Kaithi

For other uses, see Kaithi (disambiguation).
Kaithī
Kayathi, Kayasthi, 𑂍𑂶𑂟𑂲
Kaithī script (vowels top three rows, consonants below)
Script type
Time period
c. 16th–mid 20th century
DirectionLeft-to-right Edit this on Wikidata
LanguagesAwadhi, Bhojpuri, Hindustani, Magahi, Nagpuri, Maithili
Related scripts
Parent systems
Child systems
Sylheti Nagari
Sister systems
ISO 15924
ISO 15924Kthi (317), ​Kaithi
Unicode
Unicode alias
Kaithi
U+11080–U+110CF
 This article contains phonetic transcriptions in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). For an introductory guide on IPA symbols, see Help:IPA. For the distinction between [ ], / / and ⟨ ⟩, see IPA § Brackets and transcription delimiters.
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Brahmic scripts
The Brahmi script and its descendants
Northern Brahmic
Southern Brahmic

Kaithi (𑂍𑂶𑂟𑂲), also called Kayathi (𑂍𑂨𑂟𑂲) or Kayasthi (𑂍𑂰𑂨𑂮𑂹𑂟𑂲), is a historical Brahmic script historically used across parts of Northern and Eastern India. It was prevalent in regions corresponding to modern-day Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Jharkhand. The script was primarily utilized for legal, administrative, and private records and was adapted for a variety of Indo-Aryan languages, including Angika, Awadhi, Bhojpuri, Hindustani, Maithili, Magahi, and Nagpuri.[1]

Kayasthi (kaithi) signboard at Purbi Gumti Arrah along with Urdu alphabet (on right side) and Roman Script (above). "Lock no. 11" is written on the board in various languages or scripts.
This table sets out the handwritten form of the vowels and consonants of the Kaithi script, as of the middle of the 19th century.
Bhojpuri story written in Kaithi script by Babu Rama Smaran Lal in 1898
  1. ^ King, Christopher R. 1995. One Language, Two Scripts: The Hindi Movement in Nineteenth Century North India.New York: Oxford University Press.