Bhatti21 at 09:59, 26 March 2025

2025-03-26T09:59:34Z

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{{short description|Token coins popular at temple sites in India}}
[[File:Antique Rama Tanka coin in billon, from 19th century Bengal, photographed from a personal collection, in India, December 24, 2023.jpg|thumb|150px|Obverse of a Rama Tanka from Bengal]]
The '''Indian Temple tokens''' are [[token coins]] popular at [[Pilgrimage places in India|temple and pilgrimage sites]] in India. They are also known as '''Rama-tankas''' ({{lit|Coins of Rama}}), as several of them feature the [[Hinduism|Hindu]] deity [[Rama]]. Other names for these coins include ''ram-tenki'', ''ram-tanka'', and ''ram-darbar''.
[[File:Three temple tokens from 19th century India, on top is Radha Krishna, in left is Sat Kartar, and in right is Rama and Lakshmana, photographed from a personal collection in West Bengal, India, April 18, 2024.jpg|thumb|150px|Three temple tokens from 19th century India, on top: Radha Krishna, in left: Sat Kartar, and in right: Rama and Lakshmana.]]
[[File:Three temple tokens from 19th century India, on top is Kalimata, in left is Sat Kartar, and in right Ram Darbar, photographed from a personal collection in West Bengal, India, April 18, 2024.jpg|thumb|150px|Three temple tokens from 19th century India, on top: Kalimata, in left: Sat Kartar, and in right: Ram Darbar.]]

== History ==

The earliest of the Rama-tankas may have been actual coins (not token coins or medals). The coins issued by the 12th century [[Chahamanas of Shakambhari|Chahamana]] king [[Vigraharaja IV]] can be considered as a precursor of the later Ramatankas.{{sfn|P. L. Gupta|A. M. Shastri|1993|p=201}} The earliest extant mention of the Rama-tankas can be found in the ''Dravya-Pariksha'' (1318) of [[Thakkar Pheru]], a mint-master of the [[Delhi Sultanate]]. Pheru describes the gold coins known as ''Sita-Rami''.{{sfn|P. L. Gupta|A. M. Shastri|1993|p=202}}

Historically, the coins appear to have been used for exchange. For example, a record from the [[Vijayanagara Empire]] mentions that "10,080 Rama-tanki varahas, 2000 Lakshmi-pati varahas, and 10,050 Puttalikas" were spent on the foundation of a new village called Kunidi. Thakkar Pheru also suggests that the rama-tankas were used for exchange, when he states that if a Sita-Rami coin is "ten ''[[masha (unit)|mashas]]'' in weight and ten ''ban'' gold, it is worth being kept for worship and not to be exchanged."{{sfn|Anthony J. Evensen|2007|p=155}}

== Common styles ==

A series of gold Rama-tankas, originating in the [[Vijayanagara Empire]], feature the scene of Rama's coronation. These coins are now used as objects of worship in the modern Indian homes.{{sfn|T. Desikachari|1991|p=76}}

<gallery mode="packed">
Indian temple token ('Ramatanka') (FindID 140931).jpg | A silvered copper-alloy ''Rama-tanka'' depicting Rama's coronation on one side, and Rama-Lakshmana on the other side
Modern token, Indian religious token, or Ramatanka (FindID 196988).jpg | A silvered copper-alloy variant depicting Rama's coronation on one side, and Rama-Lakshmana on the other side
Token (FindID 439203).jpg | A temple token depicting the Jagannath triad on one side, and [[Krishna]]-[[Radha]] on the other side
A silvered copper alloy Indian temple token (Ramatanka), (FindID 419745).jpg | A silver coin depicting [[Kali]] on the obverse, and Krishna-Radha on the reverse
</gallery>

A popular silver token, found at [[Ayodhya]] and other pilgrimage centres of north India, features images of Rama and Lakshmana with a legend on the obverse, and depicts Rama's coronation on the reverse side.{{sfn|D. C. Sircar|2005|p=254}} On the obverse, Rama and Lakshmana are depicted wearing a ''[[dhoti]]'', both wearing crowns, and holding a bow on their left arms. Rama is shown with a [[trishula|trident]] in his right hand. The legend surrounding them reads ''Rāma Lachamana Jānaka java(ya)ta Hanamānaka'' ("Victorious are Rama, Lakshmana, [[Sita]], and [[Hanuman]]"). The tokens also bear a date that reads ''17 śana 40'', which probably means [[Vikrama Samvat]] year 1740, that is, 1683 CE. On the reverse, Rama and Sita are shown on a throne, under a ''[[chatra (umbrella)|chhatra]]''. They are flanked by Lakshmana on right, [[Bharata (Ramayana)|Bharata]] and [[Shatrughna]] at the left, and Hanuman at bottom.{{sfn|D. C. Sircar|2005|p=255}} A variant of this token shows tridents in the right hands of both Rama and Lakshmana, and bears the date ''517-40'', which may refer to the year 51740 of a fictitious [[calendar era]].{{sfn|D. C. Sircar|2005|pp=255–256}}

The Rama-tankas are generally associated with Rama, but similar temple tokens featuring other deities also exist. For example, a silver token that probably originated at the [[Jagannath Temple, Puri|Jagannath Temple]] in [[Puri]], features the triad worshipped at the temple.{{sfn|D. C. Sircar|2005|p=254}} The obverse depicts the triad ([[Jaganatha]], [[Subhadra]], and [[Balarama]]) standing, with the [[Sanskrit]] legend ''śrī-śrī-Jagannāthasvatrayi'' ("the Jagannatha triad") in [[Devanagari]] script. The reverse features Rama's coronation scene; variants with the ''517-40'' date also exist.{{sfn|D. C. Sircar|2005|p=256}}

[[File:Coin of Vikramaditya Chandragupta II with the name of the king in Brahmi script 380 415 CE.jpg|thumb|Depiction of Lakshmi on a coin of [[Chandragupta II]]. A silver temple token appears to be a 19th century adaptation of this coin.]]
Temple tokens not featuring Rama at all also exist.{{sfn|D. C. Sircar|2005|p=254}} For example:

* A brass token from the [[Bengal]] region features the goddess [[Kali]] on one side, and [[Radha]] and [[Krishna]] on the other side.{{sfn|D. C. Sircar|2005|p=254}} The obverse features the four-armed Kali standing on the chest of Shiva, and wearing a necklace of skulls. The legend ''Kali-mata'' ("Mother Kali") occurs in both [[Bengali alphabet|Bengali]] and [[Devanagari]] scripts. The reverse depicts Krishna playing flute, with Radha to his left; both stand on a lotus, under a [[kadamba tree]].{{sfn|D. C. Sircar|2005|p=256}} The legend ''Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa'' occurs in both Bengali and Devanagari scripts.{{sfn|D. C. Sircar|2005|p=257}}
* A silver token depicts Krishna and Radha in a ''dana-lila'' scene (in which Krishna asks [[gopi]]s for tribute to let them pass) on the obverse, with a legend around it. The reverse features depicts Krishna as a cowherd driving four heads of cattle by a [[kadamba tree]], with a legend all around.
* A brass token features Hanuman flying with a mountain (depicted as a triangular object) in his right hand, and a [[gada (mace)]] in his left hand, on the obverse. The reverse features a magic square of 9 numbers; the sum of each row and column is 15.{{sfn|D. C. Sircar|2005|p=257}}
* A silver token features a cow on the obverse, with the Devanagari legend 152100 (probably the year of an imaginary calendar era, to present the coin as an ancient one). The reverse features a four-armed [[Lakshmi]], sitting cross-legged on a lotus. This depiction of Lakshmi appears to be a 19th-century adaption of the one featured on the coins of [[Chandragupta II]].{{sfn|D. C. Sircar|2005|p=258}}

== References ==
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{{reflist}}

=== Bibliography ===

{{ref begin}}
* {{cite book |author=Anthony J. Evensen |title=Warrior-king, Sʹiva-Bhakta, deity: reconsidering Rāma at Vijayanagara |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TqpxAAAAMAAJ |year=2007 |publisher=University of Wisconsin—Madison }}
* {{cite book |author=D. C. Sircar |title=Studies in Indian Coins |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=m1JYwP5tVQUC&pg=PA253 |year=2005 |publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |isbn=978-81-208-2973-2 }}
* {{cite book |editor1=P. L. Gupta |editor2=A. M. Shastri |title=Numismatic Digest |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=d1JmAAAAMAAJ |year=1993 |publisher=Numismatic Society of Bombay }}
* {{cite book |author=T. Desikachari |title=South Indian Coins |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lNx31XT747wC&pg=PA76 |year=1991 |publisher=Asian Educational Services |isbn=978-81-206-0155-0 }}
{{ref end}}

== Further reading ==

* {{cite book |author=Irwin F. Brotman |title=A Guide to the Temple Tokens of India |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=x9ecGAAACAAJ |year=1970 |publisher=Shamrock Press }}
* {{cite book |author=Michael Mitchiner |title=Ramatankas: Hindu Religious Tokens Illustrating Themes from the Ramayana |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9P4bAgAACAAJ |year=2001 |publisher=IIRNS |isbn=978-81-86786-11-6}}
* {{cite book |author=Roma Niyogi |title=Money of the People: A Survey of Some Eighteenth and Nineteenth Century Tokens of India |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wE9mAAAAMAAJ |year=1989 |publisher=Indian Museum }}

==External links==
*[https://en.numista.com/catalogue/exonumia61979.html Indian temple token (Rama-tanka)] at Numista

[[Category:Token coins]]
[[Category:Hindu symbols]]

Indian temple tokens - Revision history

Bhatti21 at 09:59, 26 March 2025