Our Paisas??
In the year 1998 I had an opportunity to live on my own outside India. My experience of shopping in the US gave me a glimpse of Buying Power. I did not bother much to buy a $1000 handy cam, which if I had to buy in India at that time would not have been possible simply going by cost of living at that time. A car costing half a million to couple of million dollars were available too. No I couldn't buy or even dream of one of those, but Americans could buy such expensive cars. Modern Indian Coins But shopping at a mall or a mexican grocery shop was reasonable for me. At the counter the girl generates a quick (no mental math even for a 10 + 90 + 1.30 + 5) automatic billing machine. Prints out $2.35 + tax. Say around $3.11 something. I would have change 10+5 cents. I pay $3 and 15 cents and walk out. She calls me back, hands over the change 4 cents (four 1 cents!) There were days when my father could not afford to buy us crackers on Diwali. We were not rich or even medium rich. My...