Dehradun, Dec. 21 -- Author's Collection

When I look back over the years, our old banks have always had what might be called a chequered history. Our first bank, The North-West Bank, was floated in 1836 and crashed in 1842. Seventeen years later, the Delhi and London Bank opened in 1859. It was established as the Mansuri Savings Bank in 1864.

Mr F. Moss ( yes, the same Mr. Moss who gave the Jharipani waterfalls their name) launched the Himalaya Bank, which seemed to be doing fine till it collapsed in 1884. In quick succession, the Bank of Upper India, the Alliance Bank and the Himalaya Bank too crashed. The building, now shorn of all its spit and polish, is currently occupied by the LIC, the stickers and billboards making it seem like a...