2018-07-28 Sat

Have you thought about reading Indian history from a different perspective rather than reading it from the winner point of view or from our school textbooks? Try analysing our past by its monetary system, something new, something different a new adventurers perception that may result in new discoveries.

We all know that the Indian history is vast but we are not going that far. Today we are analysing our recent past – the period when India was divided into Princely states under the English Crown. And due to this, English coinage circulated all over Indian peninsula, but there were many Princely States who issued their own mints. One such state was Bikaner.  

Bikaner today is the part of Rajasthan state, which was once ruled by the royal lineage of Rathore Rajputs. It was established by Rao Bikaji in between 1465 to 1504 AD. It also had strong ties with the Great Mughal Empire through contract and marriages and they gave an outstanding service in Mughal Army. But like all other Kingdom Bikaner also came under British rule in 1817 AD.  

Due to these ties with Mughal Empire Bikaner state issued many coins in the name of Mughal emperors. But later on under the British rule Bikaner acknowledge their authority over the coinage. Bikaner issued their own mints but when the British offer to issue a coin for the Princely state at no charges if they agreed to follow the British designs, Bikaner agreed. In 1894 and 1895 Queen Victoria’s portrait coin was issued in the reign of Maharaja Ganga Singh.  

The above-mentioned mints were in regular circulation, but apart from this, the state of Bikaner also used Nazarana silver rupee issued on the 50th anniversary of Maharaja Ganga Singh region. The obverse flan depicts the portrait of the king with the Devanagari legend “Maharajadhiraja Sri Ganga Singhji Bahadur”.  

The reverse flan depicts a fancy initial of ‘GS’ with a canopy above and a Devanagari legend “Raj Sri Bikaner / Ganga Shahi Ek Rupaya, with VS date 1994” .This silver rupee is heavier than the normal rupee (11.6gm) by 13 gm.  

Bikaner state was one of the first Princely States to join the Indian union and it sets an example and encouraged the other native state to sign the instrument of accession. 

Image courtecy: Mintage World