Many a time, when I am out for a shopping spree, I end up receiving centre fruit - the most ubiquitous Indian-made chewing gum in our indigenous marketplace- in exchange for my balance money. When I am on a roller coaster ride of ‘retail therapy, I don’t even mind brooming all those colourful tasty rubber from the counter table and instead, entomb those incidents into the wallet of forgotten stories.
Because
there’s nothing that we can do at our own disposal, it is by far, easier and cheaper
to fall prey to this formulaic business ethos of accepting the colonization by gum money. Our native retailers and
entrepreneurs have largely consumed this as a commercial right ever since our
coins or (the less usage of currency with lower denominations) vanished into
thin air from circulation in the economy.
In
the nations abroad, the primary lifeline of the economy and of course the
delivery of various public services are sustained by the obtainability of huge
volumes of coins. Transactions are rapid, businesses are swept, and service
deliveries are elegant, since the value of money, either to be paid or received,
can be easily translated by using the coins.
But in our marketing picture, in
the absence of having no coins or denominations that can substitute our exchange,
we either risk surrendering the commodities, thereby triggering the anger
dynamite of the shopkeepers, or wait for them or run ourselves to nearby shops
and persons to rescue us in finding convertible payable amount.
If the use of
the coins in our business fair is still prevalent, the purpose of minting our
coins will be served besides aiding to reserve its flow and make it visible for all the
generations. It is nevertheless, acceptable for this generation to know that
the Bhutanese coins existed, but it would be painful that the forthcoming generations would not even
hear of its fateful existence, let alone see it.
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| Picture courtesy: Click LINK |
Till the homecoming of our coins into the theatre of economy, the salespersons
can dance on their feet as ardent Centre
fruit ambassadors, either by design or by accident. While it is certain
that the gum money given to
compensate our balance money cannot be used to purchase the goods even from
that same shop where we obtained it, as a customer, the least we can do is to forcefully never forget the
revolutionary story of centre fruit progress,
in terms of its colour, size and taste.
What an interesting perspective. I cannot see it taking on here, but money plays a big, big part of our culture. Too big I think.
ReplyDeleteYou brought the very concerning topic into light which I had been thinking from quite a long ago now. It's very disheartening to see that our coins which ought to, yet isn't playing any role in our economy, anymore. Perhaps, this might be on reason, why our country is not making much progress in economy status compared to our neighbour, India.
ReplyDeleteOnce, I also wrote on the pertinent topic. http://somtnz.blogspot.in/2014/08/where-is-coin.html
Ya! Change mee tey, is the statement the sales executive puts it proudly. And we as humble customers accepts it and become the recipient of center fruit. Blame the accommodating nature of the Bhutanese, I'd say. Which of course had its ripple effect on the economy.
ReplyDeleteHaving said that, this is a very thoughtful post Dumcho sir. I can see that you are relieved from your hospital bed and back to everyday chores now. Keep posting. :)
I remember getting candies too when they don't have enough coins for my change. Some say it's business strategy but which we shouldn't accept. Because when you think about it, they wouldn't allow us to pay with candies or goodies too if we don't have enough money.
ReplyDelete