Image
Aurangzeb, AR 1/2 Tanka, Alamgirnagar, RY 4, Cooch Behar Standard
Struck on the Cooch Behar standard with Bengali text, obv. legend in four lines Aora /ngajeva Va/dasaha Ala/mgira a cross under va, rev. in four lines Jarava/ Alamgi/ rnagara/ Sana. In 1661 Cooch Behar was invaded by the Mughals, who occupied the area for over two years. The Mughal General Mir Jumla used Cooch Behar as a base for his ultimately disastrous expedition into Assam. During the Mughal occupation, Prana Narayan, the ruler of Cooch Behar fled to Bhutan, returning only in 1663 to re-occupy the area. The name of the town of Cooch Behar was changed to Alamgirnagar (after Aurangzeb Alamgir), and coins were struck in the name of the Mughal Emperor. In style they were exactly similar to the half rupees of Prana Narayan with legend in Urdu, but written in Bengali script. This was probably one of the only examples in the numismatic history of the Mughal Empire that coins were issued in a regional script.

Accession No

C/A/12/068

Weight

4.99 g

Diameter

20.28 mm

Metal

Silver

Mint

Alamgirnagar

Denomination

Half Tanka

Shape

Round
Regnal Year
4