Trip Report-- Delhi, India: a search for numismatic delicacies and coin books
Longacre
Posts: 16,717 ✭✭✭
As I write these words, I am thankful to be back at the 5 star luxury of my hotel, after braving the streets of Delhi to file this report.
The day started off with my trying to walk to the bazaar district from my hotel. I was immediately accosted on the street by Nasim, in his lovely three-wheeled yellow and green tuk-tuk. Now Longacre is used to traveling in the back of an air conditioned stretch limo, so I was not about to get on the back of that three-wheeled thing and hang on for dear life in the Delhi traffic. So I waved off Nasim.
After taking at least 5 minutes to cross one street, Nasim magically appeared in his tuk-tuk next to me, gave me an enormous toothless grin, and offered to take me to the bazaar district at Connaught Place for the princely sum of 20 rupees (about 43 cents). So I gently eased onto the back of the tuk-tuk, realized there was no seat belt, and then held onto the bars on the side for dear life, as Nasim opened the throttle, looked straight ahead, and simply pulled out into the raging Delhi traffic, with nary a look to the right or the left. A greater feat of wonderment that we were not squashed like a bug I cannot imagine.
I was dropped off at Jains Book Depot, and snapped this picture of the inside:
Unfortunately, there were no coin books to be had, but I did find the tax law section!
I spent at least 30 minutes at Jains browsing books, and decided to leave and walk the streets. Imagine my wonder, as I stepped onto the sidewalk, when Nasim came flying around the corner on two wheels and asked me where I wanted to go next (again, for the princely sum of 20 rupees). I travel halfway around the world, and now Longacre has a tuk-tuk stalker.
I asked that he take me to another section of the bazaar area. So I got off on some random street and ventured further. I knew I was in luck because I saw the store of an Indian numismatist. Here is a picture of the door:
I was able to snap a picture of some of the coins in the case. I did not recognize any of them, but not wanting to haggle over coins I knew nothing about, I simply admired the case, and moved on.
I realized that I was in a big book dealer section of the bazaar area, so I hit several shops. Here is one that I stopped in:
I just knew that a numismatic book was close by, and after digging through some stacks, I found this book, which was in a cloth slipcover, made of the finest Indian pashmina. I will be sure to drop a note in the Whitman Comment Box™ and ask that more of their books should be available with this option.
To my surprise, however, I opened one of the books and snapped this picture. To me, it looks like this book has the look and feel of the Redbook, which was clearly copied by this Indian book publisher. On Monday morning at 8 AM, I will be on the steps of the Indian High Court to file an injunction on behalf of Whitman Publishing’s Indian subsidiary to stop this clear infringement.
I looked further, and saw this book on Indian numismatics and the coins of the sultanates. The pictures in the book were delightful.
Having hit innumerable stores, including some creepy underground bazaar called Palika Bazaar, I was ready to head back to the hotel. Emboldened by surviving on an earlier ride on the tuk-tuk, I flagged another one of the hundreds that are parked on the street, and told the driver to take me back to the Le Meridien for 20 rupees. He balked at my price, and said he needed 25 rupees, most likely because he works the tuk-tuk on razor-thin margins. Not wanting to haggle over 5 rupees (about 11 cents), I hopped on the back, held on for dear life, and am now back at my hotel, filing this report. Several hours in the spa will certainly take the edge off of this harrowing day on the streets of Delhi.
The day started off with my trying to walk to the bazaar district from my hotel. I was immediately accosted on the street by Nasim, in his lovely three-wheeled yellow and green tuk-tuk. Now Longacre is used to traveling in the back of an air conditioned stretch limo, so I was not about to get on the back of that three-wheeled thing and hang on for dear life in the Delhi traffic. So I waved off Nasim.
After taking at least 5 minutes to cross one street, Nasim magically appeared in his tuk-tuk next to me, gave me an enormous toothless grin, and offered to take me to the bazaar district at Connaught Place for the princely sum of 20 rupees (about 43 cents). So I gently eased onto the back of the tuk-tuk, realized there was no seat belt, and then held onto the bars on the side for dear life, as Nasim opened the throttle, looked straight ahead, and simply pulled out into the raging Delhi traffic, with nary a look to the right or the left. A greater feat of wonderment that we were not squashed like a bug I cannot imagine.
I was dropped off at Jains Book Depot, and snapped this picture of the inside:
Unfortunately, there were no coin books to be had, but I did find the tax law section!
I spent at least 30 minutes at Jains browsing books, and decided to leave and walk the streets. Imagine my wonder, as I stepped onto the sidewalk, when Nasim came flying around the corner on two wheels and asked me where I wanted to go next (again, for the princely sum of 20 rupees). I travel halfway around the world, and now Longacre has a tuk-tuk stalker.
I asked that he take me to another section of the bazaar area. So I got off on some random street and ventured further. I knew I was in luck because I saw the store of an Indian numismatist. Here is a picture of the door:
I was able to snap a picture of some of the coins in the case. I did not recognize any of them, but not wanting to haggle over coins I knew nothing about, I simply admired the case, and moved on.
I realized that I was in a big book dealer section of the bazaar area, so I hit several shops. Here is one that I stopped in:
I just knew that a numismatic book was close by, and after digging through some stacks, I found this book, which was in a cloth slipcover, made of the finest Indian pashmina. I will be sure to drop a note in the Whitman Comment Box™ and ask that more of their books should be available with this option.
To my surprise, however, I opened one of the books and snapped this picture. To me, it looks like this book has the look and feel of the Redbook, which was clearly copied by this Indian book publisher. On Monday morning at 8 AM, I will be on the steps of the Indian High Court to file an injunction on behalf of Whitman Publishing’s Indian subsidiary to stop this clear infringement.
I looked further, and saw this book on Indian numismatics and the coins of the sultanates. The pictures in the book were delightful.
Having hit innumerable stores, including some creepy underground bazaar called Palika Bazaar, I was ready to head back to the hotel. Emboldened by surviving on an earlier ride on the tuk-tuk, I flagged another one of the hundreds that are parked on the street, and told the driver to take me back to the Le Meridien for 20 rupees. He balked at my price, and said he needed 25 rupees, most likely because he works the tuk-tuk on razor-thin margins. Not wanting to haggle over 5 rupees (about 11 cents), I hopped on the back, held on for dear life, and am now back at my hotel, filing this report. Several hours in the spa will certainly take the edge off of this harrowing day on the streets of Delhi.
Always took candy from strangers
Didn't wanna get me no trade
Never want to be like papa
Working for the boss every night and day
--"Happy", by the Rolling Stones (1972)
Didn't wanna get me no trade
Never want to be like papa
Working for the boss every night and day
--"Happy", by the Rolling Stones (1972)
0
Comments
Ron
How's the jet lag?
“In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock." - Thomas Jefferson
My digital cameo album 1950-64 Cameos - take a look!
Very interesting - Thank you.
to Whitman headquarters in Atlanta, sent by
diplomatic courier, was held up by bad weather
in Bangalor, so I was grateful to be able to
read your update here.
By now you've realized that Nasim is in the
employ of TaxCo Conglomerated. He has
thirty years' experience in international tax
law, corporate mergers, and the overthrow
of governments hostile to India's national
security. They call him "The Longacre of
Delhi." He reports directly to The Indian Man™.
Consider him a friendly rival, and don't be
fooled by his disguise.
Please be on the lookout for pirated versions
of the Red Book. You'll recognize them by
their very slightly off-red covers, with an
extra 1% to 3% magenta.
Also, I eagerly await your feasibility study
on synthetic elephant-hide bookbindings.
Godspeed to you!
-- Dentuck
P.S. Please tell me you included an order
of tandoori chicken and nan in the diplomatic
pouch? I'm starving.
I give away money. I collect money.
I don’t love money . I do love the Lord God.
New collectors, please educate yourself before spending money on coins; there are people who believe that using numismatic knowledge to rip the naïve is what this hobby is all about.
What's next on the agenda while you're over there, numismatically speaking, of course?
The tut tuts are great fun and I think every person here that ever complains obout traffic and other drivers here should spend some time in Delhi traffic in a tut tut!
Collecting:
Conder tokens
19th & 20th Century coins from Great Britain and the Realm
- Marcus Tullius Cicero, 106-43 BC