1818 make’ One Ana Coin with Rama Pattabisheka mudra
A stranger who had read Sri Ramayana that I had written has honored me by gifting me this 1818 make’ One Ana Coin. The coin is of my palm size with Rama Pattabisheka mudra. The spelling for Ana is seen as ‘AANA’ and obviously someone has tried to appraise its authenticity. There are coins with the spelling ‘ANNA’ too. Not sure which is right nor which could be original or fake. It is apparently made by the East India Company and I’m given to learn that it was used not as a transactional currency but as a token of authentication for any registration of property done then.
Whatever its worth could be, I accepted it as a dear possession of a priceless gift given to me considering my passion to come out with a new version of the epic Sri Ramayana in English as Poetry.
I refrain from exploring its authenticity and worth for the very reason that I have an emotional value attached to it that can never be changed. It is embarrassing when even my people say that Sri Rama has reached the hands that wrote about his exploits on Earth. . When I ask myself, if I deserve this, I can only say that the lord is too magnanimous. – Jai Shree Ram.
-Srirangam Ramesh