THE INDIAN SCRIPTS
Summary
The Indian Scripts traces the development of writing in South Asia. References in Panini’s Astadhyayi and Kautilya’s Arthashastra show that script study was integral to ancient education. Asoka’s inscriptions use terms like lipi and dipi, indicating that multiple scripts existed in the Mauryan period; Brahmi and Kharosthi are attested but not named in his edicts. Jain texts list eighteen scripts and the Buddhist Lalitavistara lists sixty‑four, suggesting regional diversity. The earliest system is the undeciphered Indus valley script, a pictographic and ideographic writing found on seals and tablets. Scholars have catalogued over 200 signs and attempted to read the script using Sumerian, Sanskrit, Dravidian and other linguistic frameworks, but the lack of bilingual inscriptions leaves it enigmatic. Brahmi, written left to right, became the ancestor of most Indian scripts; Kharosthi, written right to left, was confined to north‑west India and was deciphered by European scholars using bilingual coins and Ashokan edicts. The article underscores that palaeography relies on archaeological, textual and linguistic evidence and that unanswered questions, especially concerning the Indus script’s interpretation and the origins of Brahmi and Kharosthi, continue to challenge researchers.
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Conclusion
Indian writing evolved through complex cultural interactions. Early textual references and inscriptions show that script learning was part of elite education, while archaeological evidence of the Indus script points to an unresolved precursor. Brahmi’s widespread adoption and Kharosthi’s regional use demonstrate diversity in ancient literacy. Deciphering the Indus script remains a major challenge for palaeography, highlighting the need for interdisciplinary research.