One rainy afternoon, Aarohi sat cross-legged by her grandmother, a handful of colorful banknotes spread across her lap. Each note felt like a tiny treasure chest filled with secrets waiting to be unlocked. “Grandma, why are there pictures of temples and caves on these?” she asked, eyes wide with curiosity.

Her grandmother smiled warmly. “Because each note tells a story of India—its past, its people, and its dreams. Want to explore them with me?”

Aarohi nodded eagerly. And so, their adventure began.

The base colour of the 10 rupee note is Chocolate brown

💵₹10 – The Sun Temple of Konark, Odisha

Aarohi traced her finger over the image of a giant chariot carved in stone. “Look, Grandma! Why does this temple have wheels and horses?” she wondered.

“The Sun Temple is a celebration of time,” her grandmother explained. “The 24 wheels represent the hours of a day, and the seven horses are the days of the week. It’s like a giant clock made of stone, dedicated to Surya—the Sun God.”

Aarohi’s eyes sparkled. “How did people build something so perfect without machines?” she asked herself. She imagined the artists working for years, carving every detail with care. Holding the ₹10 note, she felt connected to those ancient hands that shaped the temple.

The base colour of the 20 rupee note is Greenish Yellow

₹20 – The Ellora Caves, Maharashtra

Next, Aarohi looked at the rocky mountains on the ₹20 note. “Are those caves?” she asked. “How did they make a whole temple inside a mountain?”

Her grandmother nodded. “Yes! The Kailasa Temple inside Ellora Caves was carved from a single giant rock. They didn’t build it brick by brick— they chiseled it down from the top. Imagine turning a mountain into a temple!”

Aarohi’s mind raced with questions: How many people worked on it? How did they know where to cut? Could she visit and walk inside those ancient caves? The mystery of Ellora made her want to explore more than ever.