Free Gurmukhi Muharni Chart (Punjabi Matra Chart PDF)
A printable Punjabi muharni chart — every consonant read through all 10 matras (kanna, sihari, bihari, aunkar and more), plus the tippi and bindi forms. The natural next step after learning the alphabet. Two pages, instant download. No ads, no sign-ups.
ਹਰ ਅੱਖਰ ਨੂੰ ਸਾਰੀਆਂ ਲਗਾਂ-ਮਾਤਰਾਂ ਨਾਲ ਪੜ੍ਹਨ ਦਾ ਅਭਿਆਸ — ਮੁਫ਼ਤ ਮੁਹਾਰਨੀ ਚਾਰਟ
Hear it spoken
Not sure how a sound goes? Discover Sikhism has a free audio muharni — play the full recitation, or tap any letter to hear it.
The 10 Matras in a Muharni
A muharni (ਮੁਹਾਰਨੀ) takes one consonant and runs it through every vowel sign (laga matra), so a child hears how the same letter changes sound. Here are the 10 matras shown on ਕ (Kakka):
How to Use the Muharni Chart
1. Download and Print
Download the two-page chart and print on US Letter (8.5″ × 11″) or A4. Stick it on the wall or keep it in a folder.
2. Read Across a Row
Each row is one consonant. Point to each letter and say the sound aloud — ਕ, ਕਾ, ਕਿ, ਕੀ, ਕੁ, ਕੂ, ਕੇ, ਕੈ, ਕੋ, ਕੌ.
3. Read Down a Column
Now read one matra down the page — ਕਾ, ਖਾ, ਗਾ, ਘਾ… Seeing the same sign on different letters is how the sound sticks.
4. Recite It Together
Chant a row at a time, the traditional way Punjabi children learn to read. A few minutes a day is plenty.
Every Consonant, Start to Finish
The chart covers every Gurmukhi consonant, from ਸ to ੜ — each run through all 10 matras. The first row is the independent vowels (ਅ ਆ ਇ ਈ…), which the vowel carrier ਅ stands in for.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is a muharni in Punjabi?
- A muharni (ਮੁਹਾਰਨੀ) is the traditional way Punjabi children learn to read: each consonant is run through every vowel sign (matra) in turn — ਕ, ਕਾ, ਕਿ, ਕੀ, ਕੁ, ਕੂ, ਕੇ, ਕੈ, ਕੋ, ਕੌ — and recited aloud. It teaches how a single letter changes sound with each matra, bridging the gap between knowing the alphabet and reading whole words.
- How many matras are there in Gurmukhi?
- There are 10 laga matra (vowel signs) covered in a muharni: mukta (no sign), kanna (ਾ), sihari (ਿ), bihari (ੀ), aunkar (ੁ), dulankar (ੂ), lavan (ੇ), dulavan (ੈ), hora (ੋ), and kanaura (ੌ). Each changes the vowel sound of the consonant it attaches to.
- Is this Punjabi muharni chart free?
- Yes — completely free, with no sign-up and no ads. Download the two-page muharni chart PDF and print it at home, in the classroom, or at your Gurdwara Sahib.
- Should my child do the muharni before or after the alphabet?
- After. Children should first recognise and write the 35 base letters (try our free alphabet tracing worksheets), then use the muharni to learn how each consonant combines with the matras. The muharni is the natural next step on the way to reading full Punjabi words.