cultural move basing only on the Meitei fundamental tone, and accentuation motto of, basic aspirates, etc. But the mover and pleaders of this alphabet have no mind regarding the value, properties, essentialities, requirements, etc. Hence they think of only the fundamental redial sounds and their representative signs and set for this alphabet. The Tabulated Form And Graphic Structure of Arrangement of letters of this School. The set, letter Pronounce - - - “Denotation of the lettrers of this alphabet are kept in the abbreviated manner as — set, leter, Pro, Deno to obtain a chance of convenience ------ ~ qr p p “ | Set. Letter. | Pro | Deno | Letter | Pro | Deno | | Letter | Pro” | Dene | | | | | f Ist | wae | jhe! | 2 moll ge ss lus) Nal | | | | \ TS Tt To | 33 )5t [eketloe Woe Ube, [ 4. 4" jan ple ye | | | | NI { 7 Bere | G he] ¢ | leat ay)The Consonants, YET 2) AS 4) Ae 4) IM oT, NH aN Ok wil OL MA OR TeSemieVWels | oy 5 GQ The Vordlsy 5 eh eu. =A ‘The Contractive vo ge 2 OBIALM ows, 7 = The Contractive Consonants OMZOIr ©2357 Ge QF Om WM rae 20 eG ‘owels Ony= ake Gan “y )-Romap ao OL cemepe abe OXLDmae 8 OrPelnapd Wi GOner 200 BW —c-map te @MU-vae = The Numeral Figures’ = PRP = REEL wa ny Meiei G8 64 Xo 8 English -1 2 45 6 7 8 9 0 ‘The Punctu: 4 J Cheikhan = (, ), 1 Cheikhei (e) » Lum (Longer Sound), _ Apu (Combination/ Compound), 1 Khudam (?) From the above tabulation of this school of alphabet it is vividly seen that there is three vowels and vowel a inherent three semi-vowels and twelve consonants. It is also further witnessed that even though pronounciations of the letters, as it were to have been named following the rules of semitic or Aramaic or Hetrew or Latin nomenclathering styles as Aleph, Kaph, Beth or Alpha, Kappa, Bela, etc. are different. The forms, figure, structures and feathers of the letters are not differed390 As this alphabetic school of the 18 letters is to younger to the alphabetic school of the 35 letters in the creation, consolidation, compilation of the alphabets etc. And arrangement, tabulation and sequential orders of the better it is observed as to have been evidenced and proved that the letters were not newly invented as well as the forms, figures, structures and features also were not designed lately. If the letters and the structural features and figurative forms of the letters be made or built up newly on their known ways in separate and unrelated trends and trails, there will be differences, variation, etc. in among the structural features, figurative postures, appearances of the forms of the letters. Hence, these letters of this alphabetical school are nothing other than a more abstraction from the older one which was invented assembled and consolidated for common purpose of literal and literary education of the Meitei by the time of Meitei-lord Khagemba. This alphabet is truly shot out by the ways and means of academic, logic and forceful syllogism to discriminate the separateness from the oneness of the heritage of heritage of the meitei alphabet The three basic vowels &.Jaand aL breed the three intermediate and final vowels and but instead of them former three basic vowels the letter three derived vowels are seen to employ as initial vowels keeping the former letters in abeyance. The emphatic ign called Lum or weight or pressured is appeared to use in the vowels of complete or full sound of accentuation in pronounciation. The medial vowels are termed as “Cheitap lyek” and the contractive letters are called “Lonsum lyek” the numerals are named” Cheisign Iyek”. The names of the meaning letter are all designed in the appealiations of the first person.40 From the above facts and finds it brought to light that all the letters and marks excepting emphatic sign of Lum, the peculiar signs of alphabetical school of 35 letters and the figures of the numerals of this alphabetic school of 18 letters are in differences. Therefore the nature of this alphabet has not remarkable or notable variations from those of the alphabetical school of 35 letters. But as there are three basic vowel in the alphabetical school of 18 letters it has nearer relation. The alphabet of the school of 27 letters The alphabetic school of 27 letters is the one, recognized by the Government of Manipur in 1980 as the Meitei 16.6.80 Meitei alphabet vide. Order No.1/2/78-S/SE dated 24.4.1980 and approved to start to teach in academic institution from the ensuing academic session of 1983- 84 sharply vide. Order of even no. Dated 19.1,1983. The tabulated arrangements and succession of the letters in this alphabet go as ~ ‘The consonant } oj | DENOT ATION KIA awe | pmsoraros re | we bavorarion | rer | wane: | pa . lp | Ka aA MA PA ee |" i a = oe crea a bom LY | wa Pa WAa ——J — 5} R | yan nT & um fu | | | _ +— E | mam mia | UL] ana | a | . | ee ee z gam | JHA ee wa | RA | - | _ _|— —- | La m | ou |e] ow | ve | os eee | x pnou } pve |] | paw | a | es ee fo Lonsum Iyek (Contractive letters (1) ON —Kok lonsum=k (2) FE-Mit Lonsum = M (3) 27 —NaLonsum=N (4) [TL —Ngou Lonsum = Ng (3) “Y— -Lailonsum=L (6) JIL —Pa Lonsum =P ”) Ss —Til Lonsum=T (8) J —~LLonsum = Cheitap Ivek (Medial Vowels) (1) \Atap =A, (2) @ = Cheinap = Ai/Bi (3+-0- = Yenap=E (4) Pf -Anap=L, (5) 3 =O nap =0, (6) (g = Saunap = Awou (DM =Unap=WW(8) Num =NNe.Cheising Iyek (Nuneral .-ama=1,Q -ani =2, B, -ahum ~3, 2, - mari= 4, G -manga=5, G,-Taruk~6, 3 -Taret=7, @ -nipan-8, G- mapan-9, § gtara=10, Other Derivative Vowels: Derived from. me JE HA Our-t Gi=m Ow= @@$-Au @Oai-n PONCTLATION MARK AND STRER SUNS EMCTRATION MSRKS aint 11 —Cheikhei=(«), + -Lum = Accent (longer) \ ~ Cheikhan = Bracket > Apun = Conjunctive symbol From the above tabulations of the Manipur Governent approved Meitei script it is obvious that this alphabet has a total number of 27 (twenty sweven) fundamental letters including. 1) Three basic vowels which possesses qualities, characteristics and capacities of behaving the powers, function and duties of initial, intermediate and final vowels modifications and manifestations. 2) Four semi-vowels but treated as consonants with the inherent “A” in each of them, and3) Twenty consonants consisting of the followings:~ Unaspirate Aspirate. Exceptional Aspirate i) TTC =Ga 4 -Gha A] =ka ii) 7 =Ja Z =ha Te =Kha ii) F~ =Da Je =Dha Fe =Cha iv) JTL =Pa Pha SY % = Jha (i) SY = Ta EL = Tha-7 A = Da-yG7 = Bha (iii) JMC. =Pa-y K, = Pha~y = Ba->T]=Bha (iv) [7 =Na-7 21=Nga Res tes Unas, This alphabet has also contained six derived vowels from the basic vowel =A and these vowels have the capacity to act as the initial vowels. The derived vowels are formed by additions of signs, which are manifested and treated as the modified medial vowels as it were done in alphabetic families descended from the Brahmi, Kharoshthi, Brahmi- Kharoshthi and their hybridized alphabets. There are also 7(seven) and I(one) constructive consonants and vowel respectively in this script as well as it owns 8(cight) medial vowels, 10(ten) numeral figures, 2(two) punctuation marks and 2(two) accentual signs.44 But the advocates of this alphabet are having the strong aspiration for developing and improving its letters and signs, which may enable to afford the quality and virtue of a qualified and adequate alphabet of the meitei who has strong heritage writing art and culture. The alphabet of the school of 27 letters is the youngest system of composition and assemblage of letters so far concerned to the history of the meitei script. From the examination and study of the three alphabets of the three different or varied schools of letters (35,18,27) it is evidenced that the alphabet of the school of 27 letters is the composite alphabet of which the fundamental 18 letters are drawn up from the letters of the alphabet of the school of 18 letters as a whole and nine letters (i.e. wW=Ga, Z=Iha, OP=Rai, P=Ba Gla, % -Da, F< -Gha, Yo =Dha, J1=Bha) are extracted selectively from among the letters of the alphabet of the school of 35 letters and offered new names with same old denotation of the letters as it were done in the formation of the alphabet of the school of 18 letters some 40 (forty) years back to this day This governmental approved Meitei alphabet, the hybrid of the older two alphabets, shown above has the nature, character and manner of two parental alphabets as the children follow their parents. But this script, as it were witnessed and evidenced was gathered together assemble in consolidated composite trend granting top priori y and inspiration to the alphabet of the school of 18 letters which is nothing but the mere abstraction and extraction from the alphabet of the school of 35 letters, and altered and redesignated the names without differing and altering the usual denotation of the signs marked as the representatives of the basic radical sounds,Hence, the nature of this government approved has the same attitudes and trails as those descried in the cases of the older two alphabets but higher degree and proportion of regards and priviledge to the alphabet of the school of 18 letters. The particular nature concerns to the alphabet of Manipur is its hybridized character to be adaptables to the languages of Tibeto-Burman family with the strong elements of the Tai and Chinese languages. This script has nice affinities and similarities with the Shan-Ahom script in their properties capacities, characteristics and qualities but both the alphabets are appeared to be the foreign scripts to the Indian motto, motive, forms, structures etc., of the letters of the alphabet. The Meitei alphabet also shows its hybridized features in the forms and structures of the letters with the chain of the Brahmi-Kharoshthi family scripts prevailing outside India extending from Tibet to the Upper Myanmar. Hence, it may be called one of appropriate and adequate alphabet of the Tibeto-Burman Language family. * The Meitei Mayek Luptin Boad, Op. cit, Pp. 48-51. _