One of my earliest memories is of this cold morning at a large railway station (VT?) from where long-distance trains would depart for up-country. My mom and dad were about to board the train for our ancestral village near Varanasi.
I distinctly remember (I was a little over 5 years old)...I was crying as I was not accompanying them. Like a bratty child, I told them I'd stop crying if they buy me some chocolate. Dad quickly handed me a twenty rupee note...kissed me on my forehead and promised that they'll be back within few days. Little did I know that it'd be the last kiss...my dad had a heart-attack the moment he arrived at Varanasi station, and passed away few hours later upon reaching the house.
Don't remember much as to what happened to that precious twenty rupee note, but even today, when I see an old orange-red twenty rupee note, my memories take me back to everything that I can remember of that morning and my dad.
I avoid looking at twenty rupee notes, but I found a scan copy on a currency history website (see pic). I'm going to be brave enough to stare at these pictures for a long time today. I hope your memories are brighter than mine.
Love
--Faisal
