1 Pagoda India Gold

1787-1799, India, Mysore, Nayakas of Chitaldurga. Gold Pagoda Coin

State: western Mysore

Mint Period: ca. 1787-1799.

Mint Place: Furrukhyab-Hisar  

Culture: Nayakas of Chitradurga

Reference: Mitchiner 939-940,  KM-211. R!

Denomination: Gold “Durgi” Pagoda (the slab says ½ Pagoda, but this coin’s weight is of a full pagoda!!)

Diameter: 14mm

Weight: 3.31gm

Material: Gold! 

Obverse: Durga seated facing wearing turreted headdress.

Reverse: Nagari legend Sri Pra/tapa Krishna/raya in three lines.

Nayakas of Chitradurga (1588–1779 CE) ruled parts of eastern Karnataka during the post-Vijayanagara period. During the rule of Hoysala Empire and Vijayanagara Empire, they served as a feudatory chiefdom. Later after the fall of the Vijayanagara empire, they ruled at times as an independent Chiefdom and at other times as a vassal of the Mysore Kingdom, Mughal Empire and Maratha Empire. Finally their territories merged into the province of Mysore under the British.

According to historian Barry Lewis, the earliest chieftains of the kingdom were local chiefs (Dandanayakas) under the Hoysala empire, during their rule over what is today Karnataka. They later won the attention and appreciation of the Vijayanagar kings through their acts of bravery and were appointed as governors of the region. According to historian Suryanath Kamath, the Chitradurga chiefs under the Vijayanagara empire were originally from the Davangere district in Karnataka. Some Marathi records call them Kala Pyada in admiration for their fighting qualities.