Ram Darbar Temple Token (Ramatanka)

This is a token rather than a monetary coin and would have been provided at a temple for a Hindu devotee to take away as a protective keepsake. It is of brass and most probably struck from a die.

On one side is Lord Rama, his wife Sita, and the monkey god Hanuman around a platform (dubar). Rama and Sita are beneath an umbrella or canopy befitting their princely status. The design is inspired by the Indian epic The Ramayana. The two figures on the reverse of the token are Rama with his younger half-brother and companion, Lakshmana.

The reverse also has a border of script in Devanagari script, which most probably identifies the two brothers Rama and Lakshmana.

The token is of uneven roundness, pointing to its ‘cottage industries’ manufacture. Its has significant we from use and old use-related scratching on one side.