1. Swars (स्वर / Vowels)

DevaNagari vowels are not scattered in the 'Varnamala' (DevaNagari alphabet) but are arranged at the beginning of the alphabet.

These vowels were arranged according to a scheme. This scheme is not completely scientific (phonetic), but definitely helpful in memorizing & reciting these vowels.

‘आ’ (AA) is considered as long form of the vowel ‘अ’ ('A') but it is another short vowel. ‘ऐ’ ('AI' or 'AY') and ‘औ’ ('AO' or 'AU') are considered as long form of ‘ए’ ('E') and ‘ओ’ ('O') but they are diphthongs.

‘ऋ’ is considered a vowel but it is not a pure vowel. Its pronunciation might have been like a semivowel! The common (modern) pronunciation of this is 'RI' (in Hindi, Sanskrit), it is also pronounced as 'RU' (in Marathi).

We can consider it (ऋ) a vowel-consonant conjunct. The other two semivowels ('ya'/'य' and 'va'/'व') are considered as consonants!

2. Vyanjans (व्यंजन / Consonants)

These are very logically arranged in following groups.
A. Sparsh
B. Antashth
C. Ushm

A. Sparsh (स्पर्श / Touch!)

Sparsh means touch. While speaking, alongwith vibrations in vocal cord and passage of air from mouth and nose, tongue and lips move. Particularly for pronouncing consonants the movements of tongue and lips are important. In DevaNagari, most of the consonants are arranged logically; depending upon the position of tongue (what it touches) and movements of lips. There are five sequences in this group. Each sequence has five consonants.

These sequences follow similar phonetic pattern! The first and second forms a pair. The third and forth forms another pair. The last one can be thought of as nasalised form of the third one!!!

B. Antah-sth (अन्तःस्थ / Liquids)

This is the 'middle' set. 'Antahsth' in Sanskrit means 'middle' or 'inner'.

C. UShm (उष्म / Fricatives)

'UShm' means hot! Isn't it amazing to know that terminologies developed separately resulted in related terms - 'Friction' and 'hot' (heat)!

>> Click here to read about matra, chihna...

† do not pronounce these DevaNagari consonants as regular pronunciation of its English transliteration.
‡ these consonants cannot generally be pronounced by those not familier with any Indic script.