1892.] M. M. Chakravarti— Troy weights of ancient Orissa. 
43 
Troy weights and General currency of ancient Orissa.—By Babu M. M. 
Chakravarti, Subordinate Executive Service of Bengal. 
Little is known regarding the measures of weights of gold and 
silver, or of the coins and currency in use in Orissa at the time of Hindu 
kings. Sterling incidentally mentions certain weights in his lucid 
history of Orissa. But Dr. Hunter was the first to apply European 
criticism to fixid out the relations between g'old, silver and other market¬ 
able articles of Orissa.* As an intelligent attempt to clear up an ex¬ 
tremely obscure question, his History of Orissa deserves all praise. It 
was published in 1872. Since then no one has tried to tread in his foot¬ 
steps, probably owing to the absence of any reliable data. The following 
facts, therefore, are published in the hope that some ripe scholar may be 
induced to take up the threads and weave them into a harmonious whole. 
My information is chiefly derived from “ Madala Panji ” or the 
Chronicle of the Temple of Jagannath at Puri. This work mentions the 
various measures in use, and furnishes details which indirectly reveal 
the proportions between the measures. The problem is to convert them 
into modern equivalents, otherwise they will not be properly understood. 
Here the greatest difficulty arises. Hot much help is obtainable from 
contemporary Muhammadan historians. Orissa was one of the last 
kingdoms to come under the rule of the Pathans and Mughals, and even 
then, being an out-of-the-way region, attracted little notice. 
The Madala Panji was begun after the erection of the present 
temple of Jagannath, the generally accejited date of which is 1197-98 
A. D. It does not mention the names and relations of the measures in 
use before this time. Probably they were the same which we find later 
on. Orissa appears to have formed a part of Kalinga, and was often the 
battle-field between the emperors of northern Hindustan and kings of 
Kalinga. Kalinga was essentially a kingdom of the Deccan; and the 
Deccan measures must have prevailed in Orissa. 
Chorgangaf conquered Orissa in the beginning of the 12th century, 
and founded the well-known Gangavamsa. He came from far South, 
and the system in force in S. India came into full operation in Orissa 
during the reigns of his descendants. 
According to the Madala Panji, Ananga Bhima Deva of this dynasty 
built the present temple of Jagannath, and liberally endowed it with 
* History of Orissa, Yol. T, ch. Y, notes 309 and 337. 
[f His Identity is uncertain, see Sewell’s Sketch of the Dynasties of S. India , pp. 18, 
19,44,51,07. Ed.] 
