Bhujimol script
Historical script of the Newar language
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Through Ashoka
Etymology
The word Bhujimol comes from Newar language, where Bhujin or Bhojini means housefly and Mol means head. The "head" of this script, instead of being a horizontal line above each letter, resembles the forewing of a housefly, hence it is called Bhujimol, meaning "housefly-headed script."
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History
The Bhujimol script first appeared in King Nirbhayadeva's inscription at Taumadhi, Bhaktapur, dated to 1005 CE. The earliest important Newar texts, Haramekhala (1374), Manava Nyaya Shastra (1380), and Gopal Raj Vamshavali (1389), are written in the Bhujimol script.
In 2003, a brick was discovered in Chabahil, in the course of reconstruction of the Chabahil Stupa or Dhando Chaitya, bearing inscriptions in both Brahmi and Bhujimol: The upper face is inscribed with Cha Ru Wa Ti in Brahmi, and with Cha Ru Wa Ti Dhande / He Tu Pra Bha in Bhujimol script. There are Swastika marks at the two ends of the upper face with a Chakra mark in between. The brick measures 35.5 cm x 23 cm x 7 cm and weighs 8.6 kg. The brick may date to as early as the 3rd century BC. The inscription is interpreted to refer to Charumati, a daughter of emperor Ashoka.