Mangaluru: Learning the Tulu script could become more interactive with the introduction of Pajje, a new digital tracing tool developed to help users learn, practise and familiarise themselves with Tulu characters.Developed by Akshay S Rai, a third-year Computer Science student at NMAMIT, under the TuluPedia initiative of the Tulu Cultural Research Foundation (TCRF), Pajje, which means ‘a step’ or ‘footprint’, allows users to trace Tulu characters, using guided reference paths and practise writing them repeatedly.The platform also provides feedback on accuracy and tracks users’ progress. Akshay said the project was developed as an extension of his earlier work, ‘Jeetige’ — a Tulu script learning guide.“While Jeetige provides learners with a structured introduction to the characters, Pajje focuses on taking that learning into an interactive practice environment,” said Akshay, who also leads TuluPedia at TCRF.“Learning a script is a physical skill as much as it is a visual one. It is one thing to look at a character and recognise it, but quite another to understand how it is formed, follow its strokes and eventually reproduce it yourself. That powered the idea behind Pajje,” he said.The platform digitally maps individual glyphs, their reference paths and stroke structures. The tracing system then evaluates a learner’s attempt against the reference and provides feedback on accuracy and mastery.Akshay said building the tracing and evaluation system was one of the major technical challenges during development.Pajje also features interactive flashcards, progression and mastery systems, user-progress tracking, and administrative tools to manage and expand the collection of glyphs.Akshay said the platform recorded 728 views from 297 active users so far, with majority of its users originating in India. It had also received views from abroad, including the UAE, Australia and the US. So far, users have completed 334 tracing attempts on the platform.Initial user feedback has been largely positive, though some have suggested improvements to the interface and the mobile scrolling experience, he said.Akshay further said developing a mobile application was among the platform’s future plans, along with introducing interactive and creative elements aimed particularly at children.
