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Fanam - Narasimha III
| Issuer | Eastern Ganga Dynasty |
|---|---|
| Year | 1328-1352 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Fanam |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | Log in to see details |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
| Shape | Log in to see details |
| Technique | Log in to see details |
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| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Crudely rendered frontal figure of the deity Narasimha, the man-lion avatar of Vishnu, occupying the central field of this small hammered gold fanam. The figure appears in a stylized, schematic form characteristic of Eastern Ganga coinage, with broad shoulders and attendant symbols flanking the central motif. To the upper left, a conch shell (shankha) is discernible, while additional cult symbols flank the deity in the field. The execution is typical of the debased, highly abbreviated iconographic style employed on minor gold denominations of medieval Odisha. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Log in to see details |
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| Reverse lettering | RY 12 |
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| Additional information |
Narasimha III ruled the Eastern Gangas during a period of mounting Sultanate pressure from Delhi, and the dynasty's gold fanams from this reign reflect a court still asserting its ritual and economic independence despite that encroachment. The Eastern Gangas had controlled Odisha's temple economy for centuries, and these tiny gold pieces circulated within networks tied directly to temple revenue and religious endowment rather than general trade.
At under half a gram, fanams of this type were produced with remarkable consistency across South and Eastern Indian dynastic mints — a weight standard with roots older than the issuing dynasty itself.