Countenance of the Indian currency

The Greatest Indian (after Gandhi)?? I am sure you would have pondered about this at some point in life....for me the question comes naturally each time I have the 500 buck note in my hand with the ever smiling Gandhi countenance. And also when I travel abroad and see a multitude of faces of significant people's faces on the currency notes - the founding fathers - Franklin, Washington, Jefferson on the USA greenbacks; Newton, Darwin, Jane Austen on the England Sterlings.

So why only MK Gandhi gracing ever denomination of our currency that runs thru more than 2 Billion hands. I should be asking not just our current RBI Governor Mr. Raghuram Rajan but every citizen of the country if they do not feel that no other Indian politician, scientist, artist deserves to be placed on the national currency? Why do we accept the dull designs just as we go about our daily lives....maybe its just money and no body cares about designs and just care about the value. and maybe I do as a numismatist.... but there's more reason to that as these paper notes are reflection of our progress, cultural strength and diversity.

I gave it a long thought and thought of some interesting designs that could be considered. I dont say this covers all but surely covers some important personalities and themes. Feel free to disagree/engage and make better suggestion....but atleast kickstart the topic!

INR 1000: Changing the reverse side from the current IT oriented design to a plain Sabarmati Ashram and a Khadi spinning Charkha...let the face of the note remain same with MK Gandhi adorning it. This being the biggest denomination paper in circulation identifies with our Father of the Nation and also values associated with him "Simple Living and High Thinking"

INR 500: Changing the reverse again from the current 1942 August Kranti design to a vivid muticolored pattern with the diverse wildlife showcasing the natural beauty in the Indian jungles. The face of the note can have Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's countenance to mark respect to the man who was instrumental in bringing together more than 500 princely states into the Indian Union. Alternate figure could be Nehru.

INR 100: Changing the reverse design from the mountains to technology, science and industry oriented. This is possibly the most circulated note and marks the recent advancements in the country. The face can have Jawaharlal Nehru as his visions of the temples of modern India is where the dream began. Alternate figures could be JRD Tata or Homi Bhabha here.

INR 50: Let the note show the monuments of India...the world travels to see them...the Taj Mahal could be well placed here....and the obverse should have the face of Mother Teresa as the notion of service to mankind beautifully rest with her. This could be a masterpiece in the current pink, white & blue tones. Alternate figure could be Indira Gandhi.

INR 20: This is possibly the least circulated note just like the US$2 note but in my opinion has always been one of the most beautiful one. The design should change from the current Parliament to a more cultural oriented design with possibly one with a Kathakali dancer, Tablas, Veena etc and in the background written lyrics of a portion of Jan Gan Man (our national anthem).... On the face we can have Rabindranath Tagore - a Nobel Awardee in Literature. 

INR 10: Now comes the turn of the most frequently used note by the man on the street. Back to the basics - Changing the current design to one with the parliament, Ashoka pillar and words from the Preamble of the constitution "We the People...." and on the face who better than Baba Bhimrao Ambedkar could adorn it. Alternate figure could be Dr. Rajendra Prasad here. 

INR 5: This is the only note where I feel the current design on the back should stay. At the grassroots, the country's growth still depends on Agriculture.  On the face we can have the countenance of Mr Verghese Kurien as he steered the Operation Flood and brought self sufficiency in India in terms of Milk.

Dissent, Disorder and Desire...

What is right way of dissent?.... an armed revolution or civil disobedience.

One can argue at length and being born in the country that calls Gandhi - an apostle of peace - its father i believe we have more who would side with Satyagrah. But does that mean that armed revolutionaries have done something wrong, I would argue not, for they have merely taken the alternative way to sort difference and possibly after a civilized argument. So in my opinion there is a time and reason for everything, there was a time when civil disobedience caused enough systemic breakdown that the British had to give up...and possibly out of frustration. Well, in life and in today's times if you follow the Gandhian principle of putting forward the right cheek after being slapped on the left is bound to fail, and to some extent that was seen last year with Anna's fasting failures. 

Those were different times when one man was much more educated, had the control of the entire political frontline and could argue for good with those mightier and those lesser privileged with equal elan and in good faith. No amount of cursing can take away the credit the nation has endowed upon him, and while i am no big fan of his i do acknowledge the impact he had - and there was definitely a good reason.

But again, will that model work today?

Ek Pyaar Ka Nagma Hai....

Was at home in February, and watched this show with parents for a couple of nights. Watch the following youtube link for my ever favorite hindi song which says a lot about Love, Life and the meaning of both as you grow old. Its the song i had thought of singing for my wife at our wedding, but never did....

Enjoy this full length original version by the lyricist himself, I found myself with moist eyes by the end of it, possibly at his age with the lyrics being his own they came with such a beautiful force accompli

Watch from the 25th minute...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEeuyzfk23M&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Epicurean seasons

Before you read ahead – this blog piece could cause you to feel hungry at the minimum, rob the nearest kitchen, in any case high probability you will salivate: Issued in public interest
One season gives away to another….its perpetually changing maybe not as much for the people at the poles. The thing I like most about changing weather and new seasons is the variety of food that can be enjoyed. The cold drinks in the summer days…lemonades, chilled soda, Aam Panna, flavored lassi or just our old faithful Rooh Afzah. Your thirst can hardly be satiated these 4-5 months of the year. Then westerlies and eastern winds gush in with such fervour bringing the cloudful of rains, and then it just pours and pours like forever which reminds me of a nice reading “Bombay Girls and Bombay Rains”… tongue-in-cheek suggestion of unreliability and suddenness. Never mind, my nostrils catch the earthiness in the air, of the parched dust that soaks the rain, quite an orgasmic experience isnt it?… for all I care is actually deep fried crispy pakodas – any filling will do – brinjals, spinach, shallots, potatoes and cauliflowers, that makes me salivate!! And that cannot go without a hot cup of chai topped up with juicy cuts of ginger…

Gar firduas bar ru-e zameen ast, hami ast hami ast hami ast… Jahangir – quite a lousy emperor in my opinion- said that for Kashmir, its beauty and its heavenliness. Inspired, I decided to go there for my honeymoon in peak winters this year. Once landed I was enchanted with the snow capped peaks, the stay in the houseboat on Dal Lake where the room was heated by burning wood, the tranquility of sitting hand-in-hand in the shikara appreaciating the scenic views or when other salesmen in other shikara’s come up to sell jewels, dry fruits and to photograph you in kashmiri/pathani/mongolian/iranian attire and poses …all the same but gives them the incentive to click more to make you pay more… now you wouldn’t dare refuse your newly wedded wife. Anyways back to my gastronomic agenda, what I enjoyed most on my entire 6 day trip was our national food – piping hot Maggi in the middle of the dal lake, at Zam-zam restaurant (the last one at sonmarg before it becomes inhabitable), by the river lidder in pahalgam, at the golf course in gulmarg!! Coupled with a nice cup of Kahwa – (herb tea with dry fruits) is total bliss that can make you forget anything……and who told you I am romantic?? I fervently believe that instant noodles have been the greatest invention of mankind.

Winter is the time we eat, rather stuff ourselves with creamy, cheesy and buttery delicacies… the onset which arrives at Diwali – the time to relish the sweet savories. I actually don’t buy any for myself but the fridge refuses to be stocked out thanks to friends and family. And there’s no reasoning wife/mum would take to allow me another piece but it runs in the family to quietly sneek in at half in the night and devour the awesomeness. Recently gifting trends have only helped – chocolate boxes, candied dry fruits and hand made cookies. Waking up to stuffed paranthas, lunching on makki-ki roti and sarson ka saag, and sleeping off to a belly full of daal makhani and a generous helping of gajar ka halwa. Enough!!! Or did I miss the daily evening staple of tomato n cream soup, which paired with grilled sweet potatoes eaten like you are scooping icecream from a waffle cone… nothing beats the warmth and contentment.

Now since Thanksgiving, I have been waiting for that heavenly rum and fruit christmas cake…would anyone care to oblige? In my case it’s never a question – I live to eat, and love to eat. What about you?...

Life...Delicious ambiguity

Read this on a blog and loved it...

“I wanted a perfect ending. Now I've learnt, the hard way, that some poems don't rhyme, and some stories don't have a clear beginning, middle, and end. Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what's going to happen next. Delicious Ambiguity.” - Gilda Radner

Here's the blog link...very nice readings:

http://deeviations.blogspot.com/2010/09/life-it-teaches.html?