The History of Bengal (Vol. I: Hindu Period; Vol. II: Muslim Period 1200–1757) v1.c19.s9.26

v1.c19.s9.26

Two different considerations prove the validity of the above hypothesis. First, in some land-grants the income derived from particular plots of land is described in figures (e.g. 200 in the Edilpur Plate of Keśavasena; 500 in the Śaktipur Plate of Lakshmaṇasena; 627 in the Madanapāḍā Plate of Viśvarūpasena; 100, 60, 140, 50, 25, 25, 50, 50 in the Madhyapāḍā Plate of Viśvarūpasena, etc.) without reference to any coin-denomination. If there were two different coins circulating side by side, it is certain that one or the other would have been mentioned in connection with these figures. Secondly, it is well known that the purāṇa was a silver coin, weighing 32 ratis or 58 grains. Had the Sena kings minted silver coins of this or of any other weight, it is very probable that at least a few specimens would have come down to us. Curiously, however, not a single coin, which may be attributed to any Sena king, has yet been discovered. On the other hand, the testimony of Minhāj (supra p. 242) indicates that the Muhammadans, when they first came to Bengal, noticed no silver currency in the country but found the people using cowrie shells in economic transactions. When the king intended to make monetary gift, says the Muslim historian, “the least gift he used to confer was a lak of kauris.”¹