The Brahmi script is among India’s oldest scripts, second only to the Indus Valley script in terms of chronology. The script was popularised by the Mauryan king Ashoka via his edicts and inscriptions across the subcontinent. Successive dynasties such as the Sungas, Mahameghavahanas and Satavahanas also propagated the script. The script was the vehicle of transmission of various languages like Pali, Prakrit and Sanskrit, and was used to convey ideas about religion, morality, donations, merit, eulogies, political and cultural history, and more. At the end of the Classical Phase (6th century CE), Brahmi began transforming into its daughter scripts like Devanagari with which we are familiar today. At our two-part online workshop #BrahmiLipi,  historian Jason Johns will give a holistic perspective to the Brahmi script, its antiquity and historicity, and acquaint you with its basic alphabets, vowels, joint letters and words for you to master its fundamentals.

Date: Oct 10 and Oct 17 (Sundays)

Time: 11 am - 1 pm

About the presenter

Jason Johns is Assistant Professor in the Department of Ancient Indian History, Culture and Archaeology at St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai. His research interests include Christianity, Mysticism, Maritime Heritage, Education, Museology, Heritage Management and Pali-Buddhist Studies. He is the Joint Honorary Secretary of the Museum Society Of Mumbai.