Monday, June 16, 2008

Spotted in Chor Bazaar

I went to Chor Bazaar today, and spotted a couple of shops selling old coins. Among the most common coins were the "ONE ANNA" coins of the East India Company.
.

I don't know a thing about coins, but I figured they were fake (note the variations in the Om symbol). Besides, the coin in the centre has 1939 minted on it. I thought the Company Sarkar was abolished in 1861 after the Mutiny? We asked for the price of a single coin, and the man said Rs 50.

The other interesting thing I spotted in Chor Bazaar was brass milk cans. This photo is from a set of three cans; I was tempted to buy all three and turn them into interesting planters for my potted ferns. Asking price: Rs 1200 per can. Should I have bought them?
.

Another store was selling metal armour (who buys these things anyway?) I stood for a minute and looked at the design of the armour. Are those trousers? How do you pee if you wear these, for God's sake? Or maybe battle is about holding it in while you slash and cut your way through to the nearest toilet.

All in all, Chor Bazaar is quite interesting. I keep discovering new things every time I go there.

6 comments:

CanisLupus said...

"How do you pee if you wear these.....?" :)))))))))))))). Cracked me up! I dont think the designers built it for comfort!

Anonymous said...

Glad to hear that Chor Bazaar still exists.

Anonymous said...

I will buy them and keep them as they are - the milk cans etc .

Le's said...

nice to meet you.

Anupam Katkar said...

"How do you pee in these"? I can answer that. :) Those glamorous knights in shining armor peed in their chain mail trousers. I kid you not. Taking a shit in the armor while on campaign was not uncommon either. It was part of the duties of a page or squire (the knight's underlings) to clean the armor and keep it ready for wearing whenever he took it off.

Avantika said...

Nicely written.. you sometimes can get really lucky at chor bazaar!

old coin of india