Hindi barahkhadi chart with matras, and how to teach it to your child
Once your child knows the varnamala, the next big step is the barahkhadi (बारहखड़ी) — the chart that shows every consonant with every matra: क, का, कि, की… It is the moment Hindi letters turn into real words.
On this page
1. What are matras?
A matra is the short sign of a vowel. When you add it to a consonant, the sound changes: क + ा = का, क + ि = कि. “Barah” means twelve: the chart uses 12 forms of each consonant.
| Swar | Matra | With क | Swar | Matra | With क |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| अ | none | क | ए | ◌े | के |
| आ | ◌ा | का | ऐ | ◌ै | कै |
| इ | ि◌ | कि | ओ | ◌ो | को |
| ई | ◌ी | की | औ | ◌ौ | कौ |
| उ | ◌ु | कु | अं | ◌ं | कं |
| ऊ | ◌ू | कू | अः | ◌ः | कः |
2. Barahkhadi chart
Read each row aloud from left to right. Here are the consonants children meet most often:
| अ | आ | इ | ई | उ | ऊ | ए | ऐ | ओ | औ | अं | अः |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| क | का | कि | की | कु | कू | के | कै | को | कौ | कं | कः |
| ख | खा | खि | खी | खु | खू | खे | खै | खो | खौ | खं | खः |
| ग | गा | गि | गी | गु | गू | गे | गै | गो | गौ | गं | गः |
| घ | घा | घि | घी | घु | घू | घे | घै | घो | घौ | घं | घः |
| च | चा | चि | ची | चु | चू | चे | चै | चो | चौ | चं | चः |
| ज | जा | जि | जी | जु | जू | जे | जै | जो | जौ | जं | जः |
| ट | टा | टि | टी | टु | टू | टे | टै | टो | टौ | टं | टः |
| त | ता | ति | ती | तु | तू | ते | तै | तो | तौ | तं | तः |
| द | दा | दि | दी | दु | दू | दे | दै | दो | दौ | दं | दः |
| न | ना | नि | नी | नु | नू | ने | नै | नो | नौ | नं | नः |
| प | पा | पि | पी | पु | पू | पे | पै | पो | पौ | पं | पः |
| ब | बा | बि | बी | बु | बू | बे | बै | बो | बौ | बं | बः |
| म | मा | मि | मी | मु | मू | मे | मै | मो | मौ | मं | मः |
| र | रा | रि | री | रु | रू | रे | रै | रो | रौ | रं | रः |
| ल | ला | लि | ली | लु | लू | ले | लै | लो | लौ | लं | लः |
| स | सा | सि | सी | सु | सू | से | सै | सो | सौ | सं | सः |
| ह | हा | हि | ही | हु | हू | हे | है | हो | हौ | हं | हः |
3. Four tricky points to explain
- Short i is written first. In कि the matra ि is written before the letter, even though it is said after. Expect this to take a few tries.
- र is special. With u and oo it changes shape: रु and रू, not a matra underneath.
- Long and short pairs. कि/की and कु/कू differ only in length. Clap once for short, hold the sound for long.
- Bindi or chandrabindu? ं (anusvar) and ँ (chandrabindu) are different. Start with the bindi; introduce ँ (as in माँ) later.
4. A 3-week plan to teach matras
| Week | Matras | Daily 15 minutes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | ा, ि, ी | Say one barahkhadi row, trace 8 letters, read 3 words |
| 2 | ु, ू, े, ै | Same routine, plus a “which matra is missing?” game |
| 3 | ो, ौ, ं, ः | Read short sentences such as तोता हरा है। |
The Hindi Varnamala book has a practice page for every matra, with pictures and tracing lines. See the Hindi Varnamala & Barahkhadi Practice Book →5. First words for each matra
| Matra | Easy words |
|---|---|
| ा | तारा, राजा, नाना, माला |
| ि | दिन, पिन, किरण, तिल |
| ी | मछली, घड़ी, नदी, सीटी |
| ु | गुलाब, पुल, धुन |
| ू | भालू, लट्टू, फूल, सूरज |
| े | सेब, शेर, पेड़, केला |
| ै | थैला, बैल, पैसा |
| ो | तोता, मोर, रोटी, गोल |
| ौ | नौका, कौआ, मौसम |
| ं | पतंग, बंदर, संतरा |
Questions parents ask
What is barahkhadi?
Barahkhadi (बारहखड़ी) is the chart that shows each Hindi consonant joined with the 12 vowel forms: क, का, कि, की, कु, कू, के, कै, को, कौ, कं, कः.
Why is it called barahkhadi?
Barah means twelve. Each consonant is written in twelve forms, one for each vowel sound.
Which class learns barahkhadi?
Most children learn matras in UKG or Class 1, after they know the varnamala.
Why does my child write कि as क ि?
Because the ि matra is said after the consonant but written before it. Practise slowly: draw the matra stick first, then the letter.
Every matra, 3 barahkhadi charts and 71 printable pages
71 printable pages · Nursery to Class 2
- 13 swar + 36 vyanjan, each with a picture
- Tracing on proper Hindi practice lines
- All matras, 3 barahkhadi charts, words, numbers and a story
Print as many times as you like · Buy any 2 packs together and get 10% off