Is letter-writing a thing of the past? These days, we intuitively assume that it is. Yet try typing the words “how to write a letter” in yo...
Is letter-writing a thing of the past? These days, we intuitively assume that it is. Yet try typing the words “how to write a letter” in your search engine and a long list of suggestions pops up. The options I got included: application letters and letters of recommendation, resignation and intent.
I imagine, most people would get as utilitarian a list as I did – as opposed to say, “how to write a love letter”, an activity one presumes has reduced dramatically in the world of phone calls, texts, and chats. Letters – professional and personal – are still around and remain a universal form of communication, recognised instantly across cultures and linguistic traditions. The same is true for much of history.
Lekhapaddhati, or writing guide, from 15th-century Gujarat, is a manual that gives us a rare insight into document and letter-writing practices in a bygone era. This compilation of documents was a reference book of sorts, most likely meant for state officials and professional letter writers. Composed in a colloquial Sanskrit used for business transactions and practical communications, the Lekhapaddhati also has local Gujarati influences.
A must-have manual
The earliest specimens included in the Lekhapaddhati are from nearly 1,200 years ago. Even so, what is remarkable is how...
