Archive · 14 Nov 2025
Mumbai Exhibition Traces 500-Year Journey of the Rupee as a Symbol of Power
Imagine a special coin, the rupee, that's like a superhero cape for power and trade.
This exhibition in Mumbai shows us how the rupee started over 500 years ago, way before India was even a country!
It began with a king named Sher Shah Suri who wanted everyone to use the same kind of money to make trading easier.
The rupee was made of silver and became so trusted that big empires like the Mughals used it everywhere.
Even when other kings and later the British came, they kept using the rupee, sometimes putting their own symbols on it.
It was so popular that people in faraway places like Africa and Papua New Guinea also used Indian rupees!
The exhibition shows old coins from different rulers, explaining how the rupee traveled the world and became a symbol of strength and trade.
An exhibition in Mumbai traces the 500-year history of the rupee, highlighting its role as a symbol of power.
The exhibition features coins from the private collection of Sarmaya Arts Foundation founder, Paul Abraham.
The first rupee coin is attributed to Sher Shah Suri in 1538, with 'rupya' derived from the Sanskrit word for silver.
The rupee's influence spread across the Indian subcontinent and internationally through trade, adopted by empires like the Mughals and even colonial powers.
Coins on display include ancient punch-marked coins, early rupees from Sher Shah Suri and Akbar, and later versions minted by British and other colonial powers in regions like East Africa and Papua New Guinea.
- Who
- Sarmaya Arts Foundation, Paul Abraham (founder and collector), Shailendra Bhandare (numismatist and curator)
- What
- An exhibition titled 'Odyssey of the Rupee: From India to the World' showcasing the historical journey of the rupee coin over 500 years.
- When
- The exhibition runs until January 31; the historical period covered spans approximately 500 years, from ancient punch-marked coins to early independent India.
- Where
- Sarmaya Arts Foundation in Mumbai.
- Why
- To highlight the rupee's evolution from a regional currency to a universal symbol of power adopted by various empires and trade routes.
- Exhibition Title
- Odyssey of the Rupee: From India to the World
- Location
- Sarmaya Arts Foundation, Mumbai
- Duration
- Until January 31
- Curator
- Shailendra Bhandare
- Collection Source
- Primarily Paul Abraham's private collection
- Exhibition Focus
- The rupee's historical significance as a symbol of power and its global reach