Indian Antiquary Vol 56

SR No.: 032548
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Richard Carnac Temple, Charles E A W Oldham, Krishnaswami Aiyangar
Publisher: Swati Publications
Publication Year: 1986
Total Pages: 286
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 13 MB

Page 219

OCTOBER, 1927]
SOME SOUTH INDIAN GOLD COINS
191
Putting these three together, we get a fairly intelligible and complete legend [RA]yasamu.' At the bottom of the vertical diameter is found a symbol which may be taken to represent a crown. Besides, there are a few indistinct impressions in the interspaces which perhaps are intended to represent lions. The reverse is blank
The terin Rayasanu' ordinarily indicates clerkship. Of course the legend cannot be supposed to mean only clerkship. So it should have a more appropriate meaning. We find that under the Vijayanagar rulers some viceroys had the title of Rayasam.' After the conquest of Udayagiri by Sri Krishna Deva Raya it was made a seat of a Provincial Government. Rayasam Timmarasa vya and Rayasam Kondamârusayya were viceroys there in succession. Venkatappa was a viceroy during the reign of Achyuta Dêva Maharaya. Rayasam Tirumalayya was a governor under Sri Vîra Pratapa Deva Raya in Saka 1496. Rayasan 8 Ayyappa was a governor at Konda vidu in Saka 1453. Though all these viceroys enjoyed the title of Rayasam, Kondamárusayya was the most powerful of them, BO powerful that he was even addressed as Mahårája. He10 planted the Vijayanagara colours on the Simhadri and Srikůrmam hills during Krishna Deva Raya's famous campaign in the north. Hell conquered the Reddis who ruled at Chundi and annexed their territory. He was so powerful and enjoyed such great independence, that in his own name he made several grants for the spiritual benefit of his master. If only the legend 'Rayasamu' is to be our guide we may be tempted to conclude that these coins were issued by this powerful viceroy. But on palæographical grounds we have to assign these coins to an earlier datele,
Again the shape and size are so dissimilar to the extant Vijayanagar types and are more like those issued by the later Chalukyas of Kalyani and the Telugu Chola chiefs who ruled in parts of the districts of Cuddapah and Nellore. Further these coins bear a mark which is exactly the same as those found on coins of group X of the Ködär Treasure Trove Case13, which are ascribed to the western Chalukya king Jagadêkamalla. This mark was then thought to represent a temple, but on closer and more careful examination it seems to me to represent a crown. So far as our present knowledge goes there is no western Chaļukyan king or Telugu Chola chief who enjoyed the title of, or had the name, 'Rayasamu.' So unless and until we get further evidence from inscriptions or records which may be discovered in future we cannot ascribe these coins either to the Châļukya kings or to the Chola chiefs.
Am badeva 14 of the Kayastha family was a feudatory of the Kakatiyas. Ho defeated several Telugu chiefs and overthrew Sripati Ganapati. Ambadêva usurped the Káka. tiya throne in the interval between the reigns of Rudrâmba and Pratápa Rucra Dêva. After the overthrow of Sripati Ganupati, Anıbadeva assumed the title of R&yasahasramalla, It would be too far fetched to suppose that our legend Rayasamu' was a contraction of R&yasahasramalla (Raya' for Raya, 'sa' for Sahasra and 'mu' (taking it to be ma) for malla), und we know of no instances in which there have been such contractions in the case of legends.
Upon palæographical grounds we have to ascribe these coins to about the same period as that during which Ambadêva Hourished. In shape, size, weight and in the quality of the metal used these are very much the same as the one under class II, which as
8 Mackenzie MSS., bk. XVIII, p. 104, and Local Records, vol. 57, pp. 265-256. Nellore Inscriptions, p. 1264,
10 Inscriptions of the Madras Presidency, vol. 1, PP. 7-8. 11 Nellore Inscriptions, pp. 478, 479 note.
13 The first point in regard to this view is whether Vijayanagar viceroys were allowed to issue gold coins. Secondly, whether the combination of the legend is valid. Rayasa, it will strike one is the terminal syllables of a Prakrit legend.-ED.
13 Madras G. O. No. 1106 (Home Dt. Misc.), dated 11th October 1917. 14 Madras Epigraphy Report for 1912, pp. 76, 77.