Devanagari Letter Ra

It represents r with a built-in vowel, conventionally written a. That default vowel is called the inherent vowel. Vowel marks can change it; a mark called virama removes it. The language and surrounding word determine the pronunciation.

र evolved within a writing tradition, rather than as a standalone pictorial sign. Its ancestry runs through Brahmi, attested in Ashoka's inscriptions in the third century BCE, then Gupta and Nagari. Devanagari reached a mature form around the 13th century CE. It served Sanskrit inscriptions and religious manuscripts as well as writing other languages.

Why does र change shape?

Joining consonants changes its shape, not its identity. In र् + क → र्क, r comes first: its upper mark is called repha, also spelled reph. In क् + र → क्र, r follows k: its attached form is called rakar. Enter letters in reading order; the font handles their arrangement.

Marathi and Newari also use a reduced form called eyelash-Ra in some writing. When checking broken pasted text, keep the consonants and virama together rather than treating each visible mark as a separate letter.