Sharada Letter Cha

Use a Sharada phonetic or InScript keyboard layout, if available.

To type Sharada cha, choose one of those layouts; typing the Latin letters “cha” alone does not produce 𑆗 unless the input method maps them. The device also needs a font that covers Sharada.

Where did Sharada come from?

Sharada grew from older Brahmi writing through Gupta-era forms and Kutila.

Brahmi is an ancient Indian script; Sharada emerged through its Gupta-period forms and Kutila, a later writing style. By the 8th century, it had taken a distinct form. A Hund inscription is often dated to 774 and cited as the earliest known Sharada inscription, but both its date and that status are disputed. The Bakhshali mathematical manuscript is an early Sharada witness from the 12th century.

Sharada was used for Sanskrit and Kashmiri in inscriptions, records, and manuscripts. Takri and Landa are in its historical regional family; Gurmukhi is linked through Landa. By the 1950s, Sharada had become marginal in everyday writing and was mainly used for Kashmiri Pandit ritual and ceremonial purposes.

What sound does 𑆗 represent?

It is the aspirated “cha” consonant, with a short inherent “a.”

The “h” in the scholarly transliteration “cha” marks aspiration: pronounce the ch sound with an extra puff of breath. An unmarked Sharada consonant carries a short “a”; a vowel sign changes it, while a virama suppresses it so the consonant can close a syllable or join a cluster.

Sharada display needs both a font containing its glyphs and an app that shapes the script correctly, placing letters and signs in context. As of 2026, Noto Sans Sharada includes Sharada glyphs.