OMG Nepal
Some lettering is so visually striking that people admire it before asking what it says. Ranjana deserves both kinds of attention. Its elaborate forms can draw you in, but stopping at decoration misses the language, knowledge and cultural effort that give the script a living role.
From admiration to participation
The international typography organisation ATypI hosted a 2019 presentation by Ananda Kumar Maharjan and Sunita Dangol on Callijatra’s work with Ranjana. Its description presents Callijatra as a volunteer-led initiative involved in workshops, education and online outreach around Newa scripts and Nepal Bhasa.
The Atlas of Endangered Alphabets describes demonstrations and workshops that bring this learning into public settings. These documented activities are a reason to explore the revival story, not a current timetable. Check directly with organisers for any class or event you hope to attend.
A script can have a digital future too
The Nithya Ranjana type specimen, published by Ek Type with Callijatra, connects the script with a contemporary design project. It credits Tathagata Biswas and Noopur Datye, with help from Ananda K. Maharjan, and describes Ranjana’s use for Sanskrit and Nepal Bhasa in religious and cultural contexts.
That is an interesting bridge between handwriting and digital typography. A script need not remain confined to an old object to be valued. At the same time, downloading a font is not the same as learning how to read or compose text correctly.
Start with a meaningful question
If you encounter an inscription, ask what language it records and whether someone can explain its meaning. If you join a workshop, begin with the strokes and conventions the instructor recommends. There is no need to pretend instant expertise.
For a tattoo, logo or souvenir, have the wording checked by a knowledgeable reader before using it. A beautiful form can still communicate the wrong thing when copied without understanding.
Ranjana offers a particularly rewarding way to discover Nepal: through attention to letters. The first encounter may be visual. The more lasting connection comes when the marks begin to carry meaning.
Read more on OMG Nepal
The homecoming of Nepal’s historic manuscripts
Sources
- ATypI: Callijatra presentation, 2019
- Ek Type and Callijatra: Nithya Ranjana specimen
- Atlas of Endangered Alphabets: Ranjana
A Ranjana inscription in the Kathmandu Valley. Photograph of a historical stone inscription. Ranjana lipi in stone -Kathmandu valley.jpg by Pradeep65110 / Wikimedia Commons. CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized for web; thumbnails may crop.
