Conjunct characters
When two consonant sounds come together without an intervening vowel, we have to cancel or 'kill off' the inherent vowel of the first consonant. For example, in the word 'Hindi' there is no 'a' betw the 'n' and the 'd', so a shortened form of the first consonant, न , is physically joined to the second consonant, द, giving हिन्दी hindii.