Gondi writing

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Gondi has typically been written in Devanagari script or Telugu script, but native scripts are in existence. A Gond by the name of Munshi Mangal Singh Masaram designed a Brahmi-based script in 1918, and in 2006, a native script that dates up to 1750 has been discovered by a group of researchers from the University of Hyderabad.

Contents

Nonetheless, most Gonds are unaware of their well developed language and do not use any script now. The Gunjala Gondi Lipi has witnessed a surge in prominence, and well-supported efforts are being undertaken in villages of northern Andhra Pradesh to widen its usage.

Munshi Mangal Singh Masaram Script

Masaram Gondi
𑴤𑴫𑴦𑴱𑴤 𑴎𑴽𑵀𑴘𑴳
msraam goNddii.svg
"Masaram Gondi" written in Masaram Gondi script
Script type
Time period
1918–present
Directionleft-to-right  OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
Languages Gondi
ISO 15924
ISO 15924 Gonm(313),Masaram Gondi
Unicode
Unicode alias
Masaram Gondi

In 1918, Munshi Mangal Singh Masaram, a Gond from Balaghat district of Madhya Pradesh, designed a script for Gondi based on Brahmi characters found in other descendant Indian scripts. [1] However, this script is not widely used, even though a few publications have been made available by his followers and supporters.

Unicode

Masaram Gondi script was added to the Unicode Standard in June, 2017 with the release of version 10.0.

The Unicode block for Masaram Gondi is U+11D00–U+11D5F:

Masaram Gondi [1] [2]
Official Unicode Consortium code chart (PDF)
 0123456789ABCDEF
U+11D0x𑴀𑴁𑴂𑴃𑴄𑴅𑴆𑴈𑴉𑴋𑴌𑴍𑴎𑴏
U+11D1x𑴐𑴑𑴒𑴓𑴔𑴕𑴖𑴗𑴘𑴙𑴚𑴛𑴜𑴝𑴞𑴟
U+11D2x𑴠𑴡𑴢𑴣𑴤𑴥𑴦𑴧𑴨𑴩𑴪𑴫𑴬𑴭𑴮𑴯
U+11D3x𑴰𑴱𑴲𑴳𑴴𑴵𑴶𑴺𑴼𑴽𑴿
U+11D4x𑵀𑵁𑵂𑵃𑵄 𑵅  𑵆 𑵇
U+11D5x𑵐𑵑𑵒𑵓𑵔𑵕𑵖𑵗𑵘𑵙
Notes
1. ^ As of Unicode version 15.1
2. ^ Grey areas indicate non-assigned code points

Gunjala Gondi Lipi

Gunjala Gondi Lipi
Shukla Gunjala Gondi Script.svg
"Gunjala Gondi Lipi" written in Gunjala Gondi script
Script type
Time period
c. 1750–present
Directionleft-to-right  OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
Languages Gondi
Related scripts
Parent systems
Sister systems
Unknown, thought to be similar to Devanagari and Modi
ISO 15924
ISO 15924 Gong(312),Gunjala Gondi
Unicode
Unicode alias
Gunjala Gondi
[a] The Semitic origin of the Brahmic scripts is not universally agreed upon.
[b] The exact lineage of the Gunjala Gondi script is a subject of ongoing research, and no lineage has yet been officiated by linguistic authorities.

This script is the subject of ongoing linguistic and historical research. Discovered manuscripts have been dated up to 1750, and discuss information from as early as the 6th–7th centuries. Much of the information reveals independence initiatives by the Gond Rajas and encounters with the British. Also, the names of the days of the week, the months, the Gond festivals have been discovered in this Gondi script. [2]

Unicode

Gunjala Gondi lipi was added to the Unicode Standard in June, 2018 with the release of version 11.0. [3]

The Unicode block for Gunjala Gondi is U+11D60–U+11DAF:

Gunjala Gondi [1] [2]
Official Unicode Consortium code chart (PDF)
 0123456789ABCDEF
U+11D6x𑵠𑵡𑵢𑵣𑵤𑵥𑵧𑵨𑵪𑵫𑵬𑵭𑵮𑵯
U+11D7x𑵰𑵱𑵲𑵳𑵴𑵵𑵶𑵷𑵸𑵹𑵺𑵻𑵼𑵽𑵾𑵿
U+11D8x𑶀𑶁𑶂𑶃𑶄𑶅𑶆𑶇𑶈𑶉𑶊𑶋𑶌𑶍𑶎
U+11D9x𑶐𑶑𑶓𑶔𑶕𑶖 𑶗 𑶘
U+11DAx𑶠𑶡𑶢𑶣𑶤𑶥𑶦𑶧𑶨𑶩
Notes
1. ^ As of Unicode version 15.1
2. ^ Grey areas indicate non-assigned code points

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References

  1. Proposal to Encode the Masaram Gondi Script in Unicode
  2. Singh, S. Harpal (30 January 2013). "Chance discovery of Gondi script opens new vistas of tribal culture - The Hindu". The Hindu.
  3. "Unicode 11.0.0". Unicode Consortium. June 5, 2018. Retrieved June 5, 2018.