Ancient India – Chutus of Banavasi
King Mulananda – Double Karshapana Type | c. 78–175 CE
A fascinating ancient Indian coin attributed to the Chutu dynasty of Banavasi, featuring the name of King Mulananda. Dating broadly to c. 78–175 CE, this issue represents the distinctive coinage of one of the lesser-known but historically important ruling houses of ancient southern India.
Historical Background
The Chutus of Banavasi ruled parts of the ancient Karnataka region and are generally associated with the political sphere of the western Deccan during the early centuries of the Common Era.
Banavasi, ancient Vaijayanti, was an important settlement and political centre in the western Deccan. The Chutu rulers issued distinctive coinage that provides valuable evidence for the history of this regional dynasty.
Mulananda is among the rulers known through the surviving numismatic record. Coins bearing his name are particularly interesting because they preserve direct evidence of the ruler and his monetary authority.
Coin Type
This specimen belongs to the Double Karshapana denomination/type, representing a substantial unit within the monetary system of the period.
Ancient Indian karshapana-based coinage has its roots in early Indian monetary traditions, and regional dynasties continued to adapt these denominations to their own local systems.
Design
The coin features the characteristic motifs and inscriptions associated with Chutu coinage of Banavasi, with the ruler's identity preserved through the ancient script and symbolic design.
The combination of regional iconography and the royal name makes the piece particularly valuable from a historical and numismatic perspective.
Coin Details
Region: Ancient India
Kingdom: Banavasi
Dynasty: Chutu
Ruler: Mulananda
Period: c. 78–175 CE
Century: 1st–2nd Century CE
Denomination: Double Karshapana
Type: Mulananda Double Karshapana
Metal: Copper / Base Metal
Category: Ancient South Indian Coinage
Historical Significance
The Chutus occupy an intriguing position in the history of the western Deccan. Their coinage is especially important because the surviving archaeological and literary evidence for the dynasty is relatively limited compared with the better-known Satavahanas.
Coins therefore provide an important source for identifying Chutu rulers and understanding their political presence around Banavasi, one of the important centres of ancient Karnataka.
The Mulananda type is consequently much more than a monetary object—it is a tangible piece of evidence for a regional dynasty that played a role in the political landscape of southern India during the early centuries CE.
Collector's Appeal
An excellent addition to collections specialising in:
• Ancient Indian Coins
• Chutu Dynasty Coinage
• Banavasi Coins
• Mulananda Coins
• Ancient Karnataka
• Early South Indian Coinage
• Deccan Numismatics
• Karshapana Coinage
• 1st–2nd Century Indian Coins
• Rare Regional Indian Dynasties
Age of Coin: Approximately 1,850–1,950 years old.
A fascinating and historically important Chutu coin of Banavasi, representing the coinage of an uncommon ancient South Indian dynasty and preserving the name of King Mulananda for collectors and students of early Indian history.
