115. Ranjana script

 

The Ranjana script, which is also known as Kutila or Lantsa, is one of the many alphabets derived from the Brahmi script. It developed during the 11th century AD and was used until the mid-20th century in India and Nepal by the Newari people to write the Newari language.
Tibetans use this script, which they call Lantsa, for writing the Sanskrit titles of books which have been translated from Sanskrit to Tibetan, and for decoration in temples and mandalas. There are also a few texts printed with alternating lines in Sanskrit in the Lantsa script followed by a Tibetan translation. There were many original Sanskrit manuscripts written in Lantsa preserved in the old monasteries of Tibet but most of these were destroyed following the Chinese take-over.
In addition, the Ranjana script is/was used mainly for decoration by Buddhists in China, Mongolia and Japan.

Notable features

• Type of writing system: syllabic alphabet - each letter has an inherent vowel [a]. Other vowels can be indicated using a separate letters or diacritics.
• Direction of writing: left to right in horizontal lines.

Used to write:

Nepal Bhasa (नेपाल भाषा / Newah Bhaye / Newari), a member of the Tibeto-Burman group of Sino-Tibetan languages spoken in Nepal, India, especially in Sikkim and West Bengal, and Bhutan by about 800,000 people.
As well as the Ranjana script, Nepal Bhasa has been written with the Brahmi, Gupta, Prachalit, Bhujimol and Devanagari script.
Also used to write Sanskrit, the classical language of India.

Vowels and vowel diacritics (स्वर वण)

Consonants (व्यञ्जना वण)

Numerals (अङ्क)

Sample text (by Krozan Kapali)

Translation

Every person should be given his right and should live being as brothers and sisters.

Devanagari script for Nepal Bhasa

Links

Details of the Nepal Bhasa/Newari language and the Ranjana script
http://malaiya.tripod.com/ranjana/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ranjana_script
http://malaiya.tripod.com/ranjana/Ranjana.pdf
Online Nepal Bhasa lessons, dictionary and other resources
http://nepalbhasa.co.cc
Online Newari dictionary
http://glosbe.com/en/new/
Sandhya Times - online Newari newspaper
http://www.nepalnews.com.np/sandyatimes.htm