with perfection on the new nickel-chromium plate we all read 1 Rupee - Ek Rupiah, Bharat- India.
Before we could realize and bask in our new born glory, we were set on a roller coaster ride of the final inventory check, and a speeding gadget made a quick scrutiny of our sanity.
9999 coins counted and checked OKAY in less than 3 minutes but the machine almost came to a startle, on the last coin – the buzzer beeped loud, the display panel on the left top, flashed Error!!!
The inspectors-in-charge were eagerly waiting for the final count to close and pass the lot. They were eager to call it a day and were worried enough on their chances of making it to home while the sky continued to roar. The sudden noise from the machine and error information disrupted the conversation that Mr Tariq Ansari, Prabodh Gupta and Shamsher Khalid were having.
“Oh! What’s up with the coin, caught in the machine? Quite unlikely, after we installed the new machines. This is almost after 5 years that I have seen such a discrepancy caught in the casting and making of the coin”, said Khalid, as he speeded towards the machine.
“Looks fine to me, not sure what’s up with the machine!” inspected Mr. Khalid, as I freighted in fear and sweated from the machine heat in his trembling hands.
A violent thunder struck and the ventilator glass broke into pieces.
“It is raining hell today”, burped Mr Ansari. “Let me see what the problem is! Come Gupta lets inspect.”
Here I shone in the soft and wobbly hands of Khalid Khan and then passed through his peeping eyes narrowed on my little spherical body as he pointed me against the giant overhead flash light.
“Here Gupta, take a look. I see no fault with it. May be we should get the computer checked,” A loud roar shook the windows as Khalid passed me to Gupta. I was praying hard in my heart to be spared, I was eager to see the world and did not want to end up my journey in the foundry. That very moment electricity went off with a thunder and its deafening noise shook Gupta’s large cylindrical fingers.
Thud! Thud!! Thud, I slipped over the solid tray, glided over the greasy machine slide and there I joined my 9999 siblings again. May be God had listened to my prayers.
“Damn where did it go?” shrugged Gupta, as Khalid and Tariq wondered on what took the backup generator lights to come up.
“Here comes the electricity!” chuckled Gupta, Khalid and Tariq.
“Mercy! The coin has fallen in the lot again. Will we have to run them through the machine again?” asked Gupta
“Forget it my dear, the coin looked perfect, it must be some random error with the computer,” answered Khalid.
“Yeah and anyways the other 9999 coins have been tested okay. Let’s call it a day and have some tea,” suggested Gupta.
“Alright then, here I pass the lot and the day ends. I am dying to eat something, let’s quickly go to the canteen,” opined Khalid.
“It seems difficult to leave for home, in this stormy weather but…” – echoed Tariq’s words as they left the room and here I lay hidden somewhere in the lot.
Generator failed out again minutes later, and the foundry encompassed in darkness.
Computer running on the UPS backup displayed - “Error! Deformity 201 – coin not completely spherical the coat has rice grain mark under the Ashoka sign.”
The computer screen started dimming, and the system displayed low battery sign. In the dark room the smell of grease, nickel, ammonia, iron and dampness of the air, perfumed a majestic aura. The human mind replica slowly went to sleep. The skies outside cleared and cool breeze started soothing Mother Nature.
With my head dug down under, here I was reborn on the same night - a coin which is not supposed to be, which is technically incorrect and an underdog that actually is not actual!
Chapter’s take away –
“Birth is predestined -it is the first time life chooses you and you don’t choose life!”
“Life is a precious gift. Often we crib about life and how unfair it has been, but we forget the mere fact that we got a life, a miracle of nature; and whatever be the reason for our complaints we should always look at the brighter side of it.
The moment the coin was rejected by the machine – it feared of its existence and was unsure of its fate. Luck and destiny’s game plan brought it to life. The same way we are born with our share of luck and everyone except us has hopes and dreams for us – what we make of that luck and expectations clubbed with our actions is what becomes the journey called our lifetime!
CHAPTER - 2
Coin of Realizations
Fulfilling wishes, bringing blessings, symbol of fortune – I was the coin of all possibilities!
I might have been the one with imperfections, but I won my luck not to be rejected. I realized in my very first journey that no matter how small one may be – it is its value and importance to others that count. I can bring about celebrations and blessings by just being a silent companion of any amount. Life had many more learning’s to offer me.
As my first home, I went to a businessman’s factory. I was brought fresh from the bank, with my siblings – we shone brilliantly and were stacked in lots of 500 coins each. The labourers separated us manually; we hugged, rubbed and screamed good bye to each other.
We all were to be adorned over shining envelopes, they had figures I could not understand, a human body with an elephant’s head and a beautiful smiling rich lady, standing on lotus. Later I did realize that I was a symbol of that smiling rich lady and was to be worshipped in absence of her physical presence on this planet, and I was not just a coin but the coin of good fortune.
The next day I was all set on a second journey. Glued over fancy envelopes, I along with my other coin kins were parcelled to unknown destinations.
I was not sure of the time that had lapsed since my transit from the envelope making shop. My eyes blazed with the bright sunlight. A young boy carefully unwrapped and dusted the straw and rough paper collected over us. He then, placed us in a long rack and I was so pleased on my luck because he stacked me as the first one in that series. I could clearly see the neatly done shop. The signboard on its wall read – “Student’s Shop and Stationery”.
A narrow lane ahead of the shop made its way to an adjoining park. I could only see the rear part of the park; there were few benches, a slide, a jogging track, and series of tall green trees.
‘Man made me, but whoever made man and his world is so much better skilled and mightier,’ was my instant opinion, as I watched this wonderful place with my eyes zoomed to maximum. Cool air tickled over me and the envelopes flickered. A noise on the desk brought me back from my thoughts. I was soon to realize my identity. A small boy with stout body and blushing cheeks asked for a dozen ‘best wishes envelopes’ from the stationery boy.
Within minutes of being in the stationary shop, I was travelling with the boy swaying in a green plastic bag.
“Here granny, I got you envelopes,” shouted the stout boy as he placed the packet over a plastic chair kept in a beautiful lawn.
