Eternal India Encyclopedia

Eternal India

encyclopedia

COINS

Cholas and Pandyas

: Early Chola coins have a tiger, fish and a

bow on the obverse and titles or Birudas

the

reverse

Utham

Chola,

Kataikonda Chola etc. When the Chalukya

and Pandya kingdom had been absorbed

by the Cholas, the Chalukyan boar and

Pandyan fish emblems continued to ap-

pear on their coins from the 11th century

A. D.

coins had a sign on the obverse Sardula

or mythical tiger facing the right and a

smaller one above, which is between the

sun and the moon. On the reverse is a

legend in three lines of old Kannada let-

ters. During the period of Vishnuvardhana

(1111-1141 A.D.), the coins were of three

sizes - Varahas, Panas and Half-Panas

(larger, medium, smallest).

Sevunas

: The Yadava inscriptions mention a number of coin-

names such as Nishka, Gadyana, Suvarna

Pana, Visa Asus, Dramma etc. The gold

coins of the Yadava Dynasty are known

as Padmatankas because of the central

punch of the Padma. There is an eight-

petalled lotus on the obverse and reverse

of the coins is blank.

Vijayanagar Dynasty

:The coins of Vijayanagar indeed set the

fashion, which has lasted to the present age. The coins are of gold

or copper, on the obverse bull, the ele-

phant, various Hindu deities (Siva and

Parvati seated), the fabulous Gand-

abherunda, a double eagle, either alone or

holding an elephant in each beak and claw

and on the reverse the Kings' name in

three lines in Nagari or Kannada letters.

Hyder and Tippu

Hyder did not show much interest in coinage and his coins are

ugly pieces.

Tippu's coins were issued in gold and some of them appeared in

every one of the 17 years of his reign. Coins of the first four years

of Tippu's reign bear the Hijri date and the

figures read from right to left. As regards

the Cyclic years mentioned on certain of

his coins Tippu followed first the abjad and

then the abtath system in both of which a

certain numerical value is assigned to the

letter of the Arabic alphabet.

Of the Mysore Rajas the first to establish

a mint was Karthiraya Narasa Raja

Wodeyar, (1636-1959). He coined the

Kantiraya hana (6 to 8 grains). Ten of

these were taken to be equal to a varaha

or pagoda which had no actual existence

but was a nominal coin in accounts. The

Karthiraya hana has on the obverse the figure of Narasimha and on

the reverse the figures of the sun and moon of Sri Kantiraya in

Nagari characters. The Chikka Deva Raja hana has the chamundi

on the obverse and Chikka Deva Raja (in Kannada) on the reverse.

Gods and Goddesses on the coins of Karnataka

The deity that is represented most often on the coins of Karna-

taka is Shiva. Though the Chalukyas of Kalyana and the Hoysalas

built a large number of temples for Shiva, their coins do not contain

this deity. The earliest to portray Shiva on coins was the Vijay-

anagar king Harihara II. Shiva and Parvati are portrayed on the

obverse of his half

varaha

gold coins seated on a raised pedestal.

King Devaraya I also portrayed Shiva and Parvati on his full

varaha

coins. Devaraya II issued a large number of gold, silver and copper

coins but his copper coins alone contain Shiva and Parvati . Krish-

nadevaraya's gold

varahas

also depict Shiva and Parvati. The next

portrayal of Shiva and Parvati is seen on the coins of the Nayaks of

Keladi.

The coins of Haider Ali also contain Shiva and Parvati. This may

be taken as an index of the religious toleration of Haider. But

political considerations may have also influenced him. He was wise

enough to continue the old tradition of Hindu deities on his coins.

His gold coins are based upon the model of Keladi Sadashivanay-

aka. The only difference is that the deities were transferred to the

reverse of the coins. Similar coins were printed by Krishnaraja

Wodeyar III.

Vishnu and Lakshmi do not appear as frequently as Shiva on

Karantaka coins. Vishnu and Lakshmi appear on the gold

varaha

and half

varaha.

coins of the Vijayanagar king Devaraya I. On the

varaha coins Lakshmi and Vishnu are seated on a lotus. Vishnu

holds the Sudarshana Chakra. Harihara II and Sadashivaraya of the

Vijayanagar dynasty also issued similar coins.

Lakshmi and Narasimha appear on the coins of Hoysala King

Narasimha II. The deities appear on the coins of Harihara II and

Kanthirava Narasaraja Wodeyar who was the first to establish a

mint and strike coins in the Mysore Wodeyar dynasty.

Venkateshvara of Tirupathi had a large number of kings as his

devotees among whom the Vijayanagar kings are important. Krish-

nadevaraya issued coins with the portrait of this god on the ob-

verse, after his victory over Orissa. Krishnadevaraya after his

victory over Udayagiri minted the Balakrishna type of gold coins

which portrayed Krishna on the obverse.

Though stories of Rama are very popular his portrayal on coins

did not become popular. The only coin with Rama and Sita was

issued by Vijayanagar king Tirumalaraya I. Among the goddesses

Durga is seen on the coins of many dynasties in Karnataka. The

earliest representation of this goddess is seen on the coins of the

Hoysalas. Hanuman is another popular deity on the coins of the

Vijayanagar kings. However the Kadambas of Itangal first por-

trayed this deity on their coins.

COINS OF MUGHALS

Full credit must be given to King Sher Shah Suri for his

innovations in administrative and currency reforms. He introduced

the uniform Rupee Silver coin of standard weight and fineness in

place of the highly debased coins of mixed metals. He issued a

large number of silver coins and abolished all old and mixed

currency. This in turn helped in the growth of trade, commerce and

Hoysalas : The Hoysal

Mysore Rajas