முருகர் வழிபாடு - பண்டைய காசுகள்.

 http://murugan.org/research/suresh.htm

https://www.mintageworld.com/media/detail/2064-kartikeya-on-early-indian-coinage/

Gupta Age coins bearing peacock image

 

Yaudheya coinage of Punjab (300-340 AD): Karttikeya standing facing, holding sceptre; peacock on right. In Brahmi: 'Yaudheya Ganasya Jaya' (Victory to the Yaudheya people). Reverse: Goddess standing with hand on hip, wearing transparent garment.

Studies of iconographic forms and concepts as a numismatic source still need a little research. As far as the cult of Kartikeya is concerned, it’s iconography from numismatic evidence is very less. Here we will try to give you brief information about the portrayal of the deity on various Indian coins.

The earliest representation of Kartikeya on coins occurs during the period of the Kushan ruler Huvishka (first century A.D.) The Kartikeya type coins of Huvishka are seen in various form and style. The deity is depicted standing either alone with the name Mahasena, or in pair with the legend Skandakumaro-Bigazo. Skanda and Kumar are the names of the warrior god Kartikeya.

To read more about this click here.

Kartikeya was the principal deity of the Yaudheyas, who occupied a prominent position in ancient Indian republican tribes. The picture used aside is one of the unique silver coin of Yaudheya.

They issued a number of copper and rare silver coins depicting Kartikeya with one or six head holding a spear in right hand raised and another arm resting on the hip with the Brahmi legend "Bhagavatasv[a] (or sa)mino Brahmanyadevasya (or sa) Kumarasya (or sa)" around. These types of coin are known as Shadanana Shashthi type.

The most beautiful coins of Kartikeya are seen in Gupta dynasty. Kumaragupta’s Kartikeya type of coins is very famous. The obverse depicts the King feeding the peacock and reverse bears the seated Kartikeya on his vahana peacock.

After the Guptas, Kartikeya -type coins are almost unknown in North India. However, in South India, Chalukyas of Badami have portrayed him on their coins.

Keep visiting this space to know about these coins! Till then, Happy collecting!

https://www.mintageworld.com/blog/deities-on-kushan-coins-part-2/

Oado:

‘Oado’ appears on the coins of Kanishka I and Huvishka. Oado (Vad) is very artistically depicted running with a fluttering scarf.

• Oado is ‘Vata’ and ‘Vayu’ of the Zoroastrian pantheon. Vata is said to be the god of atmosphere and Vayu is the wind god.
• Interesting, both Vata and Vayu have Vedic Indian connotations with the same names.
• Oado seems to be connected with Anemos (Anemoi) the Greek gods of the wind, who were each assigned a cardinal direction and were responsible and associated with various seasons and weather conditions.

Indian pantheon:

Indian deities from the Hindu and Buddhist pantheon, especially Oesho, appear on the coins of the Vima Kadphises and all his successors. All of the Indian deities appearing are still worshipped and have major cult followings.

Oesho:

‘Oesho’ or Shiva a part of the Indian Holy Trinity, finds a cult following dating as far back as the Indus valley civilization where seals are found of a horned deity sitting in a yogic pose surrounded by animals (Pashupati).

• The attributes of Oesho are same to those with which we identify Shiva today the trident, the bull and damru (small two-headed drum).
• All of the images of Oesho show him with an erect phallus which connects with the Yogic nature of Shiva.
• The prominence of Oesho type coins in the Kushan dynasty shows that the Shaivism was already deeply rooted in the northwestern parts of India.
• Some rare coins of Huvishka depict Oesho with a consort. One type has the inscription ‘OESHO-NAN’ on them connecting Oesho to Sumerian goddess Nana. The other type has the inscription ‘OESHO-OMMO’ which links Oesho (Shiva) to Ommo (Uma or Parvati). [9]

 

Skando-Kumaro:

Another Shaivite deity ‘Skando-Kumaro’ appears on the coins of Huvishka.

• Skanda and Kumar are the names of the warrior god Kartikeya who in the Indian mythology is said to be the son of Shiva and Parvati.

 

Bizago:

‘Bizago’ has been identified with the Shaivite deity Vishakha and is generally depicted along with Skando-Kumaro in the coinage of Huvishka.

• Vishakha is a nakshatra (constellation) in Indian astronomy and is the daughter of the King Daksh according to the Hindu mythology.
• Vishakha also happens to be the birth star of the warrior god Skanda (Kartikeya) and hence maybe is depicted along with him on the coins.

 

Maseno:

Mahasena is yet another Shaivite deity who appears on the coins of Huvishka.  Mahaseno is considered to be an attribute of Skanda Kumara the Warrior god. The cult of Skanda (Kartikeya) can be said to have existed from the Mauryan period[10] and is still a major cult in the south of India.