What Is the Gujarati Kakko (કક્કો)? A Parent's Guide with Free Chart
The kakko (કક્કો) is the Gujarati consonant chart — the familiar row of letters from ક, ખ, ગ, ઘ onwards that Gujarati children learn to recite and write. It is one of the very first things a child learns in Gujarati, and it lays the foundation for barakhadi and reading. This guide explains what the kakko is, how it's different from barakhadi, the order to teach it, and how to practise it at home with free printable charts.
What Is the Kakko?
Kakko (કક્કો) is the Gujarati word for the consonant chart of the alphabet — the set of vyanjan (consonants) beginning with ક, ખ, ગ, ઘ. It takes its name from its very first letter, ક (ka), just as the English 'ABC' is named after its first letters.
Reciting and writing the kakko is a rite of passage for Gujarati children. Alongside the swar (vowels), it makes up the full mulakshar — the complete Gujarati alphabet of 12 vowels and 36 consonants.
- Kakko = the Gujarati consonant chart, named after its first letter ક
- 36 vyanjan (consonants), from ક to ળ, ક્ષ and જ્ઞ
- Together with the 12 swar it forms the full mulakshar
- Gujarati letters have no top line (shirorekha) — rounder shapes
Kakko vs Barakhadi — What's the Difference?
It's easy to mix these up. The kakko is the list of consonants on their own — ક, ખ, ગ, ઘ… Barakhadi is the next step, where each of those consonants is joined with the twelve vowel signs to make ક, કા, કિ, કી and so on.
In short: learn the kakko to know the consonants, then learn barakhadi to turn those consonants into the syllables that build words. One comes before the other.
- Kakko = consonants alone (ક, ખ, ગ…)
- Barakhadi = each consonant × 12 vowel signs (ક, કા, કિ…)
- Teach the kakko first, then barakhadi
The Consonants in the Kakko
The kakko is traditionally grouped into sets that share a place of sound. Teaching it group by group makes it far easier for a child to remember than facing all 36 letters at once.
- ક ખ ગ ઘ ઙ • ચ છ જ ઝ ઞ
- ટ ઠ ડ ઢ ણ • ત થ દ ધ ન
- પ ફ બ ભ મ • ય ર લ વ
- શ ષ સ હ • ળ ક્ષ જ્ઞ (joined letters, taught last)
How to Teach the Kakko at Home
Teach the kakko a small group at a time, not all at once. Recite the group aloud together first so the rhythm sticks, then trace each letter so your child links the sound to the shape.
Because Gujarati letters have no shirorekha, the shapes are round and open — friendly for little hands. Trace slowly, say the sound with every letter, and celebrate finishing each group.
- Recite one group aloud together before writing it
- Trace each letter and say its sound (ક for કબૂતર, ગ for ગાય)
- Learn one group every few days — repetition beats rushing
- Save the joined letters ળ, ક્ષ, જ્ઞ for last
From Kakko to Reading
Once your child knows the kakko, the door to reading opens through barakhadi. Take one consonant your child knows well — say ક — and learn its twelve barakhadi forms. That single pattern then applies to every other consonant in the kakko.
Soon your child can blend those syllables into first words like ઘર and કમળ. The kakko is the foundation; barakhadi and reading are what you build on top of it.
Free Printable Kakko Practice
You only need a printed chart, a pencil and five minutes a day. Our free Gujarati mulakshar worksheets cover every letter of the kakko with clear tracing guides and a friendly example word, and the barakhadi workbook takes your child to the next step.
Everything is a free printable PDF with no sign-up — download, print at home, and re-print any page as often as your child needs.
- Trace every kakko consonant on the Gujarati mulakshar sheets
- Move to the barakhadi workbook once letters are secure
- Free PDFs — print at home, no sign-up
Put it into practice
Bring this guide to life with our free printable worksheets.