Bamini ↔ Unicode Converter
Tamil · Bamini legacy font ⇄ Tamil Unicode
Unicode output will appear here...
Targets the Bamini Tamil font (the mapping also matches Suntommy). Conversion is syllable-based, so vowel-sign reordering is handled in both directions over the common character set.
Developer of This Tool
Raj Patel
Unicode developer specializing in Indic script transliteration and multilingual text processing
What is a Bamini to Unicode Converter?
Bamini is a legacy Tamil font from before Unicode was standard. It does not store Tamil characters — it stores Latin keystrokes whose glyphs were redrawn to look like Tamil. That means Bamini text only displays correctly when the Bamini font is installed; paste it into a modern app and you get garbled Latin letters.
This converter maps that legacy encoding to and from standard Unicode, correctly handling matra reordering, half-forms, reph and conjunct ligatures — not just a one-to-one character swap. The result is portable Tamil Unicode that works in Word, Google Docs, websites, and any modern platform.
How to Use the Bamini Converter
- 1
Choose a direction
Pick "Bamini → Unicode" to modernize legacy text, or "Unicode → Bamini" to go back.
- 2
Paste your text
Paste the Bamini (or Unicode) text into the input box. Conversion is instant.
- 3
Copy the result
Click Copy and paste the converted text wherever you need it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Bamini?
Bamini is a legacy Tamil font that predates Unicode. Instead of encoding Tamil characters, it overwrites Latin/ASCII glyph slots with Tamil shapes, so the text is really a stream of Latin bytes that only looks correct when the Bamini font is installed. Copy it elsewhere and it appears as garbled Latin characters.
How do I convert Bamini to Unicode?
Paste your Bamini text into the box (with "Bamini → Unicode" selected) and the tool outputs standard Tamil Unicode that works everywhere. Use the swap button to convert Unicode back into Bamini.
What is the difference between Bamini and Unicode?
Unicode assigns every Tamil character a unique, universal code point that works in any app or font. Bamini is a font-specific glyph hack that maps Tamil shapes onto Latin character codes. The same text looks completely different in each system without conversion.
Is this different from transliteration?
Yes. This converter changes the encoding of existing Tamil text (legacy font ↔ Unicode). Transliteration instead takes English-letter input and writes it phonetically in Tamil. If you want to type in English and get Tamil, use our Transliteration tool instead.
Is it free and private?
Yes — completely free, no signup, and all conversion happens in your browser. No text is sent to any server.
Other Unicode Converters
Want to type in Tamil instead?
Type phonetically in English and get Tamil — Tamil Transliteration →