U+114C4 "𑓄" Tirhuta Sign Avagraha Unicode Character

U+114C4 "𑓄" Tirhuta Sign Avagraha is a diacritical mark used in the Tirhuta script, which is historically employed to write the Maithili language primarily in the Mithila region of India and Nepal. This sign functions as an avagraha, a symbol that typically indicates the elision of a vowel sound, often representing a contraction or the shortening of a word in written text. It is placed above or attached to a consonant or vowel sign to show that a following inherent vowel has been dropped, similar to the use of an apostrophe in some other writing systems. The Tirhuta script itself is an abugida, where consonants carry an inherent vowel, and the avagraha helps to clarify pronunciation and word boundaries in formal or classical contexts.