Mihara Bhoja I Gurjara-Pratihara Empire c. 836-885 AD Silver Dramma Coin

Gurjara-Pratihara Empire, Mihara Bhoja I, circa. 836-885 CE, Denomination: AR Dramma, Metal: Silver, Weight: 3.80 grams, Diameter: 17 mm, Obv: Varha (Boar) incarnation of Vishnu facing right, Rev: Devanagari Inscription ‘Sri aadi varaha’, References: CMI #20, Mitchiner NI #352, About Extremely Fine, Scarce.

The Gurjara-Pratiharas were one of the most powerful dynasties of early medieval northern India, with their political centre at Kannauj during their imperial phase. Mihira Bhoja I (c. 836–885 CE) famously adopted the title Adivaraha, referring to Varaha, the boar incarnation of Vishnu, and introduced a distinctive coin type featuring the divine boar. His original Adivaraha drammas became highly influential and were subsequently imitated by later Pratihara rulers. The present 3.8-gram dramma belongs to this later phase of the series, conventionally dated c. 943–1019 CE, and retains the essential Varaha imagery and the legend “Shrimad Adivaraha.”

Coinage Note: The Adivaraha dramma is among the most recognizable coin types of the Gurjara-Pratiharas. The powerful Varaha image represented Vishnu’s divine boar incarnation and also conveyed ideas of protection, strength and royal authority. Later Pratihara rulers continued the type but progressively simplified and stylized the original design. The present issue, recorded as CMI #20 and Mitchiner NI #352, is an important later continuation of Bhoja I’s celebrated Adivaraha coinage and demonstrates the remarkable longevity of the type within Pratihara monetary tradition.