The Coinage of the Gupta Empire and its Imitations c11.s4: Chhatra Type
The Coinage of the Gupta Empire and its Imitations c11.s4
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- c11.s4.t1 Class II — 30 parts
Chhatra Type
c11.s4.1
The Chhatra type is another innovation introduced by Chandragupta II.¹ Coins of this type vary in size from .75" to .85" in diameter. The vast majority of them conform to the weight standard of 121 grains and only a few to that of 124 grains. None has been found so far issued to the standard of 127 grains. The British and the Indian Museums have six coins each of this type and the Ashmolean Museum and the Lucknow Museum have four each. The Bayana hoard contained 57 coins of this type, five being of class I and 52 of class II.
c11.s4.2
¹ The view advocated by Thomas that the Chhatra type coins should be attributed to Chandragupta I (*J. R. A. S.*, 1893, p. 92) is untenable. It is true that the obverse motif of king offering oblation on altar recalls the motif on the Late Kushāṇa coins from where it is borrowed. But this motif persisted down to the regin of Kumāragupta I, on whose Swordsman type it is seen to occur. The *biruda* on the reverse, *Vikramāditya*, conclusively shows that the Chhatra type was issued by Chandragupta II; his grand-father is not known to have adopted this title.
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The obverse of this type shows the king facing to left and offering oblations upon altar, as in the Standard type of Samudragupta. The king's left hand, however, is not holding any standard but resting upon the hilt of the sword hanging by his left side. The king sometimes wears a *dhoti* (Pl. VIII. 6, 9, 12 etc), sometimes trousers (Pl. VIII. 7-8) and sometimes a half-pant (Pl. VIII. 10). He is sometimes bare-headed (Pl. VIII. 10, 12-14), sometimes he wears a cap (Pl. VIII. 9) and sometimes a crown with a crest (Pl. VIII. 7).
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Behind the king is a dwarf attendant, holding a parasol over the king's head; he reminds us of the frequent references in Sanskrit literature to dwarf attendants in the royal household discharging different duties. The dwarf attendant on the coins is a male. He is seen wearing a coat in some cases (Pl. VIII. 10.) and a boot in others (Pl. VIII. 7-9). In some cases, however, the figure of the dwarf resembles that of a female with prominent breasts (Pl. VIII. 12-14). Females are frequently mentioned in Sanskrit literature as carrying the parasol or the chourī in the royal retenue; sculptures at Amaravati confirm the evidence of literature. It is therefore not unlikely that some mint-masters might have preferred to represent the parasol-bearer as a female. The figure, however, is too small to enable us to arrive at a definite conclusion. None of the parasol bearers is, however, so distinctly feminine in look as the admittedly female umbrella-bearers on the reverse of the Rhinoceros-slayer type of Kumāragupta I.
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Oblations falling from the king’s hand are artistically shown in several cases. A number of them, round in size, can be seen falling in a heap or in a pair of parallel lines on some coins (Pl. VIII. 7, 10). The flames of the altar can be seen in some cases (Pl. VIII. 6, 11, 13 etc). In one case (Pl. VIII. 8.) the altar looks like a Śivaliṅga with its base (archikā), but this resemblance is probably accidental.
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The reverse shows Lakshmī standing. She holds a noose in right hand; in one case it resembles rather a rosary or a garland, or two rows of coins falling down from the deity’s hand (Pl. VIII. 13). Left hand usually carries a lotus with a long stalk; in one case, however (Pl. VIII. 12), it hangs down empty by her side. She is shown in different postures; they will be referred to when describing the different varieties of this class.
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Following Mr. Allan, we divide the coins of the Chhatra type into two classes. Class I (Pl. VIII. 6) consists of those coins which have the prose legend Mahārājādhirāja-śri-Chandraguptaḥ on the obverse. The coins of this class are rare. only seven being found so far. In class II (Pl. VIII. 7-15), the obverse shows the metrical legend Kṣitimavajitya sucharitairdivaṃ jayati Vikramādityaḥ. Coins of this class are fairly numerous.
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We can distinguish several varieties in class II according to the posture of the goddess. In variety A (Pl. VIII. 7-8), the goddess is standing on a conventional lotus. Smith had thought this object to be a monster, but it distinctly looks like a lotus on some specimens (Pl. VIII. 7). In variety B (Pl. VIII. 9-10), the goddess stands on a low pedestal; on one rare coin we see her lifting up her right foot, as if with a view to descend down (Pl. VIII. 10). Coins of this variety are rare. In variety C (Pl. VIII. 11-12), the goddess is seen standing three fourths to left upon a circular mat and in variety D (Pl. VIII. 13-14), she is shown as walking to left. The posture of the feet in both the varieties is similar; we presume that she is standing in the former variety, because there is a circular mat under her feet, and walking in the latter, because there is no such mat. On those pieces where the feet do not appear on the flan in their entirety (Pl. VIII. 14), it is not easy to state whether the goddess is really walking or standing. The variety E (Pl. VIII. 15) is so far known from only two coins; it shows the goddess running to left. The posture of her arms and feet undoubtedly suggests that she is running rather than walking.
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We now proced to describe the two main classes in full detail.
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(With prose legend)¹
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¹ B.M.C., G.D., Pl. VIII, 1; I.M.C., Pl. XIV, 1.
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*Obv:* King, nimbate, standing l. offering oblations (*purodāśas*) on altar in his front with r. hand, l. hand resting on sword; behind him a dwarf attendant holding state umbrella (*chhatra*) over him. Circular legend (beginning at I), *Mahārājādhirāja-śrī-Chandraguptaḥ*; (Pl. XXI. 13) ‘King of kings, His Majesty Chandragupta.’
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*Rev:* Goddess Lakshmī nimbate, standing three-fourths to l. on a lotus, holding noose in r. hand and lotus in l.; border of dots. Symbol on l. in most cases. Legend; *Vikramādityaḥ* (Pl. XXIII. 52).
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(With metrical legend)¹
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¹ B.M.C., G.D., Pl. VIII. 2-10.
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*Obv:* As in class I, but the legend is *Kṣitimavajitya sucharitairdivaṃ jayati Vikramādityaḥ*. (Pl. XXI. 14); ‘Having conquered the earth, Vikramāditya wins the heaven by his meritorious deeds.’ Metre; Upagīti.
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*Rev:* Lakṣmī nimbate, standing, walking or double marching and holding a noose in outstretched r. hand and usually having a lotus in l. Symbol on l. in most cases. Legend, *Vikramādityaḥ*.²
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² In some cases the second letter is written as *kra* and in some as *kkra*.
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(Pl. XXIII. 52.)
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COINS ILLUSTRATED : 10
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CLASS I
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(With prose legend)
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(1) Gold; .85"; 118.7 grains; *B.H.*, Pl. XV. 6.
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*Obv:* King is standing to left and empting out his hand over the altar, from which two flames are coming up. Crest upon his forehead. Legend from l., *Mahārājādhirāja*, on r., *śri-Chandragupta*, blurred and partly truncated.
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*Rev:* Goddess standing three-fourth to l.; the lotus on which she is standing in distinct. Stalk of the lotus in l. hand is twisted.
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(Pl. VIII. 6.)
Class II
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(With metrical legend)
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Variety A
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(Goddess standing facing)
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(2) Gold; .85"; 120.4 grains; *B.H.* Pl. XV. 7.
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*Obv:* King wears crown crest; 12 *puroḍāśas* fall down on the altar from his hand. Dwarf behind him wears a boot. Legend, from I, *Kshitimavajitya sucharitai*, most medial vowels being clear.
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*Rev:* Goddess standing facing; the lotus on which she stands is rudely shown; both her hands are stretched out. Legend, *Vikramāditya*.
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(Pl. VIII. 7.)
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(3) Gold; .8"; weight not known; *B.M.C., G.D.*, Pl. VIII. 4.
c11.s4.t1.9
*Obv:* King's figure is tall; the altar in his front looks like a *Śivaliṅga* with its *archā*; legend, *Kshatamavajatya suchara*.
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*Rev:* As above. Legend, *Vakramāditya*.
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(Pl. VIII. 8.)
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Variety B
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(Goddess standing on a pedestal)
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(4) Gold; .8"; 122 grains; *B.H.* Pl. XV. 13.
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*Obv:* As above, but the king wears a close-fitting cap with a pearl string hanging behind. Legend, *Kshitimava*.
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*Rev:* Goddess standing three-fourths to left on a low pedestal; Legend, *Vikramāditya*.
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(Pl. VIII. 9.)
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(5) Gold; .8"; 120 grains; *J.N.S.I.*, XI, Pl. III. 8.
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*Obv:* King is bare-headed and wears short-sleeved coat and short. *Puroḍāśas* fall down in two parallel rows. Dwarf also wears coat and shorts. Umbrella almost off the flan.
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*Rev:* Goddess as above, but she is lifting the r. foot as if to get down. No symbol. Legend blurred.
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(Pl. VIII. 10.)
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Variety C
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(Goddess standing on a mat)
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(6) Gold; .8"; 119.7 grains; *B.H.* Pl. XV. 15.
c11.s4.t1.25
*Obv:* King is bare-headed and probably bare-bodied, objects falling from his hand not visible. Note the ornamental girdle of the dwarf. Umbrella is off the flan. Legend, from VII, *va jayati Vikramāditya*. *Rev:* Goddess standing on a mat three-fourth to left, and about to walk. Her figure is graceful and the lotus in her hand is full-blown. Legend, *Vakkramāditya*; note the double *kk*. (Pl. VIII. 11.)
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(7) Gold; .75"; 120 grains; *B.M.C., G.D.*, Pl. VIII. 10. *Obv:* Legend, *Kshitamava*. *Rev:* As above; l. hand of the goddess is hanging empty by her side. Probably no symbol, or it is blurred. Legend, *Vikkramāditya*. (Pl. VIII. 12.)
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(Goddess walking to l.)
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(8) Gold; .75"; 120 grains; *B.H.* Pl. XV. 14. *Obv:* As above; king is bare-bodied and bare-headed. Legend from I, *Kshitamavajatya*, at VIII, *maditya*. *Rev:* The figure of the goddess is graceful, and so also is her interesting head-dress. It is not clear as to whether she is holding a noose or a garland in r. hand or scattering coins by it. Legend, *Vikramādityaḥ*. (Pl. VIII. 13.)
c11.s4.t1.29
(9) Gold; .75"; 122.1 grains; *B.H.*, Pl. XVI. 5. *Obv:* As above. King is bare-headed and wears armlets. Dwarf supports his l. hand on the bent up knee, as he holds the umbrella which is off the flan. Legend blurred and truncated, but the flourish of the subscript *ya* above the dwarf's head is noticeable. *Rev:* The hair of the goddess is tied in a knot on the head and she is lifting her l. foot while walking. Legend, blurred, *madityaḥ*. The subscript of *ya* is noticeable.
c11.s4.t1.30
Variety E (Goddess running to l.)
(10) Gold; .78"; 118.8 grains; B.H. Pl. XVI. 7. Obv: Puroḍāśas falling from the hand are fairly visible. Dwarf wears a necklace, and the posture of his feet is noteworthy. Legend, from I, Kṣatamajatya, partly truncated. Rev: Goddess running to left as indicated by the posture of her arms. Legend, Vakramāda. (Pl. VIII. 15.)