Saturday, September 4, 2010

Rama Tanka coins history





Most of the traditional homes of the Hindus have coin - like relics in their puja rooms. Generally they are handed over from one generation to another. These coins made of silver or copper are worshipped by applying sandal paste, turmeric, kumkuma and flowers.
Over the years, encrustations are formed on both sides of these coins making it impossible to recognise the symbols and portrayals on them. If these coins are cleaned properly, in most cases, they turn out to be what we call Ramatanka or Ramatanki, a religious token with portraits of Sri Rama, Sita and Hanuman.


Indians have been paying homage to Sri Rama for the past thousands of years ever since poet Valmiki wrote the great epic Ramayana. Hundreds of literary men in Sanskrit and other Indian languages have composed poems, dramas, prose works and commentaries based upon the story of Rama.


Thus this interesting story has been told and retold for the past two thousand years in India and abroad. Thus it will remain a perennial source for narrating the story of dharma as long as Sun and Moon last.


Music composers, pravachanakaras and folk artists have been taking the story of Rama to the multitudes of illiterate people. Temple builders, sculptors and painters have built hundreds of temples and sculpted images and painted pictures of Sri Rama.


The enchanting story of Sri Rama crossed the Indian Oceans and influenced the daily life and culture of the population in Java, Ceylon, Thailand, Cambodia, Bali, Borneo and other countries. Even today the coronation name of King of Thailand is Sri Rama.


The kings of ancient India did not lag behind in paying homage to Sri Rama. In addition to other mediums, they selected coinage as a medium to express their respect to Sri Rama. Such coins, which contain Sri Rama on one side, are generally referred to as Ramatanka or Rama tanki.
Such coins have been minted in various metals such as gold, silver, brass, bronze and copper. In course of time gold coins became rare yielding place to silver and copper and at most traditional homes silver Ramatankas were worshipped.


Though historians suspect that Ramatanka coins might have been issued from very ancient times, the earliest Ramatanka gold coin so far discovered belongs to twelfth century issued by the Chauhan king of Ajmer Vigraharaja who ruled from 1153 AD. These gold coins on one side have the standing figure of Sri Rama and the writing Sri Rama in Nagari script.

Thakkura Pheru who was a mint - master of Allauddin Khilji wrote a book on coinage titled Dravya Pariksha.  This author describes gold Ramatankas and calls them Sita - Rami, which obviously contained the portraits of both Sita and Rama. He further informs that gold Ramatankas of fineness of over 83 per cent and which weigh at least nine grams alone are fit to be kept at home as they are auspicious.



The Hoysala kings who ruled from Dwarasamudra (Halebid) also issued some Ramatankas. The kings of Vijayanagara were great champions of Hindu culture and almost all Hindu Gods were portrayed on their gold, silver and copper coins. King Tirumalaraya of Vijayanagara minted gold coins called Varahas. These coins contain on the obverse side Sri Rama and Sita seated, Lakshmana standing behind in an attitude of devotion and holding a bow on his right shoulder.
Akbar was one of the liberal kings of the Mughal dynasty. Attracted and fascinated by the story of Ramayana, Akbar minted gold coins of Ramatanka type. These gold coins became popular as Rama - Sita type coins.


The obverse side of these coins contain standing Sri Rama with a bow on the right shoulder with Sita to the right and the Nagari writing Rama - Sita. In spite of the Muslim rule, Sri Rama emerged as the God par excellence along with Sita and Hanuman. Many temples came to be built for this God while large number of Sri Rama – Sita - Hanuman sculptures began adorning the temples.
The cult of Hanuman also became prominent, and he came to be represented independently on Vijayanagara coins.


This development gave rise to temples minting Sri Rama – Sita - Hanuman coins in silver not as legal tender but as temple tokens for distribution to devotees on special occasions. This also standardized the Ramatankas, which began to portray standing Sri Rama with Sita, Lakshmana and Hanuman sitting in an attitude of devotion of Sri Rama Pattabhisheka or coronation scene.
These Ramatanka temple tokens inspired other temples to mint coins with Shiva, Vishnu, Durga, Krishna, Narasimha, Sharada etc. Now all the temples worth the name issue temple tokens in imitation of Ramatankas. The prolific and popular Deepavali medals or tokens are quite popular in North India.


Inspired by Ramatanka tradition, middle class traditional families get these coins made in silver with Sri Rama - Sita one side and the other side containing their own name and distributed them on occasions like sixtieth birthday to friends and relatives.


Thus people wait for pretexts to pay homage and respect to Sri Rama, who is universally regarded as Maryada Purushothama. These tokens carry forward the ideas and ideals for which Sri Rama, Sita, Lakshmana and Hanuman stood and worked in the days of yore.



53 comments:

  1. rama tanka goes to sri mahavishnu (THE SUPREME OF COLLECTIONS)THE BLOOD HEIR "THE LORD VENKATASWAMY THE GREAT LEGEND LORD OF CHATRAPATHI SHIVAJI" THERE FROM TO HERE IN FROM TRETAYUGA TO THIS TIME KALIYUGA BY BREAKING THE EARTH THE GLOBE FOR THE SUPREMACY.

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  2. can u tell me the year of these coin made... my friend also had two coins .... but we dont konw when its made so can u tell me ..sir...

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    Replies
    1. In the name of real coins they are selling each on about 2.5cr of indian rupees.better make sure those were real..

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    2. mere pash hai riyal coin ramdarbar 517 40 PLEASE CALL 9624511512 GUJRAT SURENDRANAGAR

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    3. I have ram darbar coin of year 597. 40
      If any one interested please call 9682386188

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  3. Sir
    Rama Tanka perchage what is the proceser
    I am also writer of Sri rama Ramayana in telugu language and research book is Grace of Sri rama.
    please repply

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi

      Can you please contact me on my gmail id: ravamgmt@gmail.com
      If you have Google Hangout Chat, we can chat right now on this id - ravamgmt@gmail.com

      Warm regards

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  4. sir, please tell me. how to find original coin of ramatanka. what is the value of this coin...

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    Replies
    1. I have orginal very old and rare ramatanka price aprox 10cr., Contact 9800864335

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  5. In-case, if someone like to purchase the original coin, How much he/she has to pay?

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    Replies
    1. Hi I have an original coin please reply if you are intreinter or if you have any other info

      Delete
  6. In-case, if someone like to purchase the original coin, How much he/she has to pay?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi

      Can you please help me understand how the valuation has been arrived at and who is the evaluator?
      You can reach me through gmail or google Hangout Chat here on ravamgmt@gmail.com

      Warm regards

      Warm regards

      Delete
  7. I have a ram tanka coin. Please anyone interested to purchase contact me 9714676270

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  8. I have a ram tanka coin. Please anyone interested to purchase contact me +919879177566

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  9. the original ram darbar coin was made in 557 ad and this coin was dated 1740.
    that means this is the antic replica of the original coin ...
    the original coin is not machine made with round sharp edge it is handmade round
    one side ram and laxman and writing on edge ram lachman janaki jawal hanuman ki no years was dated
    and on the other face ram darbar that means throne ceremony of ram so only ram was sitting on throne
    not with sita
    and shatrughna and bharat was standing besides and hanuman shashtang pranam to ram ........

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. mere pass call me 9122277779

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    2. mere pass call me 9122277779

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    3. I have Ramatanka coin if you buy contact me 7990109581

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    4. I am having ram darbar coin original the number is printed in marthi in eglish it is 551 40 my contact no 9848303800

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  10. I have ram darbar coin of 517-40.
    I want to sell the coin.
    Please contact my emai Id. man.ish02175@gmail.com

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  11. Original Rama Tanka belongs to 1.2 million years ago to the period of Lord Rama. Its antique value is very high in crores sometimes even though it's actual value is not much.

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  12. I have one ram darbar I don't know the value can any one suggest 7232922222

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  13. I have one ram darbar I don't know the value can any one suggest 7232922222

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  14. What is value of original ram tanka siver coin

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  15. I have antique rare Ramdarbar 1740ad gold coin 12.45gm i want to sell please best prise about me my contact no. 9811369088

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  16. I have an coin which has god images at back and written something in Hindi at front . I don't know the value of it . Can any say the value and information about it ? My no 9884742215

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  17. ... I have one old ram darbar coin I don't know the value can any one suggest 9429370094
    9714144738

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  18. i have a ramdarbar coin how to know the value ch.madhurya@gmail.com

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  19. Hi, I have the same Ram Darbar coin. If anyone interested to buy, can call or whatsapp me on this no. 8978038549.

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  20. I have rama tanka. If any purchase contact me.
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  21. I have antique rare Ramdarbar 1740ad coin i want to sell, interested person can be contact me on my mob. no. 9935956354

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  22. I have also a ramdarbar coin and it is very antique it was given by my great grandfather..it is vey old near about 517-40..it is golden in color and i want to sell it..i have only one piece..it is very rare coin.

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  23. I have one original ramatanka coin, anybody interested! contact me on what's app -8145545093

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  24. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  25. I have Ramatanka original coin, any interneted contact me 7990109581

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  26. I have a ram tanka coin. I think it is made with copper. in coin one side ram darbar, in which there is ram sita hanuman and their three brothers. and other side of coin there is hanuman which is holding the everest. I don't know the value of this coin. so will some suggest me what is the actual price.

    my contact - 9407276375
    email- dinesh.mashram123@gmail.com

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  27. i have ram tanka gold coin i want sell my contact 9981901300

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  28. I have the Ram Tanka original if anyone interested. Kindly watsup me on 8792729249

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  29. I have Ram Tanka coin, if anyone interested to purchase. Contact me 09724536675.

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  31. Dear sir I am selling rama tanka token is a very historical and ancient please I waited your answer please this coin values of the original plan

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  32. I have the 1740 Ram darbar gold coin original if anyone interested. Kindly watsup me 8109549711

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  33. Dear sir I am selling rama tanka token is a very historical and ancient coin contact: 9842457516

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  34. Hi all I have an original coin please contact me if anyone intreinter in buying.

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  35. Mere pass ram darbar tokan coin he vo bechane ka he mo n
    .9921736625

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  36. I have ram darbar coin i want to sell it

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  37. I can sell ram darbar coin please contact on 9672653498

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  38. Hey"sir,selling me a (ramatanka) & ramadarbaar coin..

    Selling price:150,000..

    Contact me:9760193615..

    Dev bhoomi uttarakhand..

    ReplyDelete