Princely State of Travancore Chithira Thirunal Bala Rama Varma II Bronze 4 Cash Historical Coin

Obverse: Conch shell (Shanku) within circle flanked by sprays.

Reverse: “FOUR CASH / BRV / നാലു കാശു” in English and Malayalam.

Chithira Thirunal Bala Rama Varma II was the last ruling Maharaja of the princely state of Travancore, one of the most prosperous and administratively advanced kingdoms in southern India during the late colonial era. His reign is remembered for significant reforms in governance, education, and social equality, most notably the Temple Entry Proclamation of 1936 which opened Hindu temples to all castes. Travancore maintained its own regional monetary system alongside British Indian coinage, preserving local identity through Malayalam inscriptions and traditional royal symbols. The sacred conch shell depicted on the coin represented Lord Padmanabha, the tutelary deity of the Travancore royal family. These bronze Cash denominations circulated widely in everyday commerce until the integration of princely states after Indian independence.

The bronze 4 Cash coinage formed part of the final indigenous currency series issued by Travancore before the abolition of princely state monetary systems. The initials “BRV” stood for Bala Rama Varma, while the bilingual legends reflected both regional tradition and administrative modernization. Its compact fabric and distinctive conch-shell design make this one of the most recognizable late coinages of Travancore.