How did regional currencies like the Fanam impact South Indian trade?

They provided a standardized medium of exchange for local and maritime trade, especially in the spice-rich regions of the Malabar coast.

Medieval Indian Economy and Numismatics

UPSC Archival Analysis

Q: In medieval India, the term 'Fanam' referred to:

In medieval India, the term 'Fanam' referred to coins. These were standard currency units in South India, specifically Travancore, and the term is still associated with money in Tamil and Malayalam.

Exam Year

2022

Evidence Source

Link

ID: ART_MIS_2022_02 Ref: Medieval India: From Sultanat to the Mughals by Satish Chandra