The Reserve Bank of India is all set to issue the new Rs 100 denomination currency note. In a statement the RBI said that the new banknotes are part of the Mahatma Gandhi (New) Series.

Lavender in colour, the new Rs 100 denomination has Mahatma Gandhi’s face on the obverse and Rani Ki Vav motif on the reverse.

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The note has other designs, geometric patterns aligning with the overall colour scheme, both at the obverse and reverse. Dimension of the banknote will be 66 mm × 142 mm, which is smaller than the existing Rs 100 note of dimension 73 × 157 mm.

The new note will be in circulation along with the already existing Rs 100 note.

“All the banknotes in the denomination of Rs 100 issued by the Reserve Bank in the earlier series will continue to be legal tender,” said the central bank in a statement.

What is the Rani Ki Vav?

Located in Patan, Gujarat, the Rani Ki Vav is an 11th century stepwell constructed by Udayamati, the widow of Chaulukyan king Bhima I in his memory. The ornately carved well has numerous sculptures dedicated to Lord Vishnu and his ten incarnations, including Lord Buddha.

Considered the finest among all stepwells in India, the Rani Ki Vav is 64 metres long and 20 metres wide. It is 27 metres deep and was fed by the waters of the Saraswati River.

On 22 June 2014, Rani Ki Vav was added to the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites.

What are the features of the new Rs 100 note?

Obverse (Front)

1. See through register with denominational numeral 100,

2. Latent image with denominational numeral 100,

3. Denominational numeral १०० in Devnagari,

4. Portrait of Mahatma Gandhi at the centre,

5. Micro letters ‘RBI’, ‘भारत’, ‘India’ and ‘100’,

6. Windowed security thread with inscriptions ‘भारत’ and RBI with colour shift; Colour of the thread changes from green to blue when the note is tilted,

7. Guarantee Clause, Governor’s signature with Promise Clause and RBI emblem towards right of Mahatma Gandhi portrait,

8. Ashoka Pillar on the right,

9. Mahatma Gandhi portrait and electrotype (100) watermarks,

10. Number panel with numerals in ascending font on the top left side and bottom right side,

11. For the visually impaired, intaglio or raised printing of Mahatma Gandhi portrait, Ashoka Pillar emblem, raised triangular identification mark with micro-text 100, four angular bleed lines both on the right and left sides,

Reverse (Back)

12. Year of printing of the note on the left,

13. Swachh Bharat logo with slogan,

14. Language panel,

15. Motif of RANI KI VAV,

16. Denominational numeral १०० in Devnagari.

The RBI said that when a new design of banknote is introduced, printing and supply of these notes for distribution to public through the banking channel will gradually increase.