A Brief Note
on the Assamese Script
A Brief Note of the Assamese Script
Dr. Bhaskarjyoti Sarma
Dr. Bhaskarjyoti Sarma
Associate Professor,
Department of Language and Linguistics
Anundoram Borooah Institute
of Language Art and Culture
T.P. Verma in his book, Development of Script in Ancient Kamrupa, has made the significant remark-
Since the Assamese has a separate culture of its own and also since the beginning of the 5th century AD, the kings of Assam have issued their own records, the development of the Assamese script can be studied of its own...."
There are two significant specimens of the Assamese script found in 5th century AD. These are Umachal Rock-Inscription of Surendravarma another inscription of an earlier date is the Nagajari Khanikargaon stone-inscription. The copper-plate inscriptions of Bhaskaravarman of the seventh century AD, maintain the tradition of Brahmi and Gupta script which is used in the Umachal and Nagajari Khanikargaon stone inscriptions. The development of the Assamese script can be shown in three stages-
1. From 5th century AD to 13th century AD- can be called as an Ancient Assamese Script or Kamrupi Script.
The evidences of the Assamese script in this stage-
a) Nagajari Khanikargaon Stone Inscription (5th century, AD)
b) Surendravarma's Umachal Stone Inscription (5th century, AD)
c) Barganga Stone Inscription (6th century, AD)
d) Bhaskarvarma's Dubi Copper-Plate incription (7th century, AD)
e) Bhaskarvarma's Nidhanpur Copper-Plate inscription (7th century, AD)
f) Sankar-Narayan Statue-inscription (8th century, AD, found in present Golaghat district, Assam)
g) Harjarvarma's Stone Inscription (9th century, AD, found in present Tezpur district, Assam)
h) Ratnapal's Bargaon Copper-Plate Inscription (11th century, AD, found in present Sonitpur district, Assam)
i) Ratnapal's Sualkuchi Inscription (11th century, AD)
j) Dharmapal's Khanamukh Inscription (12th century, AD)
k) Kanaibarashiboa Stone Inscription (13th century AD)
2. From 14t century to the middle of the 19th century is the stage of mediaeval period of the Assamese script. Some evidences of the Assamese script can be mentioned as-
a) Gastal Pillar inscription (14th century AD)
b) Rautkuchi Copper-Plate inscription (14th century AD)
c) Sadia Sepakhoa Copper-Plate Inscription (15th century AD)
e) Nilachal Kamakhya Stone Inscription (16th century AD)
f) Chamdhara Garh Stone Inscription (17th century AD)
g) Lepetkata Stone Inscription (18th century AD)
h) Batakuchiya Copperplate Inscription (19th century AD)
3. From the date of publication of Arunodoya to the present time can be called the period of Modern Assamese Script.
