Half Mohur - Sudarshan Shah

These pieces must have been struck on at least two occasions as they occur firstly as hand-struck coins with normal Mohur weight of around 10.8g, and secondly as machine-struck coins with the full legends visible at the same weight as used by the British for their Mohurs after 1835. It is likely, therefore, that the latter were struck in or after 1835. The Badrinath cited on the coins presumably refers to the famous Hindu temple situated near the source of the Alakananda river, one of the main branches of the Ganges. Before the Gorkha conquest, the temple had been within the boundaries of the Garhwal kingdom, but after 1815 it was in the part of Garhwal ruled directly by the British. For more information and possible reasons for striking these coins see "The Gold Coins of Sudarshan Shah of Tehri Garhwal" by Nicholas Rhodes in ONS Newsletter 134.
- Baldwins