A family in Delhi worships ancestral silver coins during Diwali

Gopal Seth and his family in Delhi perform a unique ritual by worshipping sakshat Lakshmi, which they represent through a collection of silver coins.

These coins have remained with the family for nearly 150 years, dating back to the era of Seth's great-grandfather, a merchant who served on the first general committee of the Delhi Municipal Corporation in the 1860s.

The family views the coins as physical manifestations of wealth and prosperity, similar to how people view the sun as a physical form of a deity. During the Diwali festival, the family brings out the coins, which include pieces from the early 1940s and a bust of King Edward VII minted between 1903 and 1910. They clean the coins with water and a mixture of milk, curd, honey, ghee, and sugar before offering them vermilion and a sacred thread.

Seth notes that Diwali celebrations have changed since he grew up in Chandni Chowk. While relatives used to gather in a single house to exchange sweets and gold coins, modern celebrations are now typically restricted to immediate family members.