Editing Gujarati script (section)

==Origin==
The Gujarati script ({{lang|gu|ગુજરાતી લિપિ}}) was adapted from the [[Nagari script]] to write the Gujarati language. The Gujarati language and script developed in three distinct phases — 10th to 15th century, 15th to 17th century and 17th to 19th century. The first phase is marked by use of [[Prakrit]], [[Apabramsa]] and its variants such as [[Paisaci]], [[Shauraseni]], [[Magadhi Prakrit|Magadhi]] and [[Maharashtri]]. In second phase, [[Old Gujarati]] script was in wide use. The earliest known document in the Old Gujarati script is a handwritten manuscript ''Adi Parva'' dating from 1591 to 1592, and the script first appeared in print in a 1797 advertisement. The third phase is the use of script developed for ease and fast writing. The use of ''shirorekhā'' (the topline as in Devanagari) was abandoned. Until the 19th century it was used mainly for writing letters and keeping accounts, while the Devanagari script was used for literature and academic writings. It is also known as the ''śarāphī'' (banker's), ''vāṇiāśāī''  (merchant's) or ''mahājanī'' (trader's) script. This script became the basis of the modern script. Later the same script was adopted by writers of manuscripts. [[Jainism|Jain]] community also promoted its use for copying religious texts by hired writers.{{sfn|Mistry|1996|p=391}}<ref>{{cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/Mahajans-ate-away-Gujaratis-top-line/articleshow/30755610.cms|last=Shastri|first=Parth|work=[[The Times of India]]|title=Mahajans ate away Gujarati's 'top line'|date=2014-02-21|access-date =2014-03-05}}</ref>