Modi script
Topic: The Marathas · NCERT: Class 8, Ch 3 "The Marathas"
Meaning
Modi is a cursive form of the Devanagari script. "Cursive" means the letters are joined so the writer can write fast, often without lifting the pen. It was used to write Marathi and was the main script for Maratha letters and government records. It was used from the 17th century until about the middle of the 20th century, when ordinary Devanagari replaced it.
Example
In the 17th and 18th centuries Maratha officials under Shivaji and the Peshwas wrote their letters and accounts in Modi. Today large collections of Maratha records in Modi survive in archives such as those at Pune.
Don't confuse with
- Devanagari (on coins and seals): Shivaji's coins used ordinary Devanagari, and his seal carried a Sanskrit inscription. Modi was the fast, joined-up form used for everyday writing and letters.