The ‘ #AssameseScript’ and its similarities with the Bengali counterpart has been a matter of serious debate.

So, how did the Modern Assamese Script evolve? - A Thread.

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The #Assamese script (Axomiya Lipi) is a variant of the ‘Eastern Nagari Script’ or ‘Kamrupi Script’ that belongs to the Brahmic family of scripts and has a continuous history of development from Nagari Script, a precursor of Devanagari.

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Since Kamrup is synonymous with Assam of the Classical period, mainland historians used terms like ‘Eastern Nagari’ or ‘Eastern Neo-Brahmic’ or ‘Purvi’ to describe the Kamrupi Script. This is where the twist in tale takes place.

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Modern day Bengali & Assamese Scripts evolved from the Kamrupi Script. But the use of terms mentioned earlier helped historians establish a narrative where Assamese could be shown as a subset of Bengali.

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Historical evidence suggests that ‘Kamrupi’ developed independently from Brahmi and Gupta scripts and was extensively used in the region of Kamrupa till the 13th century covering current Assam, parts of Bengal & eastern Bihar.

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The earliest evidence of Assamese or Kamrupi script is found in the Charyā, the Buddhist songs. They are supposed to be composed within a timeframe of 400 years from 8th century A.D. to 12th century A.D.

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The original palm-leaf manuscript of the Charyā (Charyāpada), was edited by Hariprasad Shastri and published by the Bangiya Sahitya Parishad. ‘Kamrupi Script’ was classified as ‘Old Bengali’.

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“Pada” was added by Shastri and published as a part of his Hajar Bacharer Purano Bangala Bhasay Bauddhagan O Doha (Buddhist Songs and Couplets in a Thousands-Year-Old Bengali Language) in 1916.

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This publication virtually eliminated the word ‘Kamrupi’ and established the 1000 year old verses as ‘Old-Bengali’. However the affinities of the verses with modern day Assamese contradicts this claim.

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Harivara Vipra, a court poet of Durlabh Narayana (1330–1350) of Kamata, with his composition Vavruvahanar Yuddha (based on the Mahabharata) and Lava-Kuxar Yuddha (based on the Ramayana) gives the first date-able examples of Assamese literature.

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By the 17th century three styles of Assamese script emerged - Bamuniya, Kaitheli and Garhgayan, which gave way to the standard script which followed the typeset script.

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Garhgayan developed around the Ahom capital of Garhgaon. The Ahom Buronjis were written in this script. Most of the letters of Garhgayan are similar to the modern Assamese script.

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The modern Assamese script that is used today is a composite style of all of the three styles of the medieval era. It developed alongside the ‘Arunodoy’ Age with the introduction of the printed letter types.

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Read this thread on our website here : https://www.assamstories.com/2020/09/how-did-modern-assamese-script-evolve.html

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