The father of Sikhism, Guru Nanak (1469-1539), was distinguished from almost all others who founded states or empires in India by being a purely religious teacher. Guru Nanak was succeeded by nine gurus of Sikhism. Together they laid the foundation of a religious community in the Punjab which would later transform into the Sikh Empire.
Sikka. The Punjabi word for a coin, is borrowed from Persian, meaning both 'a die for coining' and 'rule, law, regulation' implying sovereignty. Traditionally, coins had inscriptions on them or a bust of the ruler and year of their reign. Sikh coins, however, were dedicated to their Gurus and the year they carried was of the Bikrami era, (57 years behind the Georgian calendar), although the script and language used continued to be Persian.
Sikhism's tenth guru, Guru Gobind Singh (1675-1708), set about organizing the Sikhs into a military power. With Guru Gobind Singh's death the Khalsa emerged as the controlling body and the Granth, the official compilation of Guru Gobind Singh's teachings, became the bible of Sikhism. In 1708, Guru Gobind Singh administered the Amrit to Madho Das, a Hindu Sadhu and named him Banda Singh.
After the martyrdom of Guru Gobind Singh, in 1708, Baba Banda Singh Bahadur took over the leadership of the Khalsa Panth.
1670-1716 AD). The first Sikh coins were issued by Banda Singh Bahadur (1670-1716 AD) after the conquest of Sirhind in 1710, from his bastion, Mukhlisagar in the Shivalik foothills. It carried on one side the inscription: sikka bar har doalam teghinanak wahab ast fatah gobind singh shahishahan fazal sacheha sahib ast, and on the other side: zarb ba aman uddahr musawarat shahr zmat al takhtmubarak bakht.
One Rupee, Banda Singh Bahadur, 1712 AD, weight: 11.8 gm
Seal of Banda Singh Bahadur, Hukumnama in Persian of 12 December 1710
2016 Special Cover, Ter-Centenary Martyrdom of Baba Banda Bahadur, 1716-2016
After Banda Singh Bahadur's death, the Sikhs formed small groups to avoid the Mughals persecution. Dal Khalsa was created in 1730 in the foothills of the Shivalik hills. By 1761, it grew in strength and captured Lahore. The leader of the Dal Khalsa, Baba Jassa Singh Ahluwalia (1718-1783 AD) was declared 'King'.
A mysterious coin bearing a date of 1761 appeared during his time. Instead of the name of the Sikh Gurus it had the name of the King on it. This led many to believe it was a conspiracy by the Afghans to arouse anger from Ahmad Shah Abdali the Afghan ruler. It proved so and Harmandir Sahib was attacked and destroyed by Ahmed Shah Abdali, the Afghan Emperor in 1762. This infuriating the Sikhs who later captured Sirhind. The territories recaptured were divided amongst 12 Misls or states. The Misls passed a Gurmata (decree) to establish the Sikh state in 1765 and established a mint in Lahore in 1765, (Gobindshahi Sikka) and replaced it with one in Amritsar in 1775 (in the present-day Katra Hari Singh Market). These mints issued several coins that were called Nanak Shahi Sikka.
One Rupee, 1765 AD, weight: 11.3 gm, Lahore mint. Gobind Shahi Rupiya
Baba Jassa Singh Ahluwalia
The Sikh Misls
One Rupee, 1776 AD, weight: 11.3 gm, Amritsar mint. Nanak Shahi Rupiya
Maharaja Ranjit Singh (1780-1839). By 1783, after the death of Jassa Singh Ahluwalia, the Sikh Misls were engaged in constant fight amongst each other. A young chief of the Sukerchakia Misl rose to reunite all the Misls and he was Ranjit Singh. He occupied Lahore in 1799 and proclaimed himself Maharaja in 1801. He issued coins from Lahore 1801 onwards, from Amritsar 1805-06 onwards, from Multan 1818 onwards and from Kashmir 1819 onwards. The distinguishing mark on the coins was a tree leaf and later a peacock's feather.
Maharaja Ranjit Singh
Map of India, 1805
Ranjit Singh, Lahore mint, Silver Rupee, 1801 AD, weight: 11.2 gm
Ranjit Singh, Amritsar mint, Silver Arsiwalashahi Rupee, Flower replaced with 'Nankashahi' couplet, 1806 AD, weight: 11.1 gm.
Ranjit Singh, Multan mint, silver Rupee, 1822 AD, weight: 11.06 gm
Ranjit Singh, Kashmir mint, silver Rupee, 1819 AD, weight: 10.8 gm
Maharaja Ranjit Singh First Day Cover, 28 June 1966
Moranshahi Coin (1805 AD). In 1802, Ranjit Singh fell in love and married a Muslim dancing girl called Moran. He introduced a new series of coins known as 'Moranshahi' coins. However, the Akal Takht refused to recognize these coins as the custom was that coins struck at a new mint on the first day were sent to Amritsar as an offering at the Akal Takht.
Picture of Moran, Mai Moran Masjid at Lahore presently and the Moranshahi coin of 1805 AD
In 1836, portrait silver rupee was struck at the Lahore mint. It depicted Maharaja Ranjit Singh offering a flower to Guru Nanak, the founder of the Sikh religion. The reverse has the Gobindshahi inscription in Persian and the fixed year date VS 1885. The actual date is on the reverse (93) that is 1836.
Rupee, Ranjit Singh, VS 1885/93 (1836), Lahore mint
Photo courtesy: Nishan Sahib
Hari Singh Nalwa was permitted twice to issue coins in his name, first in Kashmir and then in Peshawar where he was the Governor.
Hari Singh Nalwa, Rupee, Kashmir, Gurmukhi HAR, 1822 AD
Hari Singh Nalwa, Rupee, Peshawar, 1837 AD
Later Coins. After the death of Maharaja Ranjit Singh in 1839, his eldest son Kharak Singh ascended the throne. But instability led the empire to crumble. This led to the British to step in and try and seize control. In the next ten years till the time of complete control by the British in 1849, coins issued by Ranjit Singh's successors are historically important.
Coins By Nau Nihal Singh, son of Kharak Singh. He followed the same policy of his grandfather and had the 'Om' symbol in Devanagri script along with a 'Kangha' symbol of the Khalsa on the coins.
Rupee, Amritsar mint, 'OM' inscribed, 1839 AD.
Sher Singh Coins. Kharak Singh and Nihal Singh both died in 1840 and Kharak Singh's widow Chand Kaur took over as regent. She was deposed by Kharak Singh's half-brother Sher Singh, who shifted the mint to Derajat region (Salt range in Pakistan presently). He issued coins from the mint.
Rupee, Derjat, 1839 AD, weight 10.9 gm
Pind Dadan Khan Mint Coins. The British started to interfere in the running of the Amritsar mint, and this annoyed many associates of the Lahore Durbar and they established an independent mint in Pind Dadan Khan (present-day Jhelum district, Pakistan), where currency was minted till 1848 AD, when the mint was confiscated by the British. This mint was in operation from October 1847 to late 1848.
Rupee, Nimak mint, Nanakshahi, 1848 AD, weight 11.1 gm
The mint name on these coins 'nimak' meaning salt is attributed to the mint at Pind Dadan Khan, a town at the foot of the salt range.
In the summer of 1849, the British gained complete control over the Sikh Empire and issued the currency of the British-administrated Bengal Presidency after closing down all the Sikh mint. With this ended the Sikh currency which remains priceless to many today.
Wow! So interesting to read about the evolution and legacy of Sikhism and associated significance of sikka!
ReplyDeleteThe coins are exquisite. And a good information on sikh history and the mints where the coins came in from. Thanks.
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