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 way I can say that she fell in live with me. She carried me to market, to temple, to cinema, to beach and to all places. I was really enjoying her company seeing new men and new places.
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One day when my lady boss was sleeping she lost grip over me. I was allowed to roll out of her room to be found by her naughty son. He became my new boss. He played with me hitting me up and down. Everytime when 1 fell down, I cried with pain. My young boss laughed at my cries and repeated his acts. I was praying to God to get me out of his hands. That day came soon when I was exchanged for an ice-cream. The vendor became my new boss, who on his travel to Hyderabad took me with him. I was feeling happy that I was again travelling in a train. But midway another person who wanted change got me. He was a very rich person travelling from place to place on pilgrimage.
I was still bright and glittering. So my new master kept me with him for a month. I saw places of pilgrimage like Tirupati, Sirsailam, Bhadrachalam and Simhachalam before I reached Visakhapatnam along with my boss. From there I, along with my boss, (raveled by air to Allahabad where he wanted to have a dip in holy Prayag. I was happy that I was joining him in the holy dip. But alas! There I was left to sink down in the holy ‘Sangam’ where I still lay buried. I am still lying there unseen, unheard and unused. I will be there as long as Ganga and Jamuna flow.