Pindari Mercenary issued Coinage, Paisa, Minted at Sironj, RR

[sarwar khan]

Pindaris were the irregular military plunderers and foragers in 17th to early 19th century in india who initially accompanied mughal army, later the Maratha army, and finally on their own before being eliminated in 1817-18 Pindari War. They were unpaid and their compensation was entirely the goods they plundered during the wars.

The majority of Pindari leaders were Muslims, but they recruited from all classes and minorities . To fight them, competing groups of Pindaris formed from Hindu ascetics turned warriors. , after the collapse of the Mughal empire upon Aurangzeb's death, Nawabs and Hindu kingdoms entered into open conflicts and warring factions. Local landowners organized their own private armies, while the monks and ascetics of temples and monasteries transitioned into mercenary soldiers to protect their interests

By the early 1800s, armed Pindari militia groups sought wealth for their leaders and themselves. There were an estimated 20,000 to 30,000 Pindari militia during the "Gardi-ka-wakt" ("period of unrest") in north-central India around 1800–1815 CE, who looted villages, captured people as slaves for sale, and challenged the authority of local Muslim sultanates, Hindu kingdoms, and the British colonies.

There is the possibility that the coinage was issued by Pindari mercenaries during the turbulent period called "Gardi ka waqt" (period of Anarchy)in 1800–1815 AD from the Sironj mint. The Pindari militia was previously active in central India, basically in the Malwa and Mahakaushal regions. It could be considered unofficial coinage used to pay off the salary of their factions.

Details about the coin:-
                                                   
Anonymous Hammered Coinage
Denomination:- Paisa,
Period :- 1800-15 AD
Wt: 16.72 gm,
Obv : Sironj punch countermark
Rev : Uniface

Unlisted

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[jkk]

I have definitely not seen one of these before.

[Figleaf]

Inneresting. Looks like it was punched on a clumsily defaced earlier coin, though maybe it's just the lighting. It must have been easy for e.g. a local smith to manufacture these. It just takes one good punch and a bunch of worn old coins.

Peter

[krishna]

i am not clear but i am quite sure that some of these plunderers had transitioned themselves into full-fledged rulers of sizeable territories

[sarwar khan]

i am not clear but i am quite sure that some of these plunderers had transitioned themselves into full-fledged rulers of sizeable territories

Your hypothesis may have worked in the Pindhari case. Obviously, they controlled the sizeable areas of central India in the last decade of the 18th century. For that reason, the British started an army expedition with the coalition of local landlords to crush the dominance of the Pindaris. The British succeeded in this army campaign known as the Pindari War (1817-1819). In result of Pindari war One of the pindhari chief Amir Khan  established his princely state in Tonk and assumed the title of Nawab of Tonk and his claim recognised by the British Govt of India.

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[krishna]

Thanks Sarwar!!