India of 1950s

India of early fifties

India was not an Industrial Nation in early fifties . Most  manufactured articles were imported - bicycle, motor cycle, car, radio, pen and even pencils. In my school days one of the popular brands of pencil was yellow in colour and with a small rubber eraser at the other end

. It was manufactured in Czechoslovakia and the price was two anna.

Rupee was then a powerful currency . Purchasing power of  rupee was good . For example 100 grams of butter was less than eight anna (50 paisa) and Polson was the most popular butter.

1 kilo of ghee cost little less than 5 rupees. Best quality Badam (almonds) cost Rs.5 a ser (slightly less than a kilo- 933 grams) . A 64 pages good quality copybook cost three annas and  a big loaf of bread was for  4 Anna (25 paise).

Ticket for first class in cinema halls was for Rs.1and 5 anna. A good cup of tea cost two anna and a full meal was available for a eight anna or less.

Bicycles were very popular Even senior government officers came to office on bicycles. Bicycle users were required to pay an annual licence fee of Rupee 1 for a bicycle and the metal licence plate was usually inserted in  the front spokes of bicycle wheel . Licence for possessing a radio was also there - 5 rupees per year for use of a radio. Raleigh and Hercules were the popular brands of bicycles imported from England.

Very few people owned cars. All  cars were imported - from USA and UK. American cars were big and heavy such as chevrelet, Ford and studibekar. British cars were smaller such as Hillmen and Morris.

.

 I forgot to tell you that in those days the  rupee consisted of 16 Anna and there were four paisa in one anna. we did not have metric system in those days weight was measured in SER and CHHATANK . There were 16 chhatank in one ser which was  equivalent to 933 grams.

More sometime later . . .

***