This is what my first manifesto draft was -
Being Alpha-syllabic in an Alphabet-Dominated World.
Devanagari, the vibrant script that dances across the pages of Indian languages, carries within it a legacy etched in sound. Yet, the industrial age forced it into a rigid mold, one designed for a different script, a different tongue. We, the inheritors of this rich heritage, raise our voices in a call to action. This is not just an alphabet. Devanagari is a dance of consonants and vowels. Each letter, a descendant of foreign influences and centuries of phonetic evolution, whispers stories of the past. It is a script born from speech, where written words mirror the flow of spoken language. Complexity is not a burden, but a badge of honour. Devanagari’s graceful conjuncts, those intertwined characters, are not mere visual embellishments. They capture the essence of sound itself. Let us not sacrifice this beauty on the altar of simplicity. The world of type design has been dominated by the alphabet. The world of type design has been dominated by the alphabet, but Devanagari stands as a testament that writing can be more complex and nuanced. It is a script that reflects the spoken word in a way that transcends the limitations of the alphabet. We need typefaces that celebrate its fluidity, its organic connections, its inherent defiance of a rigid, alphabetic structure. This is a call to Indian type designers, to those who understand the soul of the script. We need your vision, your innovation, to create tools that honor the past and empower the future. Let’s develop type design solutions that respect Devanagari’s alpha syllabic nature, its regional variations, and its potential for the digital age. Together, let us reclaim the lost legacy of Devanagari, one typeface at a time. Let the script sing its song, a song of vibrant sounds and rich history, in a digital world that embraces its true form.
Core Principles:
Respecting the Legacy:
Devanagari’s rich history, shaped by foreign intervention and centuries of phonetic evolution, deserves to be reflected in modern type design. Each letter carries a legacy, a story waiting to be told. The variations of Devanagari across different regions of India are a testament to its adaptability. Let’s celebrate this diversity in our typefaces, showcasing the script’s vibrant tapestry.
Embracing the Script’s Nature:
Devanagari is an alphasyllabic script, not simply an alphabet. Its beauty lies in the ability to represent complex sounds with single characters (conjuncts). Type design should prioritize this visual and phonetic unity. Unlike the rigidity of alphabetic scripts, Devanagari allows for natural letter connections. Type design should reflect this organic flow, capturing the script’s inherent fluidity. Complexity is Beauty: The intricate conjuncts of Devanagari are not mere embellishments. They capture the essence of sound itself. Let’s not sacrifice this elegance in the pursuit of simplicity.
Empowering the Future:
Modern tools should empower, not erase, the unique character of Devanagari. We advocate for type design solutions specifically crafted to meet the script’s needs.
Let’s ensure that future generations can experience the full phonetic richness of Devanagari through innovative and accessible type design. The responsibility of creating typefaces that honor Devanagari’s complexity falls on Indian type designers. Let’s create tools that celebrate our heritage and empower the script’s future.
Manifesto Draft 2-
The True Voice of Devanagari: A Call to Type Designers
In an era where the intricate beauty of scripts is often overshadowed by the demands of industrialisation and the cultural hegemony of Western alphabetic systems, the Devanagari script stands as a beacon of phonetic richness and historical depth. This manifesto is a clarion call to type designers, urging a return to the authentic, complex beauty of Devanagari, a script that defies simplification and demands to be celebrated in its true form.
Cultural Resilience Every glyph of Devanagari carries with it a legacy of resilience, forged through centuries of foreign intervention and cultural exchanges. It is a script that has adapted and evolved, yet retained its phonetic authenticity, capturing the true sounds of spoken language in its written form.
Phonetic Fidelity In Devanagari, what you see is what you speak. Each character is meticulously designed to represent specific sounds, preserving the phonetic nuances that are often lost in alphabetic systems. This script is not just a medium of writing but a faithful record of spoken language.
Aesthetic Integrity The visual complexity of Devanagari is a testament to its aesthetic integrity. Each conjunct letter, each intricate design, is a piece of art that should be preserved, not simplified. Complexity is beauty, and in Devanagari, this beauty is woven into the very fabric of the script.
Historical Depth The evolution of Devanagari reflects a rich tapestry of historical and cultural influences. It is a living document of linguistic heritage, carrying the marks of countless generations who have used it to record their thoughts, beliefs, and stories.
Typographic Sovereignty As type designers, it is our duty to resist the homogenizing influence of Western alphabetic systems. We must assert the sovereignty of Devanagari, developing typesetting machines and digital fonts that honor its unique characteristics rather than forcing it into a mold it was never meant to fit.
Educational Empowerment Educating people about the unique nature of Devanagari is crucial. By fostering a deeper appreciation of its alpha-syllabic structure and phonetic richness, we can inspire a movement that seeks to preserve and revive this beautiful script in its true form.
Technological Adaptation Embracing new technologies that accommodate the complexity of Devanagari is essential. We must innovate and develop typesetting systems that respect and preserve the script’s phonetic and visual integrity, ensuring that its authentic voice is heard in the digital age.
A Call to Action We call upon the new generation of type designers to embrace the challenge of preserving Devanagari’s complexity. Let us turn back the clock on industrialisation’s simplifications and honour the script in its full phonetic and aesthetic glory. The true voice of Devanagari must be heard, its beauty seen, and its legacy preserved.
Exploring the visual look of my manifesto - I was inspired largely by Fiona Ross' 'Don't Look Back' as well as using ink impressions as layering. I will talk more about it in the next post.
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