1917.] Numismatic Supplement No. XXVIII. 69 



takeable terms, though they differ as to the first year of issue. 

 But the specimens in existence indicate that in the province 

 of Behar at least, the Prince Governor ('Azim-us-Shan) con- 

 tinued to strike these heavier coins much longer than in any 

 other part of the Mughal dominions, probably on account of his 

 knowledge of the keenness of his Imperial father for an altera- 

 tion of the standard. The earliest date on these specimens is 

 1 122 a.h., and this may be urged, in favour the contention by the 

 Mir at, that the first year of issue was 1122 a.h. instead of the 

 1119 a.h. of Khafi Khan, who is often inaccurate in chrono- 

 logical matters. 



But this is not all that these passages tell us. It is obvious 

 that if the actual weights of the coins, which were intended to 

 be equal to the tola, are 184 and 185 grs., the tola itself must 

 have weighed at least as much, if not a grain or two more, in the 

 time of Bahadur Shah Shah Alam I. The bearing of this fact 

 on the question of the weight of the told of Akbar and of the 

 Mughal period in general, is evident; but this question must be 

 reserved for another occasion. 



Junagadh. 



S. H. Hodivala. 



177. The Mint Name Srinagar. 



The identity of the mint name Srinagar, which occurs on 

 several issues of the Akbari period, with the capital of Kashmir, 

 has been the subject of considerable doubt and difficulty. Mr. 

 H. Nelson Wright has summed up the case with an evident 

 leaning to the other side, thus : " < The capital of Kachemir,' ' ' 

 says Bernier (Constable's edition, p. 397), ' bears the same name 

 as its kingdom.' Beyond the coins alluded to, there are none 

 in Akbar's name struck at 'Kashmir', but rupees and copper 

 coins are known from the Srinagar mint. Whether this Sri- 

 nagar is the capital of Kashmir, under its ancient and present 

 name, or whether it is the capital of Garhwal, is uncertain. The 

 fact that under pre- Mughal rule Srinagar was called ■ Kashmir,' 

 the existence of the gold coin of Akbar struck at Kashmir; and 

 the uniform use of the name by subsequent Emperors, point to 

 the latter view. The name of Srinagar was restored to the 

 capital of Kashmir by the Sikhs in 1819." (I.M.C., p. Ivii). I 

 must confess my inability to accept the Garhwal hypothesis and 

 I beg to be permitted to challenge the grounds on which it is 

 based. I submit that the factor which is really ' € uncertain ' ' 

 is the existence of the Srinagar of Garhwal at all, in the reign 

 of Akbar, and I venture to add that even if it were possible to 

 advance any convincing proof of that existence, there is nothing 

 whatever to show that Akbar had been able to establish his 

 authority permanently there. 



The historv of Garhwal is veiled in considerable obscuritv. 



