Life in the Time of Note Ban: Sketching People at ATM Queues

A story through sketches, illustrating the lives of people in queues outside banks and ATMs.

I was prepped with a sketchbook and a pen. (Photo: TheQuint/SusnataPaul)

“Today I should make it to the ATM,” I decided as I paid online for the cab. I was prepped with a sketchbook and a pen to kill time while standing in the queue.

Here’s a peep into my sketchbook:

(Most of them are very quick sketches, a minute or less time taken for each, to capture the mood and essence of different people standing in the queue, who also came and interacted with me as I sketched.)

How it feels to be at the end of an unending queue. (Photo: TheQuint/SusnataPaul)

Firoz said he has been waiting for five hours already. He sat down for a while as I sketched him.

Firoz said he has been waiting for five hours already. (Photo: TheQuint/SusnataPaul)

From where I stood, there were ATMs, banks and a post office one after the other. Hence, there were parallel queues on both sides and I could see all kinds of people waiting for their turn.

All kinds of people stood in the line. (Photo: TheQuint/SusnataPaul)

No separate line for ladies. (Photo: TheQuint/SusnataPaul)

Soon, a crowd started assembling around me.

An elderly art-enthusiast took interest in my work.(Photo: TheQuint/SusnataPaul)

The onlookers kept asking me to draw them. (Photo: TheQuint/SusnataPaul)

I felt a little powerful over my colleague, because I could draw people who refused to come in front of the camera for him.

Shahna pulls in her dupatta as my colleague turns on the camera. (Photo: TheQuint/SusnataPaul)

Mr Adi Prakash interviewing Hansa and her son.(Photo: TheQuint/SusnataPaul)

Captured varied moods and gestures.(Photo: TheQuint/SusnataPaul)

The ladies waited as their husbands/sons/fathers stood in the queue.(Photo: TheQuint/SusnataPaul)

Growing impatience among the people.(Photo: TheQuint/SusnataPaul)

Standing at the end of the queue.(Photo: TheQuint/SusnataPaul)

Distress as the shutter went down.(Photo: TheQuint/SusnataPaul)

Other people from the media.(Photo: TheQuint/SusnataPaul)

The post office queue. (Photo: TheQuint/SusnataPaul)

Amit waited for his turn.(Photo: TheQuint/SusnataPaul)

Pawan, the coffee seller. (Photo: TheQuint/SusnataPaul)

Different people, different expressions.(Photo: TheQuint/SusnataPaul)

Swapandeep, resident of Delhi, stands in the queue. (Photo: TheQuint/SusnataPaul)

Queue outside the bank. (Photo: TheQuint/SusnataPaul)

Rakhi, newly married, came with her husband. (Photo: TheQuint/SusnataPaul)

Here is a video documenting the lives of the people we met, standing at the ATM queue.