2026-09-03 Thu

The coinage of the Manikya rulers is unusual in the Indian princely-state series. The coins frequently combine the ruler's name with the name of his queen.

The religious invocation “Radha Krishna Pade” is also characteristic of these later Tripura issues. The inscriptions were generally written in Bengali script while expressing Sanskrit language. This reflects the cultural and religious environment of the Tripura court.

The lion and trident became important elements of the later Manikya coin designs. The lion represented royal authority, while the trident carried strong religious and symbolic associations. The Gold Tanka of Ishana Chandra Manikya, citing Queen Chandresvari, is an exceptionally rare example of the ceremonial coinage of Tripura. Weighing 10.61 grams and dated Shakabda 1771, the coin combines royal symbolism, religious devotion and references to the queen.

Ishana Chandra Manikya ruled Tripura from 1849 to 1862. His reign came during a period of considerable political and administrative difficulty. He faced internal unrest, including the Tipra or Jamatia Revolt. The disturbances created serious challenges for the administration of the kingdom. His reign is particularly important to numismatists. His coins belong to the later phase of Tripura's distinctive royal coinage. They continued the tradition of placing the name of the reigning queen alongside that of the king.

Several varieties of his coins are known. These include pieces citing queens such as Chandresvari, Rajalakshmi and Muktabani. The existence of different queen-named varieties provides valuable information about the royal household.

The obverse presents a powerful lion facing left. A trident appears behind the lion. The date Shakabda 1771 is arranged around the animal. The entire design is enclosed within a distinctive circular border of pointed arches. Each arch contains five vertical lines.

The reverse carries a six-line inscription in Sanskrit written in Bengali script. It reads, “Radha Krishna// Pade Shri Shri Yuta I// shana Chandra Manikya// Deva Shri Shrimati// Chandresvari Maha// Devyau”. A decorative scroll appears above the inscription. A circle of beads surrounds the entire design. The coin weighs 10.67 grams.