1889 Pudukottai 1/20 Anna - Amman Cash - Pudukottai Princely State, Princely India - Hindu Goddess Coin

This listing is for the photographed 1889 Pudukottai 1/20 Anna. Instead of a king's portrait, the coin shows Goddess Brihadamba (Brihadambal) seated facing forward. Brihadamba was the principal deity associated with the ruling family of Pudukottai. The Tondaiman rulers considered themselves to rule in the name of the goddess, which explains why a religious figure rather than the ruler appears on the coin. This is a great example of how religion and political authority were connected in Indian princely states. The reverse carries a Telugu inscription, generally read as Vijaya, meaning "Victory." The use of Telugu is interesting because Pudukottai was located in what is now Tamil Nadu. The Tondaiman dynasty had historical connections to Telugu-speaking military and ruling traditions, and Telugu script continued to appear on some of the state's coinage.

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