By Nirmal Sandhu
CHANDIGARH: To mark the 209th birth anniversary to Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the Punjab Cultural Affairs Department released on Thursday a book: “The Coins of Dal Khalsa and Lahore Darbar”, which has been prepared by a team headed by Mr Parmesh wari Lal Gupta, Director of the Institute of Research in Numismatic Studies.
Although most of the coins circulated by the Lahore Dar bar, (Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s reign) bore the inscriptions “Akal Sahai” and “Nanak Shahi,’’ the study points out certain coins carrying a trident of Shiva or words “Om” and “Ram” to project the secular outlook of the Maha raja.
Much before Ranjit Singh, “Sikh” coins were floated by the Dal Khalsa (“Sarbat Khalsa”). Although all Sikh Gurus remained only spiritual masters, the last Guru’s protege, Banda Bahadur, conquered territory and introduced the first Sikh coins. Jassa Singh Ahluwalia was the next to issue coins named after himself. This was resented by a “Sarbat Khalsa” in 1761 and it directed that all coins should bear the names of Guru Nanak and Guru Gobind Singh,
Coins were minted in gold, silver and copper mainly at Lahore and Amritsar, apart from Multan, Peshawar, Dera, Derajat and Kashmir. Coins in gold, called “mohar”, were not used in daily transactions, but proved handy for hoarding or presenting nazarana” on ceremonial occasions. Silver coins, each worth 16 annas and weighing 11 “mashas” and 11 “rattis”, were traded by the names of “purana”, “chitta” and “chalan”. Copper coins, issued by “satafs” after buying licenses for “nazarana”, were known as paisa (one fourth of an anna), halfpaisa and quarterpaisa or “damari”. The book makes three claims: (i) “Mora or Moran Shahi” coins were not issued during Ranjit Singh’s reigns is commonly believed. They are actually related to the period of the Dal Khalsa and the myths woven around them have no base. (2) No coin was ever minted at Jhand. (3) Historians generally believed that the mints at Multan and in Kashmir were closed towards the end of Ranjit Singh’s reign. Actually theses mints continued to function long after the death of Ranjit Singh, at feast till 184041.
The book was released at Guru Gobind Singh Foundation Bhavan by Mrs. Daljit Jaijee, Secretary, Cultural Affairs, Punjab. Dr. J.S. Ahluwalia, LAS, described Ranjit Singh as a symbol of Panjabiat. Dr SS. Bal, a historian, highlighted the secular aspects of the Maha raja.
Another publication “Palaeoliths from Atbarapur” was also released.
Article extracted from this publication >> November 24, 1989
