Siddham Virama

It cancels the default vowel carried by a Siddham consonant. In Siddham, a consonant normally includes a vowel sound; 𑖿 suppresses it. Between consonants, the virama helps form a conjunct, where consonants join into a written cluster. After a final consonant, it marks a vowel-less ending.

Siddham developed from Brahmi, an older Indian script, through Gupta forms. Palm-leaf manuscripts—texts written on dried palm leaves—from Hōryū-ji reached Japan from China in 609. The Tokyo National Museum dates its Sanskrit Heart Sutra and dhāraṇī (a Buddhist chant) fragments to the Late Gupta period, 7th–8th century.

Siddham carried Sanskrit Buddhist writing across China, Korea, Japan, and Central Asia. Kūkai returned to Japan in 806 with Siddham texts. As of 2026, the script remains especially associated with ritual practice in Japan’s Shingon and Tendai schools of Buddhism. Siddham is most closely related to Sharada, another historical Indian script; Devanagari has a corresponding virama.

Why does Siddham virama look different in fonts?

The font and consonant cluster shape what you see. Siddham normally shows the virama visibly. When it links consonants, shaping can arrange them vertically or horizontally, or combine them into a joined form. The font and text-shaping support determine whether you see separate strokes, stacked consonants, or a joined cluster.

The mark may seem to disappear into the joined form. Read the surrounding consonants to understand the sequence.

How do I type Siddham virama?

Put it after the Siddham consonant it modifies. Use a Unicode-aware editor or your system’s character map to enter it in the consonant sequence. Since it is a combining mark, entering it alone may look blank or detached.

If it appears missing, check font support and whether it follows the intended consonant; the text mark may still be present.