2016-11-16 Wed

This silver Ankushi rupee was struck in the name of Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II minted under the dominions of the Siddis of Janjira.

Janjira also known as Murud-janjira is a unique Jal-Durg (sea Fort) built by an Abssynian minister Malik Ambar of the Sultan of Ahmednagar who belonged to the Nizamshahi dynasty. This fort still stands within the ravages of wind and tides. It is an amazing specimen of medieval architectural engineering.

This coin was issued when Siddi Ibrahim Khan II was the ruler of Janjira. The obverse of the coin depicts ‘Shah Ali Gauhar’ the pre–accession name of Shah Alam II. This coin belongs to Janjira mint, the letter ‘ja’ in Devanagari is added upside down above the word Julus in the reverse.

At the height of its power this jal-durg consist 572 cannons and according to many historical accounts and local folklore, this sea fort could not be conquered by any neighbouring kings not even by the Maratha ruler Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj who acquired 13 expenditures to conquer this fort.

But in 1799 it became the part of Deccan states agency of the Bombay Presidency under British rule who gave the Siddis the title of ‘Nawab’ in 1803 and later on 8thMarch 1948 Janijra state became the part of Indian Union.