Jaini is a Devanagari typeface based on the calligraphic style of the Jain Kalpasutra manuscripts.
It is designed by me, under guidance of Girish Dalvi. The design of this typeface is based on the 1503 Kalpasutra manuscript. Jaini has several unique features not seen in Balabodha, these include disconnected shirorekha with triangular wedges, short upper matra, squarish letters with large kana-height, heavy knots, and lower matra integrated within the kana height. Since the original manuscript uses letter-shapes which are not familiar to contemporary readers, these have been redesigned along with Latin numbers and punctuations.
In this paper presentation, I describe the process of reviving this unique Jain Kalpasutra manuscript calligraphy style as a contemporary Devanagari typeface.
Calligraphic revivals pose many challenges; I discuss these difficulties and the approaches taken to resolve them.
Presented at Typography Day 2017, Sri Lanka.
