Gurmukhi is an ancient script used to write the Punjabi language, an Indo-Aryan language spoken by nearly 90 million people in the Punjab region of India and Pakistan. Dating back to the 16th century, the script is still used for religious and everyday life in both countries and has been adopted by many organizations and institutions in the diaspora as well.
Gurmukhi is an abugida script, meaning that each character is composed of a base letter, also known as a consonant, and a vowel marker. The characters are written from left to right and are composed of a set of 37 letters, 10 vowels and 27 consonants. In addition to these characters, there are several other marks used in Punjabi writing, including punctuation marks, numerical characters and ligatures.
Gurmukhi is an important part of Sikh culture and is used to write the Sikh holy scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib. The script is also used in the Punjabi language, a language rich in literature, poetry and songs.
In addition to its use in everyday life, Gurmukhi has also been adopted by many organizations and institutions in the diaspora. One example is the Gurmukhi-based script used in the Indian state of Punjab for taxes, businesses and other legal documents.
Gurmukhi is an important part of the culture of the Punjab region and a reminder of its rich history. It is a symbol of identity for the people of the region, and its use in modern times serves to preserve its legacy.