1835.] Continuation of notes on Hindu Coins. 683 



Mewar had been in subjection to the Delbi monarcbs since the 

 invasions of Muhammed Ghobi ; Altamsh also invaded it in 1210: 

 hence there can be the less doubt that the barbarized names, Sri 

 Mahamad Same and Sri Samasoden, on the indigenous coinage applied 

 to these two sovereigns, notwithstandingthe difficulty above alluded to. 



The fortunate preservation of Hamira's name, in conjunction with 

 those ofhis allies, upon these coins, proves at any rate the identical place 

 of their coinage, and fixes it at Chit6r, the seat of the dynasty founded 

 by Bappa, in A. D. 727, after the destruction of the Balhdra monarchy 

 of Saurdshtra. This information also limits our search for the names 

 previous to Hamira, to the descendants of Bappa Rawel, of whom 

 two or three genealogical lists have been preserved in various inscrip- 

 tions, some decyphered and explained by Mr. Wilson, in the As. 

 Researches, vol. xv., and others by Colonel Tod. The latter authority 

 enjoyed the advantage of filling up the history of Mewar from the 

 national poems and traditions of the place ; but it must he confessed, as 

 strangely perplexing, that the names of the immediate predecessors of 

 Hamira should be at total variance in the Hindu and the Muhamme- 

 dan accounts. Thus, Ferishta makes Ray Ratan Se\n the Raja of 

 Chitdr, who was taken prisoner at the sack of the fort, and who 

 escaped through a romantic stratagem of his daughter, and continued 

 to ravage the country until his nephew was installed as above stated 

 in the masnad. Colonel Tod makes the name of the imprisoned 

 Raja, Bhimsi, and that ofhis daughter, Padmani. The circumstances 

 which led to the admission of the fair heroine into the hostile camp 

 with her 700 litters, each freighted like the Trojan horse, are also differ- 

 ently related hy the two authors. It will be a strong motive for the 

 preference of the Hindu account, if the Bhima deVa of our coins 

 can be identified with this Bhimsi (Bhima sinha) : hut the short inter- 

 val from his return to Chitdr to the death of himself and his family 

 in the sack which followed, would hardly allow the issue of a regular 

 coinage in his name at such a turbulent period. The stvle also of 

 the Nagari alphabet (the ^ bh especially) differs materially from that 

 of Hamira"s name. Yet there is no other Bhima in the Mewar list. 

 Ferishta mentions one (Bhim-deiv) as the brother of Shunkul Dew, 

 the Prince of Deogir, contemporaneous with Alla ; but he does not 

 seem to have attained the throne. In the collateral line of the 

 Gujerdt Rajas, the same name occurs thrice, the last in 1209, of whom 

 the Moslem histories make frequent mention ; but the insignia of this 

 Raj are of a distinct character, and will not admit of our transferring 

 the bull and horseman device thither for an owner*. 



* Bhima deVa of Gujerdt was defeated by Muhammkd Gh6ri' (or S&me?) 

 in A. D. 1178. 



