Mumbai: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is set to release a new Rs 100 note in violet colour by next month. The new note will house the impression of Gujarat’s Rani Ki Vav (stepwell), said a Dainik Bhaskar report, adding that the size of this currency will be smaller than the present one. However, it will be slightly bigger than new Rs 10 note.

Ranki Vav or Rani Ki Vav which is also known as Queen’s stepwell is seven storey deep stepwell with hundreds of sculptures. It was built by medieval era queen Udaymati in memory of her husband Bhimdev Solanki in Patan town of North Gujarat. While many other ancient Hindu monuments were either converted to mosques or were razed to ground by Islamic invaders, the Queen’s stepwell could survive because it was buried with soil until it was discovered in early phase of last century. Queen’s stepwell is also one of few World Heritage Sites declared by UNESCO in India.

According to the report, the old Rs 100 currency notes will not be affected by the new notes and will continue in circulation. The printing of the new Rs 100 note has reportedly started in the printing press of Dewas. The new design was given final shape at the printing press, where Rs 2000 note are also printed.

The report said that foreign ink was used in printing the samples of Rs 2000 notes in the beginning, but the Dewas press has now managed the same colour using indigenous colour.

The new notes will without any doubt give great publicity to Queen’s Stepwell, an amazing architecture of Indian origin.