Silver Tanka of Ghiyasuddin Tughluq –Hazrat Delhi

 

Obverse

Inscription	Al Sultan Al Ghazi Ghiyas Al Duniya wa Al Din Abu Al Muzaffar	अल सुल्तान अल ग़ाज़ी ग़ियास अल दुनिया व अल दीन अबू अल मुज़फ़्फ़र	السلطان الغازی غیاث الدنیا والدین ابو المظفر
Translation	The Sultan, the Conqueror Assister of the World and of Faith Father of the Conqueror	सुल्तान ग़ाज़ी दुनिया और धर्म का मददगार विजेता के पिता	سلطان غازی دنیا اور دین کے مددگار ابو مظفر

Reverse

Inscription	Tughluq Shah Al Sultan Nasir Amir Al Momenin (centre)   Zarb Hazihi Al-Sikka Hazrat Dehli Fi Sanat Salas ‘ishrin wa Seb'mi'at (in margins)	तुग़लुक शाह अल सुल्तान नासिर अमीर अल मोमीनीन (बीच में)   ज़र्ब हज़िही अल सिक्का हज़रत देहली फ़ी सनत सलास इशरीन वसबामिया (चारों ओर)	تغلق شاہ السلبان ناصر امیر المومنین (بیچ میں)   ضرب ھزہ سکہ حضرت دھلی فی سنۃ ثلاث عشرین وسبع میاۃ (چاروں اور)
Translation	Tughluq Shah Sultan Defender of the Commander of the Faithful (centre)   Struck this Coin in Honourable Delhi in Year twenty-four And Seven Hundred (in margins)	तुग़लुक शाह सुल्तान विश्वासियों का सेनापति का रक्षक (बीच में)   यह सिक्का ढाला गया सम्मानित दिल्ली में, साल सात सौ चौबीस में (चारों ओर)	تغلق شاہ سلطان مومنوں کا امیر کا محافظ (بیچ میں)   یہ سکہ ڈھالا گیا حضرت دہلی میں، سنہ سات سو چوبیس میں (چاروں اور)

 

About

Ghiyasuddin Tughluq or also written as Ghiyath al-Din Tughluq (reigned: 1320-1325) was the first Sultan of Delhi from the Tughluq dynasty. Ghiyasuddin was the governor of Dipalpur and Multan during Khilji rule, who finally saw a chance to take control in the midst of the turmoil and the absence of a centralised authority after the death of Mubarak Khan, the son of Alauddin Khilji.

He was a competent leader. To reinstate the Sultanate's rule in the Deccan was his top priority. Jauna Khan, also known as Muhammad bin Tughluq, was despatched by him to Warangal. Ghiyasuddin afterwards focused on Bengal and Ghiyasuddin Bahadur, the state's sultan. He defeated Bahadur and made his brother Ibrahim the governor.

Tughluq was seated in a specially built wooden castle that he had requested his son Jauna to put together while travelling back to Delhi when the roof collapsed. He did not make it. It's unknown if Jauna was behind it or if it was an accident brought on by lightning.

In just five years, Tughluq had revived the Delhi Sultanate's authority and reputation.[i]

The coin

Similar to other coins of the Delhi Sultanate, the obverse and reverse both present the ruler’s titles. The date and mint are visible along the margin on the reverse. Here again, the mint name of Delhi is accompanied by the epithet of “Hazrat”.

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[i] Goenka, S. G. (2022). The Coins of the Indian Sultanates: Covering the Areas of Present Day India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. New Delhi: Manoharlal Publishers & Distributors.