Taank
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Taank (टांक Tānk (टांक) Tāk (टाक) Tank (टांक) is a gotra of Jat. This gotra originated from Nagavanshi people settled on the banks of Tonk river. [1]
They are mentioned as one of the Thirty –six royal houses of Indian Kshatriyas, but, said Col. Tod in his Annals they have disappeared from history owing to conversion to Islam in the Thirteenth Century. Not completely yet, large number of Tanks are now followers of Islam, There are many Tanks still existing among the Hindu Jats. [2]
A Tak kingdom is mentioned by Hiuen-Tsang (631-643 A.D.) It is mentioned as situated towards east of Gandhara. Hiuen-Tasng Gives its name as Tekka, and the History of Sindh, ChachNama, mentions it as Tak. Its capital was Shekilo (Sakala, modern Sialkot) and formerly King Mihiragula was ruling from this place. In seventh century A.D. Its people were not preeminently Buddhists, but worshiped the sun, too. Abhidhana Chintamani Says that Takka is the name of Vahika country (Punjab). For what follows, we are indebted to Chandrashekhar Gupta for his article on Indian coins. [3] The Tanks must have come to India, Prior to fourth century A.D. i.e. with the Kushana. And with the Kushanas, they must have spread up to Bengal and Orissa, like the Manns and Kangs who spread into southern Maharashtra and the Deccan. In Orissa, the Tanks, had their rule in Orissa proper, Mayurbhanj, Singbhoom, Ganjam, and Balasore Districts. They are called by historians as “ Puri Kushans” or Kushanas of Puri (Orissa). Their coins have been found at Bhanjakia and Balasore (Chhota Nagpur) and these coins have the legend Tanka written in Brahmi script of the fourth century A.D. Allan suggested the reading Tanka as the name of a tribe “ [4] and others generally accepted the reading Tanka as correct. [5] Allan placed them in the third or early fourth century A.D., while V.A. Smith placed them in the fourth or fifth century A.D. ; R.D. Bannerji called them “ Puri Kushanas” [2]
As for the proof that they were Jats, we invite attention to the fact that they still exist as such. Their association with the Kushanas (Kasvan Jats) further supports it. Their central Asian origin is proved by the fact that Niya Khrosthi documents from Central Asia refer to coin denomination as Tangumule. [6] Here the word Tanga is the same as Tanka, and Muli meant “Price” in Central Asia. [2]
Jain literature refers to the Tanks and the fact that they are termed “ Mlechhas” shows their foreign. The Jain works say that the Tanks were invincible (cf Chandragomin of Jats and Thucydies’ remarks for Gatae.) They were the inhabitants of Uttarapatha (N.W. India) and they traded with the Dakshinapatha (South Deccan) in valuable commodities like gold and ivory. [2]
To conclude, in the words of C.S. Gupta “ the legend Tanka has no other satisfactory explanation than this, viz. that these coins were struck by the tribe of the Tankana (Takka) in the name of their community like those of the Yaudheya and Malava. It appears that the name inscribed by these people on their coins, gradually came to denote the name of the coin [7] This is the origin of the Taka used even now for coins. The Coins of Mahmud Ghazni bears the Sanskrit legend : (अयं टंक महमूद पुरे घटे). Allaudin Khilji as well as Akbar, Later issued Takkas. The Rewa stone inscription of Malaya Simha, of 1193 A.D. shows that Khilji spent 1500 Takkas for constructing a water Tank, near Rewa. Rājatarangini says that king Ananta of Kashmir, issued Takkas. [8] Tank coins are mentioned in the South also [9] [2]
In popular Parlance, the Tank Sarohas are mentioned together (Like the Dahiya-Dabas and Siddhu - Brar combination) The Cities of Tonk, Sirohi are named after them. At one time, the entire Punjab was called Tank Desa. The reports of The Chinese pilgrims confirm this fact. Originally they were worshippers of the Snake-Garlanded form of Shiva. Hence they were called Nagas also. [10] [2]
Reference
- ↑ Dr Mahendra Singh Arya, Dharmpal Singh Dudee, Kishan Singh Faujdar & Vijendra Singh Narwar: Ādhunik Jat Itihasa (The modern history of Jats), Agra 1998, p. 249
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Bhim Singh Dahiya, Jats the Ancient Rulers ( A clan study), 1980, Sterling Publishers New Delhi, p. 274
- ↑ Vishveshvaranand Indological Journal (Hoshiarpur, Pb.) Vol, XVI, pt. I. p.92 ff
- ↑ Ancient India, Plate XII, fig. 3
- ↑ Journal of Numismatic Society of India, 12, 1950 p.72
- ↑ ibid., 16-1954 p. 220 f.n. 4
- ↑ Vishveshvaranand Indological Journal (Hoshiarpur, Pb.), Vol . XVI, pt. 1 p. 93
- ↑ Cunningham, Coins of Medieval India, p.34
- ↑ Journal of Numismatic Society of India, 30 , (1968) p.129
- ↑ Jayaswal’s views on Bhara-Sivas
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