U+0A73 "ੳ" Gurmukhi Ura Unicode Character

U+0A73 "ੳ" Gurmukhi Ura is the first letter of the Gurmukhi alphabet used for writing the Punjabi language, though it does not carry an inherent vowel sound when standing alone and typically appears only as a vowel carrier in modern orthography. Unlike most Gurmukhi consonants, Ura functions primarily to represent the vowel sounds 'u' and 'oo' when combined with vowel signs, such as in the word "ਉਡ" meaning flight, or to form the initial sound of words beginning with a vowel. Its shape resembles a curved hook open to the right, and it holds particular significance in Sikh scripture as the starting character of the sacred text, the Guru Granth Sahib, beginning with the word "Ik Onkar."