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U Fanam - Wai-Karhad Western Chalukyas Feudatory
| Issuer | Western Chalukyas of Kalyani (Feudatory) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1050-1212 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
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| Shape | Other (U Shaped) |
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| Obverse description | Distinctive U-shaped (arch-form) gold fanam with incuse and relief decorative elements across the surface. The obverse field displays a Kannada inscription reading 'Sri Varasa' rendered in archaic Kannada script, distributed along the body of the coin. Stylised pellets and abstract symbols are visible in the field, characteristic of the hammered fanam tradition of the Deccan feudatory states. The irregular organic outline and textured surface are typical of this regional coinage type. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | ಶ್ರೀ ವರಸ |
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| Additional information |
The Wai-Karhad fanam sits within a complex web of feudatory relationships under the later Western Chalukyas of Kalyani, whose authority over subordinate chiefs in the Deccan was rarely absolute. Local dynasts struck their own gold precisely because central minting control had fragmented — these tiny fractional pieces circulated in regional markets where the issuing lord's name carried more transactional weight than any imperial guarantee.
Mitchiner's attribution to 219-220 groups several closely related types that remain difficult to assign to specific sub-dynasties with confidence.