Haibaya Coins of Mahākosala

Summary

The essay on the Haibaya coins of Mahākosala traces the political history of a little‑known dynasty in south‑central India through its numismatic record. Starting from the conqueror Kaliṅgarāja, who seized South Kosala and founded a principality at Tummana, the narrative follows his son Kamalarāja and grandson Ratnarāja, the latter shifting the capital to Ratnapura. Ratnarāja consolidated power over several districts and paved the way for his son Pṛthvīdeva I, who appears to have issued the dynasty’s earliest copper coinage. The author describes two principal types: the Hanumān‑type coins, thick and circular pieces weighing about seven māṣas with the legend ‘Śrīmat Pṛthvīdeva’, and the archer‑type coins attributed to Jājalladeva I, Pṛthvīdeva’s son, who expanded the realm and defeated neighbouring rulers. The paper notes that subsequent kings such as Ratnadeva II adopted grander titles like sakala‑kosala‑maṇḍanaśrī (“ornament of all Kosala”) and issued coins bearing their own names, signifying increasing independence. By linking the coin designs to historical events and inscriptions, the article shows how numismatic evidence charts the transition from vassalage to sovereignty in Mahākosala. It emphasises the importance of iconography (e.g., Hanumān imagery) and legends for attributing coins to specific rulers and for understanding regional power dynamics. The essay concludes that the Haibaya coins are crucial for reconstructing the political chronology of Mahākosala and for recognising the contributions of minor dynasties to Indian monetary history.