ഇന്നത്തെ പഠനം
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അവതരണം
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Augustine Stephen D'souza
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വിഷയം
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ANCIENT INDIAN COINS
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ലക്കം
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16 MAHAJANAPADAS
2- Gandhara Mahajanapada
2- Gandhara Mahajanapada
Gandhara from 'Gandh' meaning perfume, indicating trade in spices and aromatic herbs, was located in north - western India, in an area stretching from Kabul in Afghanistan, through much of Pakistani and Indian Punjab. Its capital was the great city of Taxila, renowned for its size and its famous university, whose teachers/students included Vishnu Gupta (Chanakya), Panini (sanskrit scholar), Vishnu Sharma (author of Panchatantra stories), Jeevaka and Charaka (Aurveda) etc.
Coins of Gandhara Mahajanapada are one of the earliest coins of India dated 600 - 500 BC (or earlier). The coins are in the shape of cut strips of silver ingots/bars and 'bent' due to the force of the strike, hence also known as 'bent bars'. They weigh approximately 11g and bears a sun or solar symbol with a septa radiate (7 arm) symbol punched at each end with a prominent 'dot' in between. Fractional units in circular/cup shape are also known bearing the same solar symbol.
The coins are based on the 'satamana' weight standard with 'sata' meaning hundred and 'mana' being a unit of measure, implying the coins weigh equivalent of 100 Rattis.
(Mana, Pav, Ser, Tola etc are weight measures still using in India)
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