The act of counting money provides a tangible representation of one’s success and security that intangibles can only try and provide. As each currency note is lovingly tallied, it offers a concrete measure of one’s well-being. This sense of control and organisation can be deeply satisfying, even spiritual.
Moreover, counting money can be a therapeutic and meditative activity. The rhythmic and repetitive motion of handling bills can be calming dhun, even helping to alleviate stress and anxiety.
The visual and tactile experience of handling currency can also be aesthetically pleasing. Counting money may seem like a banal, even tasteless, thing to do. But the act, especially during this festive season before Dhanteras, brings the intangibles of wealth into the tangible form of money. Not something to be scoffed at but, indeed, to be celebrated.
