Word Meaning
आनों
Aanon
Meaning
Annas (fractional coin, one-sixteenth of a rupee); petty sums or small change.
Detailed Meaning
In this couplet, 'aanon' is the oblique plural of 'aana' (anna), an old currency denomination equal to one-sixteenth of a rupee. It is deliberately contrasted with 'rupe' (rupees) to symbolize a dramatic downfall in fortune, where those accustomed to spending lavishly in full rupees are now humiliated and trapped over petty pennies.
Etymology
From Sanskrit आनक (ānaka) / Prakrit, referring to a fractional division or small coin.
Usage
In classical poetry, contrasting full rupees with annas or kauris serves as a poignant trope for social decline and the fickleness of worldly fortune.
Examples
Reduced to begging for a few petty annas.
Those who counted in rupees now haggle over annas.