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About Gulzar.

Gulzar is a contemporary Urdu Nasta’liq typeface – and its Latin counterpart – designed and developed through a collaboration by Borna Izadpanah (Principal Designer and Project Leader), Simon Cozens (Font Engineering), Alice Savoie (Designer, Gulzar Latin), Fiona Ross (Consultant, Gulzar Urdu), Amir Mahdi Moslehi (Calligraphic adviser, Gulzar Urdu) and Martin Dodds (Consultant, Gulzar Urdu). This typeface was designed to provide an effective textual communication tool primarily for Urdu readers on digital platforms and in print. In Gulzar, the aim has been to produce a typeface which is legible at text sizes and suitable for sustained reading. The first phase of this project involved conducting research into the history of Urdu digital typefaces from the early 1980s. The design of Gulzar was inspired by carefully collected specimens of Urdu calligraphy and lettering which were closely studied to achieve an accurate representation of the Urdu flavour of the Nasta’liq style.

Once the Nasta’liq design was firmly established, a proposal was made for a Latin counterpart that took inspiration from two eminent humanistic references: the versatile and sturdy proportions of Robert Granjon’s types, coupled with the sharp and distinctive feel of Hendrik van den Keere’s work. The Latin letterforms thus feature some subtle references to their calligraphic roots and echo the contrast present in the Nasta’liq, while remaining embedded in their classical typographic proportions.

Gulzar is not the first OpenType Nasta’liq typeface, but it is the first Nasta’liq type for which an original Latin counterpart was designed. It covers all the required transliterations characters to transcribe Arabic, Persian and Urdu languages.

You can read more about the inspiration, design, and engineering of Gulzar at gulzarfont.org.

To contribute, see github.com/googlefonts/Gulzar/.

Designer
Borna Izadpanah, Fiona Ross, Alice Savoie, Simon Cozens
Classification
Display, Serif
Coverage
361 languages
Package release
v14
Updated
Mar 3, 2026
Monthly usage
  • npm377 downloads last month
  • jsDelivr6,517 requests last month
License
OFL-1.1

Style and character

Visual characteristics associated with this family.

The story

Gulzar: Expanding the variety of Urdu Nasta'liq options

Making of Gulzar

To give Urdu speakers more typeface choices, in July 2022, Google Fonts added Gulzar, a new Nasta'liq Urdu typeface.

1. Gulzar Nasta'liq
2. Gulzar Latin

"All human beings are born free and equal in terms of rights and dignity." In Urdu (Gulzar Nasta'liq) and transliterated in Latin (Gulzar Latin).

Simon Cozens, Dr. Borna Izadpanah, and Dr. Fiona Ross conducted their own research and consulted with Urdu language specialists in Pakistan and the United Kingdom to create the Gulzar Urdu Nasta'liq typeface project. Gulzar means "flower meadow" in Urdu.

Izadpanah is a native Persian speaker from Tehran, Iran. He learned Nasta'liq as a model for Persian handwriting in primary school.

"Designing a digital Nasta'liq typeface was my long-held dream," Izadpanah stated. As the principal Gulzar designer, he conducted the preliminary research and drew the glyphs.

Ross was familiar with the Urdu language and type design from her language studies and earlier work on two Nasta'liq typefaces, Sheeraz and Qalmi, for which Linotype acquired a patent.

To make a modern digital font based on the Urdu flavor of the Nasta'liq style, Izadpanah studied the proportions, stroke modulation, and character features in calligraphy manuals and a collection of lettering specimens

To learn more, visit "Gulzar: Expanding the variety of Urdu Nasta'liq options" (English, Urdu) and "Why are there so few Urdu fonts?" (English, Urdu).

Characters and features

What this family includes and how its files are structured.

Explore glyphs →

Language and character coverage

Arabic is the primary writing system.

  • 'AleQale · Latin
  • AchineseBahsa Acèh · Latin
  • AdaraLatin
  • AfarQafar · Latin
  • AfrikaansLatin
  • Ainu (Latin)
  • AlagoLatin
  • AlbanianShqip · Latin
  • AlekanoGahuku · Latin
  • AmahuacaLatin
  • AmarakaeriLatin
  • AmisLatin
  • AnaangAnaañ · Latin
  • Ao NagaLatin
  • Arabic, Chadian SpokenLatin
  • Arabic, Standardالعربية
  • AragoneseAragonés · Latin
  • ArapahoLatin
  • ArpitanLatin
  • Artificial languages, World (Latin)
  • AsháninkaLatin
  • Ashéninka PerenéLatin
  • Ashéninka, PichisLatin
  • Assyrian Neo-Aramaic, Latin
  • AsuKipare · Latin
  • AwakLatin
  • AymaraAymar · Latin
  • BalineseBali · Latin
  • Banda, West CentralLatin
  • BangwinjiLatin
  • BanjarLatin
  • BapukuLatin
  • BasqueEuskara · Latin
  • Batak TobaLatin
  • BedawiyetLatin
  • BembaChibemba · Latin
  • BenaEkibena · Latin
  • BenchLatin
  • BengaLatin
  • BetawiLatin
  • BikolPandan Bikol · Latin
  • BilenLatin
  • BislamaLatin
  • Bodo (Latin)
  • BokobaruLatin
  • C’LelaLatin
  • CahungwaryaLatin
  • Candoshi-ShapraLatin
  • CaquinteLatin
  • Cashibo-CacataiboLatin
  • CatalanCatalà · Latin
  • CebuanoBinisaya · Latin
  • Central DusunLatin
  • ChachiLatin
  • ChamorroChamorru · Latin
  • Chavacano, Philippines (Latin)
  • ChidurumaLatin
  • ChigaRukiga · Latin
  • Chimborazo Highland QuichuaRuna Simi · Latin
  • Chin, FalamLatin
  • Chin, HakaLatin
  • Chin, MatuLatin
  • Chinantec, OjitlánLatin
  • ChokweLatin
  • ChuukeseChuuk · Latin
  • Cofán, Latin
  • ColoradoLatin
  • Comorian, NgazidjaLatin
  • CornishKernewek · Latin
  • CorsicanCorsu · Latin
  • Crioulo, Upper GuineaLatin
  • Cuyonon (Latin)
  • DanishDansk · Latin
  • Dariدری · Arabic
  • DawroLatin
  • DikakaLatin
  • DrungLatin
  • DutchNederlands · Latin
  • Egyptian Arabic
  • EnglishLatin
  • Ese EjjaLatin
  • ExtremaduranLatin
  • FaroeseFøroyskt · Latin
  • FijianVakaviti · Latin
  • FilipinoLatin
  • Finnish, KvenLatin
  • FrenchFrançais · Latin
  • FriulianFurlan · Latin
  • FuliiruLatin
  • GalicianGalego · Latin
  • GalloLatin
  • GamoLatin
  • GarifunaLatin
  • Gelao, KlauLatin
  • GermanDeutsch · Latin
  • Gheg AlbanianGegnisht · Latin
  • GilberteseKiribati · Latin
  • GofaLatin
  • Guadeloupean Creole French, Martinique (Latin)
  • GuarayuLatin
  • Guianese Creole FrenchLatin
  • GusiiEkegusii · Latin
  • GyeleLatin
  • HadiyyaHadiyyisa · Latin
  • Haitian CreoleKreyòl Ayisyen · Latin
  • HaniLatin
  • HarariLatin
  • HiligaynonIlonggo · Latin
  • Hindustani, SarnamiLatin
  • Hmonghveb Hmub · Latin
  • Hmong NjuaLatin
  • Hmong, Northern QiandongHmong (Latin) · Latin
  • Hmong, Southern QiandongLatin
  • HopiHopilàvayi · Latin
  • Huastec, San Luís PotosíLatin
  • IcelandicÍslenska · Latin
  • IdoLatin
  • IlokoIlokano · Latin
  • IndonesianIndonesia · Latin
  • InnuInnu Aimun · Latin
  • InterlinguaLatin
  • Interlingue (Latin)
  • IraqwLatin
  • IrishGaeilge · Latin
  • ItalianItaliano · Latin
  • IzereLatin
  • Jamaican Creole EnglishJamiekan · Latin
  • JavaneseJawa · Latin
  • Jèrriais, Latin
  • KabuverdianuLatin
  • KalaallisutLatin
  • KalangaLatin
  • KalenjinMarkweta · Latin
  • KaondeLatin
  • Kazakh (Latin)
  • KhasiKa Ktien Khasi · Latin
  • KhowarArabic
  • Kichwa, Unified QuichuaLatin
  • KimbunduLatin
  • KinyarwandaLatin
  • KitubaLatin
  • Klingon (Latin)
  • KombeLatin
  • KongoKikongo · Latin
  • KonjoLatin
  • KuanyamaOshikwanyama · Latin
  • KunamaLatin
  • KutuLatin
  • KwereLatin
  • KʼicheʼQatzijob'al · Latin
  • Ladino (Latin)
  • Lahndaلہندا پنجابی (Arabic) · Arabic
  • LambaIchilamba · Latin
  • Latin
  • LeleLatin
  • LigurianLigure · Latin
  • Lingua Franca Nova, Latin
  • Lojban (Latin)lojban (Latin)
  • LombardLatin
  • LomweLatin
  • Low GermanNiedersächsisch · Latin
  • Luba-LuluaTshiluba · Latin
  • LuguruLatin
  • LundaLatin
  • LuoDholuo · Latin
  • LuvaleLatin
  • LuwoLatin
  • LuxembourgishLëtzebuergesch · Latin
  • LuyiaLatin
  • MachameLatin
  • MadureseMadhurâ · Latin
  • MakhuwaEmakhuwa · Latin
  • Makhuwa-MeettoImeetto · Latin
  • MakondeChimakonde · Latin
  • MalagasyLatin
  • Malay (Latin)
  • Mambila, NigeriaLatin
  • ManxGaelg · Latin
  • ManyikaLatin
  • MapucheMapudungun · Latin
  • Maranao (Latin)
  • MasaabaLatin
  • Matsés (Latin)
  • Mauritian CreoleKreol Morisien · Latin
  • MazanderaniArabic
  • Mazatec, IxcatlánLatin
  • MeruKîmîîrû · Latin
  • Middle High GermanLatin
  • MinangkabauBaso Minangkabau · Latin
  • MískitoLatin
  • Mixe, TotontepecLatin
  • Mizo (Latin)
  • MohawkKanien’kéha · Latin
  • MozarabicLatin
  • Musi (Latin)
  • NaraLatin
  • NdambaLatin
  • NdauLatin
  • NdongaLatin
  • NeapolitanNapulitano · Latin
  • NgindoLatin
  • NguluLatin
  • NomatsiguengaLatin
  • North NdebeleisiNdebele · Latin
  • Northern FrisianLatin
  • Northern SothoSepedi · Latin
  • NorwegianNorsk · Latin
  • Norwegian Bokmålnorsk bokmål · Latin
  • Norwegian Nynorsknynorsk · Latin
  • NovialLatin
  • Nupe-Nupe-TakoLatin
  • NyankoleRunyankore · Latin
  • Nyasa TongaLatin
  • NyembaLatin
  • NyoroLatin
  • OccitanLatin
  • OgbahLatin
  • OkiekLatin
  • Old FrenchLatin
  • Old IrishLatin
  • Old ProvençalLatin
  • Old Welsh, Latin
  • OromoAfaan Oromoo · Latin
  • OroqenLatin
  • Otomi, MezquitalLatin
  • OtuhoLatin
  • Paite Chin, Latin
  • PampangaKapampangan · Latin
  • PapiamentoPapiamentu · Latin
  • Persianفارسی (ایران) · Arabic
  • PicardLatin
  • PiedmontesePiemontèis · Latin
  • PijinLatin
  • Pintupi-LuritjaLatin
  • PipilLatin
  • PogoloLatin
  • PohnpeianPohnpei · Latin
  • PökootMarkweta · Latin
  • PortuguesePortuguês · Latin
  • Punjabi (Arabic)
  • Punuyipunu · Latin
  • PurepechaLatin
  • Quechua, Ambo-PascoLatin
  • Quechua, Arequipa-La UniónLatin
  • Quechua, AyacuchoLatin
  • Quechua, CajamarcaLatin
  • Quechua, CuscoRunasimi · Latin
  • Quechua, Huamalíes-Dos de Mayo HuánucoLatin
  • Quechua, Huaylas AncashLatin
  • Quechua, Margos-Yarowilca-LauricochaLatin
  • Quechua, North JunínLatin
  • Quechua, Northern Conchucos AncashLatin
  • Quechua, South BolivianLatin
  • QʼeqchiʼLatin
  • Rapa (Latin)
  • RejangLatin
  • RendilleLatin
  • ResheLatin
  • Réunion Creole FrenchLatin
  • Rinconada BikolPandan Bikol · Latin
  • Rohingya (Latin)
  • RomagnolLatin
  • RomanshRumantsch · Latin
  • RomboLatin
  • RongaLatin
  • RundiIkirundi · Latin
  • RwaLatin
  • SahoLatin
  • Saint Lucian Creole French, Latin
  • SalarLatin
  • SamburuSampur · Latin
  • SangoSängö · Latin
  • SanguShisango · Latin
  • SãotomenseLatin
  • SardinianSardu · Latin
  • SasakLatin
  • Sassarese SardinianSardu · Latin
  • Saterland FrisianLatin
  • ScotsScots Leid · Latin
  • Scottish GaelicGàidhlig · Latin
  • SecoyaLatin
  • SenaCisena · Latin
  • SeriCmiique Iitom · Latin
  • Seselwa Creole FrenchSeselwa · Latin
  • ShambalaKishambaa · Latin
  • ShillukLatin
  • Shipibo-ConiboLatin
  • ShonaChishona · Latin
  • SicilianSicilianu · Latin
  • SidamoLatin
  • SogaLusoga · Latin
  • SomaliSoomaali · Latin
  • South NdebeleisiNdebele · Latin
  • Southern SamiÅarjelsaemiengïele · Latin
  • Southern TujiaLatin
  • SpanishEspañol · Latin
  • Sranan TongoLatin
  • SubaLatin
  • Sudanese ArabicLatin
  • SukumaKisukuma · Latin
  • SundaneseBasa Sunda · Latin
  • SwahiliKiswahili · Latin
  • Swahili, CongoLatin
  • SwatiSiswati · Latin
  • SwedishSvenska · Latin
  • Swiss GermanSchwyzerdütsch · Latin
  • TaitaKidawida · Latin
  • Tajik (Arabic)
  • Tajik (Latin)
  • TakwaneLatin
  • Talinga-BwisiLatin
  • Tedim ChinLatin
  • Tenango Otomi, Latin
  • TetumLia Tetun · Latin
  • Tetun DiliLatin
  • TivLatin
  • Tiwi (Latin)
  • Tok PisinLatin
  • TongaLatin
  • TooroLatin
  • Totonac, PapantlaLatin
  • TsamaiLatin
  • TsongaXitsonga · Latin
  • TsuvadiLatin
  • TswanaSetswana · Latin
  • TulaLatin
  • TumbukaChitumbuka · Latin
  • Tzeltal, OxchucLatin
  • Tzotzil, ChamulaLatin
  • Uab MetoUab Metô · Latin
  • Uncoded languages, Arabic
  • Urduاردو (پاکستان) · Arabic
  • Uyghur (Latin)Uighur
  • VidundaLatin
  • VolapükLatin
  • VunjoLatin
  • WalloonWalon · Latin
  • WarayWaray-Waray · Latin
  • WarlpiriLatin
  • WayuuWayuunaiki · Latin
  • WelshCymraeg · Latin
  • WendatLatin
  • West Albay BikolPandan Bikol · Latin
  • Western FrisianFrysk · Latin
  • Wolaytta (Latin)
  • XhosaisiXhosa · Latin
  • YaneshaʼLatin
  • YaochiYao · Latin
  • YapeseWaab · Latin
  • YasaLatin
  • YucatecoMàaya t'àan · Latin
  • ZaghawaLatin
  • ZandeLatin
  • ZáparoLatin
  • Zapotec, GüiláLatin
  • Zapotec, MiahuatlánLatin
  • ZayseLatin
  • ZhuangLatin
  • ZigulaLatin
  • Zoroastrian DariArabic
  • ZuluisiZulu · Latin

Styles and weights

1 weight · Normal

Each weight is provided as a separate font file.

  • Regular 400

OpenType features

Availability can vary between files.

  • Glyph compositionBuilds or separates glyphs so letters and marks shape correctly.ccmp
  • CURSApplies the font’s curs behavior during text shaping.curs
  • FINAApplies the font’s fina behavior during text shaping.fina
  • INITApplies the font’s init behavior during text shaping.init
  • ISOLApplies the font’s isol behavior during text shaping.isol
  • JALTApplies the font’s jalt behavior during text shaping.jalt
  • KerningFine-tunes the space between specific pairs of characters.kern
  • Standard ligaturesReplaces common letter sequences with standard ligatures.liga
  • Mark positioningPositions combining marks relative to their base characters.mark
  • MEDIApplies the font’s medi behavior during text shaping.medi
  • Mark-to-mark positioningPositions combining marks relative to other marks.mkmk
  • Oldstyle figuresUses figures with varied heights that sit naturally in body text.onum
  • Required ligaturesApplies ligatures required for correct script shaping.rlig
  • Stylistic set 1Activates a coordinated set of alternate character designs.ss01
  • Stylistic set 2Activates a coordinated set of alternate character designs.ss02
  • Stylistic set 3Activates a coordinated set of alternate character designs.ss03
  • Stylistic set 4Activates a coordinated set of alternate character designs.ss04
  • SWSHApplies the font’s swsh behavior during text shaping.swsh
  • Tabular figuresUses equal-width figures that align in tables and columns.tnum

License

Complete terms and attribution for this font.

View license source →
Attribution

Copyright 2021 The Gulzar Project Authors (http://github.com/googlefonts/gulzar/)

Copyright 2021 The Gulzar Project Authors (https://github.com/simoncozens/Gulzar)

This Font Software is licensed under the SIL Open Font License, Version 1.1.
This license is copied below, and is also available with a FAQ at:
https://scripts.sil.org/OFL


-----------------------------------------------------------
SIL OPEN FONT LICENSE Version 1.1 - 26 February 2007
-----------------------------------------------------------

PREAMBLE
The goals of the Open Font License (OFL) are to stimulate worldwide
development of collaborative font projects, to support the font creation
efforts of academic and linguistic communities, and to provide a free and
open framework in which fonts may be shared and improved in partnership
with others.

The OFL allows the licensed fonts to be used, studied, modified and
redistributed freely as long as they are not sold by themselves. The
fonts, including any derivative works, can be bundled, embedded, 
redistributed and/or sold with any software provided that any reserved
names are not used by derivative works. The fonts and derivatives,
however, cannot be released under any other type of license. The
requirement for fonts to remain under this license does not apply
to any document created using the fonts or their derivatives.

DEFINITIONS
"Font Software" refers to the set of files released by the Copyright
Holder(s) under this license and clearly marked as such. This may
include source files, build scripts and documentation.

"Reserved Font Name" refers to any names specified as such after the
copyright statement(s).

"Original Version" refers to the collection of Font Software components as
distributed by the Copyright Holder(s).

"Modified Version" refers to any derivative made by adding to, deleting,
or substituting -- in part or in whole -- any of the components of the
Original Version, by changing formats or by porting the Font Software to a
new environment.

"Author" refers to any designer, engineer, programmer, technical
writer or other person who contributed to the Font Software.

PERMISSION & CONDITIONS
Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining
a copy of the Font Software, to use, study, copy, merge, embed, modify,
redistribute, and sell modified and unmodified copies of the Font
Software, subject to the following conditions:

1) Neither the Font Software nor any of its individual components,
in Original or Modified Versions, may be sold by itself.

2) Original or Modified Versions of the Font Software may be bundled,
redistributed and/or sold with any software, provided that each copy
contains the above copyright notice and this license. These can be
included either as stand-alone text files, human-readable headers or
in the appropriate machine-readable metadata fields within text or
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3) No Modified Version of the Font Software may use the Reserved Font
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Software shall not be used to promote, endorse or advertise any
Modified Version, except to acknowledge the contribution(s) of the
Copyright Holder(s) and the Author(s) or with their explicit written
permission.

5) The Font Software, modified or unmodified, in part or in whole,
must be distributed entirely under this license, and must not be
distributed under any other license. The requirement for fonts to
remain under this license does not apply to any document created
using the Font Software.

TERMINATION
This license becomes null and void if any of the above conditions are
not met.

DISCLAIMER
THE FONT SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND,
EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO ANY WARRANTIES OF
MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT
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Provenance

Where the files came from and what Fontsource distributes.

View upstream project →
Provider
Google Fonts
Source files
1
Formats
TTF
Revision
c1eda9233c
  • Gulzar-Regular.ttf Static · Normal · Regular 400 · Version 1.000;[7b34f74]; ttfautohint (v1.8.4) · 941 KB