2017-01-05 Thu

Haider Ali Khan also known as Haider Ali Saheb was a ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore in Southern India. He was born near Kolar in 1722. His father Fath Muhammad was the military commander at the service of Wodeyar Rajas of the Kingdom of Mysore. Haider Ali began his career in the Mysore army as the petty officer, he was uneducated but keen intellect, daring and determined. He rose through the military ranks quickly. He was engaged in war with Maratha, Nizam, and British. He repeatedly defeated British.

Haider Ali adapted the existing local coinage with the minor modification. His Bahaduri Pagoda, Half-Pagoda, and fanam were copied from the pagoda struck at the Ikkeri Nayaks. Half Pagoda with Balakrishna on the obverse is an adaption of the Durgi Pagoda. Fanam struck by him is copied from viraraya fanam.

One of his gold Shiva and Parvati type Pagoda which weighs around 3.4g was sold for INR 24,000 at Todywalla Auction held in Kanpur on 12th October 2012. The obverse side of the coin bears the image of Shiva and Parvati, with lord Shiva seated and holding a trident in his right hand and goddess Parvati seated on his left side. And on the reverse side of the coin Persian letter, ‘He’ on a granulated field is seen.