Editing Bhujimol script

{{Short description|Abugida}}
{{refimprove|date=April 2015}}
{{Infobox writing system
 |name      = Bhujimol
 |type      = [[Abugida]]
 |languages = [[Newar language|Newar]], [[Sanskrit]]
 |fam1=[[Proto-Sinaitic script]]
|footnotes=
 |fam2=[[Phoenician alphabet]]
 |fam3=[[Aramaic script]] 
 |fam4=[[Brāhmī script|Brāhmī]]
|fam5=[[Gupta script|Gupta]]
|fam6=[[Siddhaṃ script|Siddham]]<ref name="masica">{{cite book |last1=Masica |first1=Colin |title=The Indo-Aryan languages |date=1993 |page=143}}</ref>
|fam7=[[Nepalese scripts|Nepalese]]
|sisters=[[Ranjana script|Ranjana]]<br />[[Pracalit script|Pracalit]]
}}
{{brahmic}}

The '''Bhujimol script''' (or ''Bhujinmol'', [[Devanagari]]: {{script|Deva|भुजिमोल}} or {{script|Deva|भुजिंमोल}}) is the most ancient form of [[Nepal script]]. It is also one of the most common varieties of the Nepal alphabet.<ref>Lienhard, Siegfried (1992). ''Songs of Nepal: An Anthology of Nevar Folksongs and Hymns.'' New Delhi: Motilal Banarsidas. {{ISBN|81-208-0963-7}}. Page 2.</ref>

The Bhujimol script has been used to write [[Nepal Bhasa]] and [[Sanskrit]].

==Etymology==
[[Image:Nepal Scripts.jpg|thumb|center|200px|Bhujimol compared to other historical scripts of Nepal.]]
The term Bhujinmol means "fly-headed", from the Nepal Bhasa words "bhujin", meaning "housefly", and "mol", meaning "head". The "head" is the horizontal line that is put above each letter, and Bhujimol refers to its rounded shape.{{cn|date=May 2017}}

==Characteristics==
<gallery>
File:Devimahatmya Sanskrit MS Nepal 11c.jpg|<div align =""center">Bhujimol script, palm-leaf MS of the [[Devimahatmya]], [[Bihar]] or [[Nepal]], 11th century.</div>
File:Bhujimol and Devanagari.jpg|<div align =""center">Chart of Bhujimol script vowel letters, with Devanagari and Latin correspondences.</div>
</gallery>

==Recent findings==
In 2003, a brick was discovered in [[Chabahil]], in the course of reconstruction of the Chabahil Stupa or Dhando [[Chaitya]], bearing inscriptions in both [[Brāhmī script|Brahmi]] and Bhujimol: The upper face is inscribed with ''Cha Ru Wa Ti'' in Brahmi, and with  ''Cha Ru Wa Ti Dhande / He Tu Pra Bha'' in Bhujimol script. There are [[Swastika]] marks at the two ends of the upper face with a [[Chakra]] mark in between. The brick measures 35.5cm x 23cm x 7cm and weighs 8.6kg. The brick may date to as early as the 3rd century BC.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Renovation work may prove Indian emperor built Nepal monastery {{!}} ThingsAsian |url=http://thingsasian.com/story/renovation-work-may-prove-indian-emperor-built-nepal-monastery |access-date=2022-09-03 |website=thingsasian.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Charumati: The Princess and the Stupa |url=http://ecs.com.np/features/charumati-the-princess-and-the-stupa |access-date=2022-09-03 |website=ECS NEPAL |language=en}}</ref> 

The previously earliest known inscription in the Kathmandu Valley dates from the 6th century and is installed at [[Changu Narayan]]. The inscription is interpreted to refer to Charumati, a daughter of emperor [[Ashoka]].

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{Newar}}
{{list of writing systems}}

[[Category:Abugida writing systems]]
[[Category:Culture of Nepal]]
[[Category:Newar]]
[[Category:Writing systems of Newar language]]


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