A Note on Turuska‑danda
By Roma Niyogi
Summary
Focusing on the enigmatic Turuska‑danda tax in Gahadavala inscriptions, this note reviews competing interpretations. Some scholars have proposed that the levy was a duty on aromatic reeds or a tribute to Ghaznavid rulers. The author argues, however, that the tax first appears in Candradeva’s inscription of A.D. 1090 and persists for about eighty years, coinciding with Gahadavala efforts to defend against Turuska (Turkish) incursions. It was likely a special levy used to finance fortifications or pay mercenaries, disappearing during Jayaccandra’s reign when the political situation changed. The note concludes that while the exact nature remains uncertain, contextual evidence favours the interpretation of Turuska‑danda as a defence tax rather than a commercial or religious due. By synthesising inscriptional data and historical context, the author provides a plausible solution to a longstanding epigraphic puzzle.
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Conclusion
The article interprets Turuska‑danda not as a trade tax or tribute but as a levy funding Gahadavala defences against Turkish invasions. The tax appears in 1090 A.D. and disappears eighty years later, aligning with shifts in external threats.