Kha is the second consonant of Indic abugidas. In modern Indic scripts, kha is derived from the Brahmi letter , which is probably derived from the Aramaic ("Q").
Mathematics
Āryabhaṭa numeration
Aryabhata used Devanagari letters for numbers, very similar to the Greek numerals, even after the invention of Indian numerals. The values of the different forms of are: = 2 (२) = 200 (२००) = 20,000 (२० ०००) = 2,000,000 (२० ०० ०००) = 2 (२×१०८) = 2 (२×१०१०) = 2 (२×१०१२) = 2 (२×१०१४) = 2 (२×१०१६)
Historic Kha
There are three different general early historic scripts - Brahmi and its variants, Kharoshthi, and Tocharian, the so-called slanting Brahmi. Kha as found in standard Brahmi, was a simple geometric shape, with slight variations toward the Gupta . The Tocharian Kha did not have an alternate Fremdzeichen form. The third form of kha, in Kharoshthi () was probably derived from Aramaic separately from the Brahmi letter.
Brahmi Kha
The Brahmi letter , Kha, is probably derived from the Aramaic Qoph , and is thus related to the modern Latin Q and Greek Koppa. Several identifiable styles of writing the Brahmi Kha can be found, most associated with a specific set of inscriptions from an artifact or diverse records from an historic period. As the earliest and most geometric style of Brahmi, the letters found on the Edicts of Ashoka and other records from around that time are normally the reference form for Brahmi letters, with vowel marks not attested until later forms of Brahmi back-formed to match the geometric writing style.
Tocharian Kha
The Tocharian letteris derived from the Brahmi , but does not have an alternate Fremdzeichen form.
Kharoshthi Kha
The Kharoshthi letter is generally accepted as being derived from the Aramaic Qoph , and is thus related to Q and Koppa, in addition to the Brahmi Kha.
Devanagari Kha
Kha (ख) is the second consonant of the Devanagari abugida. It ultimately arose from the Brahmi letter , after having gone through the Gupta letter . Letters that derive from it are the Gujarati letter ખ and the Modi letter 𑘏.
Devanagari-using Languages
In all languages, is pronounced as or when appropriate. Because of borrowings from languages with different phonemic inventories, Devanagari has employed the nukta to create an additional related letter ḫa that is pronounced as and can be used to retain non-native distinctions in Hindi texts.
Conjuncts With ख
Devanagari exhibits conjunct ligatures, as is common in Indic scripts. Like most Devanagari letters, in modern texts forms very few irregular ligatures, and assumes a half form to create most conjuncts, such as + = . Earlier texts show many more ligature forms, with vertically stacked conjuncts being common. The use of modern ligatures and vertical conjuncts may vary across languages using the Devanagari script, with Marathi in particular preferring the use of half forms where texts in other languages would show ligatures and vertical stacks.
Ligature conjuncts of ख
True ligatures are quite rare in Indic scripts. The most common ligated conjuncts in Devanagari are in the form of a slight mutation to fit in context or as a consistent variant form appended to the adjacent characters. Those variants include Na and the Repha and Rakar forms of Ra. Nepali and Marathi texts use the "eyelash" Ra half form for an initial "R" instead of repha. Repha र् (r) + ख (kʰa) gives the ligature rkʰa (र्ख):
Eyelash र् (r) + ख (kʰa) gives the ligature rkʰa:
ख् (kʰa) + र (r) gives the ligature kʰra (ख्र):
Stacked conjuncts of ख
Vertically stacked ligatures are the most common conjunct forms found in Devanagari text. Although the constituent characters may need to be stretched and moved slightly in order to stack neatly, stacked conjuncts can be broken down into recognizable base letters, or a letter and an otherwise standard ligature. छ् (cʰ) + ख (kʰa) gives the ligature छ्ख (cʰkʰa):
ढ् (ḍʱ) + ख (kʰa) gives the ligature ढ्ख (ḍʱkʰa):
ड् (ḍ) + ख (kʰa) gives the ligature ड्ख (ḍkʰa):
द् (d) + ख (kʰa) gives the ligature द्ख (dkʰa):
ख् (kʰ) + ब (ba) gives the ligature ख्ब (kʰba):
ख् (kʰ) + च (ca) gives the ligature ख्च (kʰca):
ख् (kʰ) + छ (cʰa) gives the ligature ख्छ (kʰcʰa):
ख् (kʰ) + ड (ḍa) gives the ligature ख्ड (kʰḍa):
ख् (kʰ) + ज (ja) gives the ligature ख्ज (kʰja):
ख् (kʰ) + झ (jʰa) gives the ligature ख्झ (kʰjʰa):
ख् (kʰ) + ज্ (j) + ञ (ña) gives the ligature ख्ज्ञ (kʰjña):
ख् (kʰ) + क (ka) gives the ligature ख्क (kʰka):
ख् (kʰ) + ख (kʰa) gives the ligature ख्ख (kʰkʰa):
ख् (kʰ) + ल (la) gives the ligature ख्ल (kʰla):