Naganika was the first queen of the Satavahana Dynasty (236 BC to 230 AD), who directed the State's political affairs and performed the Rajasuya and Ashwamedha sacrifices, among others.

The recent discovery of a silver coin with Queen Naganika and her husband Satakarni-I's impressions, shows beyond doubt that she was the first Indian queen to have her own coinage.

According to archaeologist and numismatist Professor Shobhana Gokhale, the type of coin indicates Naganika's prominent position in the political arena. This piece of numismatic evidence compliments Naganika's famousinscription at Naneghat near Junnar in Pune district: It records her prowess as well as her husband's victories, all of which bear testimony to Maharashtra's first lady ruler.

The coin is, at present, in possession of one Narayan Mate of Junnar, who shows keen interest in Satavahana history and discovered the coin.

According to Prof Gokhale, the coin is round, weighs 6.6 gm and is 2 mm thick. On its obverse, are Brahmi letters with Rano Satakarni written in the centre and Naganikaya inscribed in a rectangle.

Although this is the only coin of its kind in India's recorded history which bears the name of a queen, the long inscriptions on two walls of a cave at Naneghat actually throw light on Naganika, as well as on ancient Indian sacrifices and numerals.

Naneghat, which was a busy trade route during the Satavahana period, linked sea ports on the Konkan coast to flourishing trading centres up North, upcountry.

It is located 30 km west of Junnar but lies in ruins, with the well-preserved Naganika cavestanding out.

The central figure of the mutilated inscriptions is Naganika. The inscriptions have been interpreted by scholars with conjectures and much speculation.

Professor V V Mirashi, an authority on the Satavahanas, says the inscription must have mentioned in the beginning the year King Vedisri, Naganika's son, reigned, followed by the description of Naganika.

The queen is described as the daughter-in-law of a Deccan lord, and then as the daughter of one born in the Angiya family, the foremost warrior of the Konkan. She is also described as a leading woman of the Naga race.

The inscriptions say she fasted for months together, lived like a hermit, and was adept in performing initiation ceremonies, vows and sacrifices.

This is followed by the mention of various sacrifices performed by her, together with the number of cows, horses, elephants, chariots, garments and Karshapana coins she donated.

According to Prof Gokhale, after Satkarni-I's death, Naganika determined the State's politicalaffairs for a considerable period till her son Vidisri was crowned as king.

In western India, says Prof Gokhale, the political scenario unfolds with the rise of the Satavahanas, whose rulers were predominant in trans-Vindhyan India after the fall of the Mauryan empire. The members of this family styled themselves as lords of the Deccan. Naganika, princess of the Maharathi family, was his crowned queen and scholars say Satakarni-I owed his rise to imperial status to the matrimonial alliance with Naganika's father, who was then controlling the western coast. In the Naneghat cave, along with the inscription, is a statue gallery of relievo figures of the royal members of the Satavahana dynasty. At present only the feet are remaining and over these remains there are label inscriptions written in Brahmi script, identifying the statue.