History of the taka
The word taka emerged from the Sanskrit term ́ta ńka, meaning silver coin. This linguistic root traveled across Central Asia to become a currency name in multiple languages. Middle Persian sources describe dāng or dānag as terms for coinage. Turkic dialects used təñkə to denote money and coins. Bashkir speakers called it təñkə while Tatar communities used tanka. Uzbek merchants referred to tanga during trade exchanges. Kazakh people utilized tenge as their monetary unit. Russian history borrowed the word denga directly from Tatar sources. Chagatay texts record tä ńkä as a variant spelling. Some scholars link the term to tamga, which means mark or stamp in Turkic languages. The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language traces this lineage clearly. Banglapedia confirms the connection between ancient Sanskrit roots and modern usage. These linguistic threads wove together over centuries of movement along trade routes.
Sultan Shams al-Din Iltutmish established the silver tanka in the 13th century. Each coin weighed one tola equaling 96 rattis at 11.2 grams total. A billon jital contained 48 units with only 2 rattis of silver mixed into copper. This smaller denomination weighed approximately 3.5 grams combined. Delhi minted silver tankas bearing Caliph al-Muntasir's name alongside Iltutmish's titles. The reverse side displayed either the shahada or the legend fī 'ahd al-imām. Muhammad bin Tughluq later modeled the tanka as representative money. He introduced copper and brass coins backed by gold and silver reserves in the imperial treasury. Shortages of metal drove this experimental currency system forward. Chaos erupted after the launch in the 14th century causing the Tughluq dynasty to collapse. Regional states like the Bengal Sultanate continued minting currencies under their own rulers. Even the early Mughal Empire retained regional tanka/tangka/taka designations for decades afterward.
Ibn Battuta observed the silver taka dominating Islamic Bengal in 1338 instead of the dinar. Admiral Zheng He's entourage noted the taka's supremacy during their visit in 1415. The Sultan of Bengal treated the currency as the most important symbol of sovereignty available. Provincial capitals across the kingdom hosted at least 27 mints producing these coins. Arakan served as a vassal state where the Bengal tanka circulated widely throughout the 16th and 17th centuries. Mughal Bengal inherited the sultanate's legacy while expanding economic integration globally. Rural areas replaced shell currency with standardized legal tender known as taka. Commerce flourished between local traders and major European companies including the Dutch East India Company. French, Danish, and British East India Companies also engaged in trade using this currency. The Bangladeshi taka remains a direct legacy of this historical stronghold today.
Newar merchants from Kathmandu introduced the tangka to the Himalayan region during the 16th century. Lhasa Newar traders utilized Nepalese tanka on the Silk Road connecting Tibet and Nepal. King Indra Simha established the tanka standard in the prosperous Kathmandu Valley. A debased silver coin struck at 10 grams weight became common alongside minor denominations like 1/4 or 1/32 units. The Tibetan government began minting its own tangka starting in 1763/64. China's Qing dynasty established official mints in the region during 1792. Sino-Tibetan tangkas carried Chinese language inscriptions marking their imperial connection. Banknotes issued between 1912 and 1941 came in denominations of 5, 10, 15, 25, and 50 tangka. This three-century run made the tangka an official currency throughout Tibet before modern reforms arrived.
The Gujarat Sultanate began minting silver tankas along the west coast during the 15th century. These coins symbolized sovereignty for the Muzaffarid dynasty ruling western India. Deccan sultanates and Mughal provinces widely produced tankas across southern territories. One Tanka-i-Barari from Berar equaled eight Delhi tankas in value. Epigraphic records from 14th-century Odisha mention vendi-tanka as alloyed silver and sasukani-tanka as bullion. The tanka spread to eastern regions from the Delhi Sultanate during the first half of the 13th century. Gangas and Survamshis kept these coins in circulation through long periods documented by stone inscriptions. Regional variations created distinct standards while maintaining core monetary functions across diverse kingdoms.
Until 1971 the Pakistani rupee carried bilingual inscriptions in Urdu and Bengali languages. Both terms rupee and taka appeared on currency notes circulating in East Pakistan. The Bengali language movement played a decisive role ensuring recognition of taka in the region. Bangladesh Bank officially introduced the modern Bangladeshi taka in 1972 following independence. This new currency replaced the Pakistani rupee at par after the end of the Bangladesh Liberation War. Bangladesh's Security Printing Corporation produces current versions bearing symbols ́ and Tk. The historical legacy of medieval tankas lives on within this contemporary national currency system.
Common questions
What is the origin of the word taka?
The word taka emerged from the Sanskrit term ́ta ńka, meaning silver coin. This linguistic root traveled across Central Asia to become a currency name in multiple languages including Middle Persian dāng and Turkic təñkə.
When did Sultan Shams al-Din Iltutmish establish the silver tanka?
Sultan Shams al-Din Iltutmish established the silver tanka in the 13th century. Each coin weighed one tola equaling 96 rattis at 11.2 grams total while smaller billon jital coins contained only 48 units with approximately 3.5 grams combined weight.
How was the taka used in Islamic Bengal during the 14th century?
Ibn Battuta observed the silver taka dominating Islamic Bengal in 1338 instead of the dinar. Provincial capitals across the kingdom hosted at least 27 mints producing these coins while Arakan served as a vassal state where the Bengal tanka circulated widely throughout the 16th and 17th centuries.
What happened to the tangka standard in Tibet during the 18th century?
The Tibetan government began minting its own tangka starting in 1763/64 after King Indra Simha established the tanka standard in the prosperous Kathmandu Valley. China's Qing dynasty established official mints in the region during 1792 and Sino-Tibetan tangkas carried Chinese language inscriptions marking their imperial connection.
When did Bangladesh Bank officially introduce the modern Bangladeshi taka?
Bangladesh Bank officially introduced the modern Bangladeshi taka in 1972 following independence. This new currency replaced the Pakistani rupee at par after the end of the Bangladesh Liberation War with current versions bearing symbols ́ and Tk produced by Bangladesh's Security Printing Corporation.
All sources
10 references cited across the entry
- 2webTaka
- 6webЭтимологический словарь Фасмера: "деньга"George Starostin — 1998–2005
- 8bookMining, Metallurgy and Minting in the Middle Ages: Continuing Afo-European supremacy, 1250–1450Ian Blanchard — Franz Steiner Verlag — 2005
- 9webCoins – Banglapediaen.banglapedia.org
- 10webCurrency System – Banglapediaen.banglapedia.org
- 11webHistory revisited: How Tughlaq's currency change led to chaos in 14th century IndiaShoaib Daniyal — scroll.in
- 12bookEconomic History of OrissaNihar Ranjan Patnaik — Indus Publishing — 1997
- 13bookNepali Rashtriya Mudra (National Coinage of Nepal)Satya Mohan Joshi — 1961