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Since the Newari language lacks retroflex consonants, the letters ṭa, ṭha, ḍa, ḍha, ṇa and ṣa are used only in loanwords. The same applies to the letter śa. Newari, on the other hand, has a number of sonorant consonants that are pronounced with creaky voice (ṅha, ñha, ṇha, nha, mha, rha and lha).
Prachalit, also known as Newa, Newar, Newari, or Nepāla lipi is a type of abugida script developed from the Nepalese scripts, which are a part of the family of Brahmic scripts descended from Brahmi script.
The language is known officially in Nepal as Nepal Bhasa, a name that has been historically used for the language. [6] [7] The term "Newari" is also used to refer to the language, although the Indic -i suffix is considered inappropriate by some Newar speakers. [a]
The inscriptions from the Licchavi period includes Newari words. Hence, it indicated that Newari was the common language during Licchavi dynasty although the official use of the period was Sanskrit, but Nepal Bhasa was already in use. [9] The earliest dated stone inscription in Thakuri dynasty is in Newari, dated Nepal Sambat 293 (1173 CE). [10]
The Rañjanā script (Lantsa [2]) is an abugida writing system which developed in the 11th century [3] and until the mid-20th century was used in an area from Nepal to Tibet by the Newar people, the historic inhabitants of the Kathmandu Valley, to write Sanskrit and Newar (Nepal Bhasa).
This was a golden age of cultural development and art and architecture in Nepal Mandala besides being a prolific period for Nepal Bhasa literature. [6] The literary genres prevalent during this era consist of chronicles, epics, stories, scientific manuals mainly dealing with astrology and medicine, didactic poems and drama.
It is also a unique system of numerals among Newars. This was also used in ancient period. In this system numbers are represented with universal truth. For example, to represent "1", there is one mouth and is a universal truth. So "म्हुतु" (mhutu) meaning mouth is used for one. We can use any universal truth among many.
Nisthananda Bajracharya (1858 - 1935) marked a turning point by breaking away from the classical style and writing prose in colloquial language. In 1909, Bajracharya published Ek Bishanti Prajnaparamita, the first book in Nepal Bhasa to be printed with moveable type.