Siddham Letter Ca

𑖓 is ca with a short a built in. In Siddham, a consonant carries an unwritten a unless a vowel sign changes it or a virama—the mark that suppresses it—removes it. Alone, 𑖓 is a letter, not a complete mantra or universal Buddhist emblem.

Siddham evolved from Brahmi, an Indian script used in the Gupta period. The earliest recognizable records date to the sixth century, when North Indian inscriptions show forms called Siddhamatrika or Kutila. It was used to write Sanskrit, especially Buddhist manuscripts. Its script tradition is connected with Sharada and later Nagari and Gaudi scripts.

Why does this letter appear in Buddhist writing?

It traveled with Sanskrit Buddhist learning. Chinese and Japanese Buddhist scholars used Siddham to study Sanskrit sounds and copy Buddhist texts. In Japan, Bonji calligraphy—writing Siddham characters for Buddhist syllables—appears in sutras, mantras, and dharanis, another kind of Buddhist recitation text.

In a mantra, a written character can represent a sound or form part of a seed syllable associated with a deity. The surrounding formula tells you which; 𑖓 by itself does not identify a deity.

Why does 𑖓 look different in another font?

A font can change its shape or fail to show it. As of 2026, display depends on a font that includes Siddham and software that shapes its signs. Regional and Japanese written forms can differ. Conjuncts—clusters made by joining consonants—may be drawn as ligatures or arranged vertically or horizontally. A missing-glyph box or changed outline is a display issue, not a new character.