Script — Devanagari
The consonants in five groups (व्यञ्जन)
The 33 consonants, neatly arranged by where they're pronounced.
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The consonants
The Sanskrit consonants are arranged with beautiful logic — by where in the mouth they are produced.
| Group | Place | Letters |
|---|---|---|
| कण्ठ्य | throat | क ख ग घ ङ |
| तालव्य | palate | च छ ज झ ञ |
| मूर्धन्य | retroflex | ट ठ ड ढ ण |
| दन्त्य | teeth | त थ द ध न |
| ओष्ठ्य | lips | प फ ब भ म |
Then come the semi-vowels (य र ल व), sibilants (श ष स) and ह.
Inherent vowel
Every consonant carries an inherent अ: क = ka. Add a halant to silence it: क् = k.