TShell money or cowry was a medium of exchange in not only old India but on many parts of the world. Cowry shells are the outer part of cypraedae mollusus which is native to Indian oceans. The common name for money cowry is monetaria moneta which is a small sea n small. This is nearly ¾ “ in length. In old Indian system of currency the town kaiwish were equal to 1 kauri. In india couere is popularly called kandi and were use on India in certain areas even upto 1800 AD.

Phooti Kauries meaning Split Kauries were exchanged with kauries, kauri was the lowest currency and medium of exchange. The larger mode then kauri was Dandi and bigger than Damadi was Dhela. Dhela took the shape of pai. One dhela was equivalent to 1.5 pais. The pai later took the forum of paisa. 3 pais made one old paisa. Paisa took the shape of Ana. $ old paisas were equal to 1 Ana. The old ana made the modern rupee. 16 Anas composed of one rupee.

Thus in one rupees there were 16 Anas , or 64 Paisas or 128 dhelas pr 192 Pais or 256 Damadis. In India we found the first mention of the coins in 6th century BC the Indus valley civilization and later on during the Mahajanpal era. Then came the epoch of punch marked coins up to the Maurayan period.

Similarly in India Ratti was used as a measurement unit. It is made up of Guja see and one seed normally weights 1.8 grains. The word ratti is derived from Sanskrit word raktika. Its was used by the jewelers on India.