The crisis in Ukraine generated considerable commentary on the future of various currencies. The Russian Ruble seemed to gain in stature, since European countries were asked by Russia to avoid Euros and Dollars for natural gas imports. The Rupee-Dollar trajectory was also volatile, adding to India’s worries about the economy.

As I was seriously trying to avoid reading about news of the Rupee touching record lows, my attention shifted to something more uplifting. The Museum of Goa (MOG) alerted me to a Marathi rendering of the Bengali classic Hottomalar Opare by the veteran playwright-director Badal Sircar (1925-2011). The 1977 play features a fictional land where no money or currency runs life. The land operates on unusual principles of equitable distribution of resources, leaving no scope for any buying or selling, and certainly no unfair commerce.  The comedy derives its strength from two naughty thieves, who are unable to go about their business because of the unknown rules governing the land.  What can they possibly sell, rob, steal, swindle, when everything around them is collectively owned and used as per need.