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Kadamba script

Historic abugida of South India

Wikipedia contributorsAdapted for Fathomly · View authors
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Source updated August 21, 2026
Image credit is listed at the end of this article.

The Kadamba script is the first writing system devised specifically for writing Kannada, and later adopted to write Telugu language. The Kadamba script is also known as Pre-Old-Kannada script.

The Kadamba script is one of the oldest scripts of the southern group of writing systems that developed from the ancient Brahmi script. By the 5th century CE it became distinct from other Brahmi variants and was used in what are now the South Indian states of Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. It evolved into the Kannada-Telugu script by the 10th century CE and was used to write the Kannada and Telugu languages. It is also distantly related to the Sinhala script.

01History

During the rule of Kadamba dynasty (325-550), major change in the Brahmi script resulted in the Kadamba script, letters were shorter and round in shape. During (325 to 1000 AD) the rule of the Western Ganga dynasty in the southern parts of Karnataka the Kannada script used differently (also known as Ganga script) in rock edicts and copper plate inscriptions. During 6th to 10th century, the Telugu-Kannada alphabet stabilized during the rule of the Chalukyas of Badami from 500-1000 and Rastrakutas.

Sanskrit language written in Kannada-Telugu script of Eastern Chalukyas in 10th century AD
Sanskrit language written in Kannada-Telugu script of Eastern Chalukyas in 10th century AD

02Inscriptions in Kadamba script

  • Gudnapur Inscription on 20-foot-long stone pillar written in Kadamba script
  • Copper plate inscriptions in Kadamba (Pre - Chalukya) script, Kadamba-Pallava script, Kannada-Telugu script are available at Chennai museum
  • Halmidi inscription
  • Talagunda pillar inscription
Prakrit Grantha inscription of Kadamba ruler Vishnuvarman (c. 5th-6th century CE) from Edakkal (northern Kerala)
Prakrit Grantha inscription of Kadamba ruler Vishnuvarman (c. 5th-6th century CE) from Edakkal (northern Kerala)

03Similarity with other scripts

The Kadamba script shares similarities with scripts of certain languages belonging to the alphasyllabary or abugida family, including Goykanadi, Bhattiprolu script, Salankayana script, Pallava script, Gupta script, as well as its descendent, the Kannada script.

Latin symbols corresponding to Kadamba script.
Latin symbols corresponding to Kadamba script.
Watch videos about Kadamba scriptExplainers and documentaries on YouTube (opens in a new tab)

Sources and credits

This article is adapted from the Wikipedia article “Kadamba script”, written by its contributors and licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Fathomly has changed the layout, removed citation markers, navigation and maintenance notices, and adjusted punctuation. This adapted version is shared under the same license. For references, see the original article.

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