Category: misc

Goodbye Dravid

It is not everyday when a good player leaves the game and as some people have written leaving the game richer with their legacy!

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Making A Documentary

Last weekend for me was totally different! I was taking part in an Organization level contest for making a documentary on how eco-friendly my company is. It was supposed to be a team event, but there wasn’t much of a team, save me and my wife; but I am glad we make a great pair 🙂

It was great fun and a wonderful experience. Though I am no stranger on the other side of the lens, it was my first attempt in making a movie of some “professional standard”! Neither was I too keen on following set norms – so I simply let my thoughts come alive while making the video;. the cast being just my wife – it was pretty obvious no one would risk ruining a potential career option by appearing in my film, except for this girl 😀

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Piracy and Some Silly Questions

When the Google search result for music downloads yielded me nothing more than a couple of Free Music Downloads (note: no legality clause included) in the first few results and the fact that there are more Google ads featuring such sites than you can ever imagine, I was left wondering if people have come to take music piracy or piracy in general for granted! However, not all free download sites are actually violating copyrights. Such music is mostly from independent artists who are looking to burn those download counters!

On the other hand, if you are really looking for legitimate music downloads of that recent Bollywood/ Kollywood flick that you loved so much you’ll have to shell some buck! It’s the only truth and that’s all there is to it! Now you may ask me questions like I’ve never done any such darn thing since the day I listened to my first song on PC or something like the websites that offer such music can in no way be treading on piracy! All I can say is please continue reading…

It is very intuitive of us humans to see to it that our HARD-EARNED money goes toward spending for something worthy/ unique and not toward something that is available FREE of cost and that too available in a ZILLION places! True; undeniable; rational but not necessary legal ALWAYS!

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INR

I’d be covering some of the security features available in the currency we use daily in this three part series (thanks to bench life). What I would not be discussing is the economy/ fall and rise of the INR. I would try to make it as informative as possible and highlight many of those features that would otherwise go noticed…

To start off with a brush with history the oldest coins, more of seals to be exact, in India (or Hindustan) trace back to 2500 BC, the days of the Indus Valley Civilizations. But there are arguments as to whether the seals were actually used for trading i.e. as currencies{{1}}

The usage of silver/ gold in making coins can be traced to around 5th century BC when Punch Marked coins were introduced. Then there were the dynastic coins of Kushan, Satavahana, Kshatrapa, Mauryans, Gupta etc which mainly depicted king on one side of the coin and deity on the other end. Depiction of events and occasions in the coins came in a bit later. Trading between Europe and Middle East with ancient Indians ensured intermixed currencies that were in circulation.

Conquests by Arabs did see a big difference in use of Arabic styled Calligraphy. This was the case with that of Khiljis, Tughlaqs etc. In came the paper currencies inspired by the Chinese, which however turned out to a failed experiment thanks to the forgeries (yes even during that time). When Gold became scarce, it was time of metals like Copper to take over. But a method of standardizing currencies didn’t exist, that is till the period of the Vijayanagar Empire.

The dynasty in Vijayanagar evolved coinage of different metrology and design which was to remain as a standard in the region and influence coin design up to the 19th Century{{2}}. Amongst the significant gold coins of the Vijayanagar Empire were those bearing the image of the deity of Tirupati, i.e., Lord Venkatesvara represented either singly or with his two consorts. These coins inspired the ‘Single Swami’ Pagodas of the Dutch and French and the ‘Three Swami’ Pagodas of the English East India Company.

The actual birth of the Rupee can be attributed to the system of tri-metalism which came to characterise Mughal coinage was largely the creation, not of the Mughals but of Sher Shah Suri (1540 to 1545 AD), an Afghan, who ruled for a brief time in Delhi. Sher Shah issued a coin of silver which was termed the Rupiya. This weighed 178 grains and was the precursor of the modern rupee{{3}}

The regimes of Marathas, Sikhs and kingdom of Mysore followed more or less a similar pattern. The first machine struck coins were made by the Princely State of Hyderabad in the beginning of the 20th century{{4}}

By the time British power came into India Silver, Copper and Nickel formed the basic elements of coinage and rigid weight standards came into practice. Shortage of Silver by end of 1st world war ushered in the time for (re)appearance of paper currencies (for lower denominations).

The Anna system was introduced by the Republic India after a brief transition period in the post-independence age. The King (or Queen) portraits on one side of the coin was replaced by top half (Three Lions) of the National Emblem. Conversion wise this is how it stood: 1 rupee = 16 annas = 64 pices = 192 pies

This{{5}} was the way things stood till the concept of decimalization came into effect (1957-1964). The Rupee was divided into 100 Paisa instead of 16 Annas or 64 Pice and this system was termed Naya Paisa to gain public recognition. In addition to the decorations on either side of the coin, weight, metals used, shape and, thickness aided in forging the correctly valued coins. Low denominations began to be predominantly made out of Aluminium/ Magnesium.

From coins our focus will shift to paper notes and the current security features in them, that are being employed to prevent forgeries.


[[1]] Ancient India Coinage [[1]]

[[2]] Medieval India Coinage [[2]]

[[3]] Moghul India Coinage [[3]]

[[4]] Pre-Colonial India & Princely States: Coinage [[4]]

[[5]] Republic India Coinage [[5]]

My 55 Word Story

My first attempt at this 55 word thingie. “Got contaminated” over here. This one’s supposed to be on the topic ‘Reigning Man’:

He looked at the gun pointed at him and knew he had screwed up. His negotiating skills had taken him far, but not far enough. He looked at his would-be killer one more time. You lose… screamed the killer… then BANG!

Reigning Statesman found dead in front of his dresser! Suicide confirmed! screamed the headlines.

A Man’s Virginity

You wait for this day for years on end; hoping it would bring with it, the sweetest moments of life; and then when it comes, you stop and think if it was all worth it. You start catching stars and dreams which go flying off your net.

Moments will pass, when your brain shall come to question its own logic; when you long for time to hold on for one more moment; and that’s when time chooses to disclose its true villainous nature.

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Karma?

What is your problem with fire?” asked Shyam.

Nothing man, really!” Guna tried to lie to his friend.

Cut the crap, will you? Anyone could notice you were not so very comfortable during the festival.” said Shyam referring to the Bhogi which was a day back.

Okay. I’ll tell you, but promise me you won’t ever blurt it to anyone else. Will you?
It really didn’t take Shyam a long time to coax his friend out of his so called secrets. Most of them were just silly to the point of being stupid.

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