Tales of Sikh currency
Coins that never were
Surinder Singh

THE study of Sikh coinage has not received the attention it deserves from its historians and numismatists. The comments of historians are often not supported by sufficient historical evidence and are often not based on a proper investigation and analysis of even those coins that are readily available. Both historians and numismatists have considered Sikh coinage as being merely a part of the currencies of the native states which were initially copied from Mughal coinage during the period of its decline and later from British Indian coinage. The native states were carved out by capable leaders during and after the downfall of the Mughal Empire. The native states were thus not formed as a result of the participation of the people in shaking off an alien rule, but merely by ambitious local chiefs most of whom were subordinates and allies of the Mughal rulers.

The Sikh state was the result of a long-drawn-out struggle lasting for almost two centuries till the Sikhs secured their absolute rule over north-western India by defeating the Mughal governors and repulsing the Afghan invaders. The currencies of the native states were merely a means to carry out daily transactions among the common people and were meant as a symbol of the sovereignty of their rulers only, whereas for the Sikhs their coins were also the symbol of the sovereignty of their Gurus, whom every Sikh held in great respect and reverence. Hence, the treatment of Sikh coinage as part of the coinage of the native states has led to an inadequate and incorrect assessment of its importance. This basic misunderstanding of the true nature of Sikh coinage has resulted in distorted and inaccurate accounts.

Many scholars of Sikh history, both European and Indian, have contributed to our knowledge of the Punjab. Chronicles of Mughal and Afghan history have also briefly mentioned the Sikhs and their role albeit in brief sections. Most of these writers refer to Sikh coins and their related histories and accounts. Most historians have written about Sikh coins without actually examining them; this negligence is in total violation of the norms of numismatic investigation, which were otherwise observed with regard to the study of the coins of the ancient and medieval periods. Sikh historians such as Hari Ram Gupta, Ganda Singh, Bhagat Singh, Gopal Singh and Bikramjit Hasrat, with whom I have had an opportunity to discuss aspects of Sikh history connected with Sikh coinage, stated that they had not actually examined Sikh coins while writing about them. They have also not given any contemporary historical evidence in support of their inferences and assertions about these coins. British and other European travellers passing through the Sikh territories made comments on Sikh coins, often based on rumour, bazaar gossip, and hearsay. Unfortunately, these accounts have been taken by later historians as authentic historical evidence.

Since coins are the most important and primary symbol of sovereignty, any distortion of their history and significance results in distortion of the concept of sovereignty. For instance, historians such as Baron von Hugel, Henry T. Prince, V. Jacquemont, J.D. Conningham, Lepel Griffin, C.J. Rodgers, G.L. Chopra, Bikramjit Hasrat, Khushwant Singh, Muhammad Latif, F.S. Waheed-ud-din, Amarnath, K.K. Khullar, and Gopal Singh state that Ranjit Singh struck coins in the name of one of his courtesans called Moran. It has been established from a detailed analysis of the historical facts and from numismatic investigation of the coins in question that no such coins were struck in the name of Moran.

The doubts raised over the issue of Moran's coins led to detailed examination of both historical and numismatic evidence, viz, the place of concubines in the contemporary society, any instances of coins being struck in the name of a concubine close to the ruler, the dates of the issue of these coins, the places from where these coins were issued, the examination of the actual legends on these coins, and any marks or figures helping to establish such an issue, the concept of sovereignty and its place in the statecraft of the ruler and the ideology of the state. All these aspects besides others relevant to the subject have been examined here and only thereafter has it been concluded that no such coins were struck by Ranjit Singh in Moran's name and that the entire subject is based on hearsay and bazaar gossip.

Unfortunately, a galaxy of seasoned and learned historians and numismatists took the juicy bazaar gossip as adding to the already colourful lifestyle of the Sikh maharaja. Their reasons for recording this alleged incident remain a matter of speculation. However, the uncritical acceptance of this story by later historians has resulted in the distortion of Sikh history.

In somewhat similar manner, many historians have recorded that Hari Singh Nalwa, while governor of Jammu and Kashmir in AD 1820-1, had struck coins in his name on his own authority or with the concurrence of Ranjit Singh. Among these historians are Prem Singh Hoti, A.S. Sandhu, S.S. Johar, Kanehiya Lal, C.M.D. Sufi, Ghulam Hussain, D.C. Sharma, N.K. Sinha, Bikramjit Hasrat, Bhagat Singh, G.T. Vigne, R.K. Parmu, Madhavi Yasin, Shahamat Ali, Gopal Singh, Sita Ram Kohli, and Hari Ram Gupta. Some of these historians have also given the legends that allegedly appeared on these Sikh rupee coins as follows:

Obverse Sri Akal Jeo

Reverse Hari Singh Yak Rupaya

Both an analytical study of the historical facts and a numismatic examination of the relevant coins have been carried out, and it has been established that Hari Singh Nalwa did not strike any coins in his name. Hundreds of Sikh coins in the Sri Pratap Museum, Srinagar as well as the coins in my own personal collection and those held in the collections of some private collectors have been examined, and no coin with the above-quoted legends could be located.

Wherever historians and numismatists have considered it desirable to give the legends on the obverse and the reverse of a particular coin, these have invariably been taken from some existing coins. But in this case it appears to have been the invention of some historian and this error was repeated by others. In case it was minted and circulated, the coin would have been available where representative coins of almost all the years are readily available. The claim of the alleged striking of Sikh coins by Hari Singh in his own name is inaccurate. Ironically even various fictions were invented to justify a particular form of disinformation.

The existence of different historical accounts and different imprints and faulty drawings of the coins have created ambiguous situations which hampered the scholar from arriving at the correct position. The only two pictorial Sikh coins located so far were first mentioned by C.J. Rodgers and he has given their drawings. The drawings show Guru Nanak and another person in Islamic dress; from this Rodgers inferred that the second figure is that of Mardana, sitting with Guru Nanak. The pictures created some doubts in my mind as these were not in the traditional form, and hence struck a discordant note. Further investigation led to the location of the account describing the decision to strike a pictorial coin, and thereafter photographs of these coins were also secured from the British Museum, London.

After having collected all the relevant material, I adopted the method of dovetailing in order to place the different pieces of information in the correct perspective so that a compact, harmonious, and whole picture could emerge. In this case, the accounts of Rodgers, Sohan Lal Suri, William Barr, the drawings of Rodgers, and the actual photographs of the coins from the British Museum, London, all led to the solving of the puzzle. It is now established that these coins are those of Ranjit Singh seeking the blessings of Guru Nanak.

During the late 18th century, Sikh mints were operated by the Bhangi Sardars from Lahore, Amritsar, and Multan. Jassa Singh Ahluwalia, veteran of a quarter-century-long Sikh struggle, exercised some control over the numerous Sikh sardars, who were otherwise independent of each other. Jassa Singh Ahluwalia died in October 1783 and his demise weakened the hold of the coordinating authority over the warring Sikhs, and minor quarrels soon escalated into internecine warfare.

Each sardar tried to strengthen his hold over the areas under his control and even started striking coins. A number of mints in Amritsar and one at Anandgarh came into existence. But a special feature of these mints was that coins were struck by all in the name of the Sikh Gurus as had been the traditional practice, and no sardar put his name on these coins or even changed the legend. This shows that the Sikhs held the sovereignty of their Gurus in very high esteem in spite of their mutual differences and animosities.

There appeared a leaf motif for the first time on the reverse of the Sikh coins struck in the name of the Gurus from the Amritsar mint in Samvat 1841 i.e. 1784, and thereafter it was universally placed on all the Sikh coins produced by the various Sikh mints till the abolition of Sikh currency in 1849 by the British. All efforts to locate some contemporary historical account have proved futile, and till such time as we are able to unearth some historical account dealing with the placing of the leaf motif on the coins, the issue will remain unresolved.

Historians have called the leaf motif by various names. W.H. Valentine calls it a peepul leaf, Ram Chandra Kak calls it a betel leaf, Madanjit Kaur calls it a peepul leaf, Saran Singh calls it a lotus leaf, and R.T. Somaiya calls it a ber leaf. None of these historians has given any evidence in support of his or her contention, and hence none of these accounts can be taken as authentic.

Our presumption is that some major event/issue would have been responsible for the placing of the leaf motif on the Sikh coins, which continued without any change during the entire period of Sikh coinage, appearing on gold, silver, and even copper coins. The only important event that occurred was the Chalisa famine, from Samvat 1840 to 1844 ie 1783 to 1787, in which the entire region up to Delhi and its surrounding areas was affected. The Punjab was the worst-affected province. Many towns were ruined, people moved to safer areas, and children were sold for food. The Sikh sardars, who had recently got their landed estates, spent a great deal of their money on feeding their tenants; some even went to the extent of selling their properties to feed the hungry in a spirit of compassion and sharing preached by the Sikh Gurus. It is our presumption that the Sikhs while seeking the blessings of their Gurus in some gathering in Amritsar might have decided to put a leaf motif signifying fertility on the coin as a prayer to their Gurus.

A very important feature that emerges out of this study is the deep-rooted dedication of the Sikhs to their Gurus and their teachings. The 10th master Guru Gobind Singh, shortly before his demise, abolished the institution of the personal guruship and placed his spiritual sovereignty in the Holy Book, thereafter called the Guru Granth Sahib, and vested his temporal sovereignty in the Khalsa, thereafter called the Khalsa Panth. The Sikhs treat the Guru Granth Sahib as a living Guru and the Supreme Court has also in a judgment accepted the Guru Granth Sahib as a juristic person when lying in a gurdwara. The Sikhs, although vested with temporal sovereignty, still treat their Gurus as temporal sovereigns.

The daily salutation, 'Wahe Guru Ji Ka Khalsa, Wahe Guru Ji Ki Fateh' means that the Khalsa belongs to the Guru and so does the victory also belong to the Guru. Hence, when the Khalsa became the masters of large areas of Punjab, they struck coins in the name and praise of their Gurus. They thus became the de facto temporal rulers and the de jure temporal sovereignty still rested with the Gurus. This doctrine has been honoured by the Sikhs throughout their rule of over a century, i.e. from 1710 to 1849. Sikh coins are not merely a symbol, but also a mirror image of the concept of Sikh sovereignty.

Excerpted and adapted from Sikh Coinage: Symbol of Sikh Sovereignty by Surinder Singh, Manohar, New Delhi. Pages 283. Price Rs 995.

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