Lectures on Ancient Indian Numismatics (Carmichael Lectures, 1921) c10.58

c10.58

Another designation of coined money of a somewhat later period than Dīnāra is Kedāra. In my Lecture IV, I hope you remember I had occasion to quote a passage from the Kāśikā which speaks of Dīnāra, Kedāra, and Kārshāpaṇa as rūpya or coined money. Of course, you know what coins are denoted by Dīnāra and Kārshāpaṇa. But what is a Kedāra? This question I am sure you will ask me here. I am afraid I cannot give any reply that is positively convincing. But let me here draw your attention to the coins of the Kidāra-Kushanas. These coins have been found in Kāshmīr and some parts of Gandhāra, and the Kidāra-Kushanas themselves are supposed to have held power from 425 to 900 A.D. What deserves to be noticed here is that all the coins have the name Kidāra on the obverse. This Kidāra has been identified by Cunningham with Ki-to-lo, the leader of the great Yuch-ti, known from Chinese sources.¹ What the real significance of Kidāra is we do not definitely know. But this appears to be almost certain that the Kedāra of the Kāśikā is to be connected with the Kidāra of the Little Kushana coins. Most probably the coin Kedāra was called after this Kidāra dynasty.