or Kandavī
Overview
Goykanadi was used in Goa since the times of the
Kadamba Dynasty, although it lost its popularity after the 17th century. Goykanadi is very different from the Old Kannada script, with strikingly similar features.
Unlike Old Kannada, Kandevi/Goykanadi letters were usually written with a distinctive horizontal bar, like the Nagari scripts. This script may have been evolved out of the
Kadamba script, which was extensively used in Goa and Konkan.
Usage and extinction
The
Goa Inquisition is seen as a blot in the history of the Konkani language. According to the orders of the Goa inquisition, it was an offence to remain in possession of books in the local languages. All books, whatever their subject matter, written in Konkani, Marathi, and Sanskrit were seized by the inquisition and burnt on the suspicion that they might deal with idolatry.
It is probable that valuable non-religious literature dealing with art, literature, sciences, etc., were destroyed indiscriminately as a consequence. For instance, even before the inquisition orders in a letter dated 24 November 1548, D Fr Joao de Albuquerque proudly reports his achievement in this direction.
Many Konkani manuscripts that are now found in museums in Portugal are Roman transliterations of Kandavi manuscripts of Hindu epics.
Works cited
