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Q42 (IAS/2022) History & Culture › Medieval India › Medieval Indian economy Official Key

In medieval India, the term "Fanam" referred to:

Result
Your answer: —  ·  Correct: B
Explanation

The correct answer is Option 2: Coins.

In the context of medieval Indian history, Fanam (a corruption of the Sanskrit word Panam) refers to a type of small currency used extensively in Southern India. These coins were issued by various dynasties, including the Vijayanagara Empire, the Cholas, and later by European colonial powers like the Danish, French, and British.

  • Composition: Fanams were primarily minted in gold, though silver variants also existed.
  • Usage: They were widely used for trade and daily transactions due to their small denomination, making them a crucial part of the regional monetary system.
  • Distinction: Unlike Clothing (Option 1), Ornaments (Option 3), or Weapons (Option 4), the Fanam is specifically documented in historical numismatics as a standard unit of currency.

Therefore, based on historical and numismatic evidence, the term Fanam is synonymous with coins used in the southern peninsula during the medieval period.

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Don’t just practise – reverse-engineer the question. This panel shows where this PYQ came from (books / web), how the examiner broke it into hidden statements, and which nearby micro-concepts you were supposed to learn from it. Treat it like an autopsy of the question: what might have triggered it, which exact lines in the book matter, and what linked ideas you should carry forward to future questions.
Q. In medieval India, the term "Fanam" referred to: [A] Clothing [B] Coins [C] Ornaments [D] Weapons
At a glance
Origin: Mostly Current Affairs Fairness: Low / Borderline fairness Books / CA: 0/10 · 10/10
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This is a classic 'Historical Terminology' question, a staple in UPSC Prelims (similar to 'Eripatti' or 'Taniyurs'). While it may seem obscure to a beginner, it relies on the linguistic evolution of the Sanskrit 'Pana' to the Dravidian 'Panam' (Money), anglicized as 'Fanam'. It rewards thematic study of Economic History over political chronology.

How this question is built

This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.

Statement 1
In medieval India, did the term "Fanam" refer to clothing?
Origin: Web / Current Affairs Fairness: CA heavy Web-answerable

Web source
Presence: 5/5
"Coins of Medieval India Hoysala Dynasty (10-13 Century CE), Gold Fanam, Obv: a lion standing facing left"
Why this source?
  • Passage explicitly labels 'Fanam' as a type of gold coin from Medieval India.
  • Mentions dynasties (Hoysala, Chalukyas) and describes 'Gold Fanam' with weight/obverse/reverse details, indicating numismatic usage rather than clothing.

Exploring Society:India and Beyond. Social Science-Class VI . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 8: Unity in Diversity, or 'Many in the One' > Textiles and Clothing > p. 128
Strength: 4/5
“Every region and community in India has developed its own styles of clothing and dresses. Yet, we notice a commonality in some traditional Indian dresses, irrespective of the material used. An obvious example is the plain length of cloth called the sari, a type of clothing worn in most parts of India and made from different fabrics — mostly cotton or silk, but nowadays synthetic fabrics too. Banarasi, Kanjivaram, Paithani, Patan Patola, Muga or Mysore are some of the famous types of silk saris. There are many more kinds of cotton saris. Altogether, this unstitched piece of cloth comes in hundreds of varieties.”
Why relevant

Gives a clear example that many distinct, often single-word terms (e.g., sari, Banarasi, Kanjivaram) denote types of clothing or cloth.

How to extend

A student could compare whether 'Fanam' appears in lists of named cloths or dress-terms in period sources or lexica of textile names.

Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 3: Advent of the Europeans in India > About the Goods in Trade Initially > p. 52
Strength: 4/5
“There are accounts by various European travellers and traders about the activities in port towns such as Surat which give details of the intricate steps that went into the creation of fabrics collectively called 'Indian'. Great demand was there for cotton longcloth, (usually 35 to 50 m in length), salempores (staple cotton cloth), and morees (superior quality cotton cloth). Other much desired fabrics were the painted cloths and prints, the silks and dyes. These textiles were not just in demand in Europe but also in other parts of Asia. Indians had traded in textiles for centuries before the Europeans arrived.”
Why relevant

Describes specialised trade vocabulary for textiles (longcloth, salempores, morees), showing merchants used many specific names for fabric types.

How to extend

One could check commercial records, traveller accounts or trade glossaries for 'Fanam' alongside known textile terms to see if it is used similarly.

History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 4: Emergence of State and Empire > Crafts and Goods > p. 57
Strength: 3/5
“Many crafts producing a variety of manufactures flourished in the economy. We can categorise the products as utilitarian or functional, and luxurious and ornamental. Spinning and weaving, especially of cotton fabrics, relying on the universal availability. ٨ of cotton throughout India, were the most widespread occupations outside of agriculture. A great variety of cloth was produced in the country, ranging from the coarse fabrics used by the ordinary people for everyday use, to the very fine textures worn by the upper classes and the royalty. The Arthasastra refers to the regions producing specialised textiles - Kasi (Benares), Vanga (Bengal), Kamarupa (Assam), Madurai and many others.”
Why relevant

Notes the Arthashastra and other sources name regions and products (specialised textiles from Kasi, Vanga, Madurai), indicating classical/medieval texts routinely label textile products by name.

How to extend

Extend by searching classical and medieval textual lists of craft/commodity names to see whether 'Fanam' occurs as a textile term.

Exploring Society:India and Beyond ,Social Science, Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 4: The Colonial Era in India > Changing Landscapes > p. 100
Strength: 3/5
“Embossed: With a design stamped on the cloth in such a way that it stands out in relief. Before the 18th century, India was renowned for its manufacturing capabilities, particularly in textiles — cotton, silk, wool, jute, hemp and coir being the chief ones. Indian cotton textiles, in particular, with rich and intricate designs, bright colours, and textures ranging from ultra-thin muslins to richly embossed fabrics were in high demand in many parts of the world.”
Why relevant

Emphasises the diversity and specific nomenclature of Indian textiles (muslins, embossed fabrics) that were widely recognized and named.

How to extend

Use this pattern to treat 'Fanam' as a candidate textile name and look for its appearance in export/import lists or descriptions of fabric types.

History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 2: Early India: The Chalcolithic, Megalithic, Iron Age and Vedic Cultures > Craft Production > p. 25
Strength: 2/5
“The Rig Veda mentions artisans such as carpenters, chariot-makers, weavers and leather-workers. Copper metallurgy was one of the important developments of this period. The term ayas in the Rig Veda refers to copper and bronze. Karmara, smith, is mentioned in the Rig Veda. Likewise, there are references to siri or yarn, indicating spinning which was done by women, and to carpenters, takshan. Weaving of clothes of wool is also referred to, and obviously it was necessary in the cold weather.”
Why relevant

Shows that early sources record occupational and product words (weavers, yarn, cloth), implying terminology for cloth existed early and was recorded.

How to extend

A student could examine lexical/epigraphic records of craft/product terms to test whether 'Fanam' occurs as a clothing or textile word.

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Statement analysis

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Statement analysis

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