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Shri Mahavir Jain Aradhana Kendra
www.kobatirth.org
TABLE OF BRAHMĨ ALPHABET
"was
The following inscription containing a table of Brahmi alphabet noticed for the first time," says Mr. R. D. Banerji, "by the late Mr. J. D. Beglar in 1882, who published an eye-copy of it with his report (Arch. Surv. Rep., Vol. XIII, p. 82). But unfortunately the eye-copy was printed upside down. Mr. Monmohan Chakrabartti tried to read it from this plate, but apparently did not succeed. The whole inscription is written or painted on the back wall of the inner chamber of the cave, and on prolonged examination I found that, in addition to a row of letters which I cannot make out, it was a repetition of the Indian alphabet. Some young monk had used the back wall of the cell as a (slate or) copy-book and improved his knowledge of the alphabet by writing on it. The characters belong to the first century B. C. or first century A. D."
Acharya Shri Kailassagarsuri Gyanmandir
The table is based upon Hari Das Dutta's inked impression read and reproduced by R. D. Banerji in EI, Vol. XIII, Udayagiri and Khandagiri Inscriptions, Pl. II, No. XIII, Cave called Tatwagumpha No. 1.
"A
(188)
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