Autobiography of a Coin

I had no life earlier. I was a metal. Some more metals like silver, zinc etc., were mixed and made into an alloy. The State mint gave me a shape, a life and a new name. I am a newly born one rupee coin and I joined the heap of my elder brothers minted earlier. Some more younger to me minted later joined me in the heap. All of us were glittering and shining, waiting without knowing our future.

One day the Manager of the mint moved us to the weighing machine. Weighing thousands of us at a time we were packed into boxes where we had no air to breathe. We were put into a train going south. After two days we reached Chennai and got deposited in a grand building called the Reserve Bank of India. Here again it was all dark, protected on all sides with armed guards guarding us all the time. We talked to one another, how valuable we were. Boxes before us were going out at the rate of two or three everyday. Then came the turn of our box. The box was lifted and handed over to the cash section. A beautiful place with a lot of light, air and sea breeze. That was the first happy day after our birth. All of us in the box stayed together all these days. But unfortunately the cashier is putting out tens and fives of us and giving to different people.

Ninety nine other brothers and I, fell into the hands of a pious merchant living in Georgetown. He took us to the prayer room, placed us before his deity, said his prayers and deposited us in his iron safe. There we found new companions - gold coins, nickel coins, copper coins, paper notes and gold and silver ornaments. It was a grand museum.

Another four of us and I were picked up on Deepavali day by our master. He gave me out to a vegetable seller all alone. My brothers were similarly given to others in exchange for other commodities. My new master was a lady. She tied me up in a corner of her sari. She was so pleased with my new shape and brightness. Many of our clan came to her and left. But she never gave me away. In a...