2010 - Sri Lanka - 100 Rupee note
Development, Prosperity and Sri Lanka Dancers

The Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) issued, for circulation, a new series of currency notes on the theme "Development, Prosperity and Sri Lanka Dancers" on 2011 February 4th, dated 2010-01-01.

Front: Landscape An artist's impression of Norochcholai Coal Power Plant Project and an early view of Laxapana waterfall with surrounding power cables to upper left. Illustrated are the Sri Lanka bird Orange Billed Babbler to the right, and the butterfly, Autumn Leaf to the lower left. Back: Portrait A drawing of Bharatanatyam dancer and a Mridangam drummer. A Naga guard stone with a Seven hooded Cobra is on the upper right, on a vertical Band with a stylized floral motif, Dvithva Liya Vela. A map of Sri Lanka appears in the background centered to the left of this band.

The security thread is a thin polyester thread embedded in to the note with the letters CBSL RS100
The notes carry the facsimile signatures of the Hon. Minister of Finance, HE President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Governor of the Central Bank, Mr. Ajith Nivard Cabraal.

Predominant Color	: Orange	|	Size	: 138 x 67 mm
Serial Prefix	: U	|	Replacement Prefix	: Z/4
Floresent Fiber	: Yellow	|	Braile	: Three Dots

Norochcholai coal power plant
The Norochcholai coal power plant is a lead project of the government to enhance economic growth and ensure balanced regional development through cost effective power sector development. It is expected that this first coal power plant in Sri Lanka will cater to the increasing demand of electricity initially by 300 MW with an ultimate capacity of 900 MW when fully developed.

Laxapana Waterfall
Laxapana waterfall, one of the beautiful creations of Mother Nature is 129m high and is situated in Hatton area in the Nuwara Eliya district. It is formed by the Maskeliya Oya. The fall gives rise to twin hydroelectricity power stations, Laxapana and New Laxapana.

Sri Lanka Orange -billed Babbler - Turdoides rufescens
Sri Lanka Ratu Demalichcha (Sinhala)
llangai Sevvalahu Velaikkara Kuruvi (Thamil)
Sri Lanka Orange -billed Babbler is an old world babbler with soft fluffy plumage, short rounded wings and a weak flight. It is distinguished from its rufous colouration and orange beak and legs. It is an endemic, common in the wet zone forests and adjacent gardens. This bird is categorized as vulnerable by the IUCN.

The Autumn Leaf - Doleschallia bisaltidae
Sarakolaya (Sinhala)
As its name suggests its wings are similar to the bright amber coloured leaves. It has bright orange colour forewings and its underside resembles a dead leaf, which gives it greater measure of camouflage. Its camouflage makes it harder to spot.

Naga guard stone
The cobra was considered as the guardian of water and treasure. It is suggested that the guard stone carved with the nagaraja symbol at the entrance to ancient buildings represents protection to the building. The sculpture of multi-headed cobra incorporates the belief that when people die they are reincarnated as cobras to protect the treasures.

Dvithva Liya vela
Traditional Sinhalese art has a floral motifs depicted with two similar creepers called Dvithva liya vela. These flower bands are combined or run parallel to each other in a regular pattern.

Bharatanatyam
Bharatanatyam is a classical Indian dance form popular in Sri Lanka. In ancient India, the devadasis had performed Bharatanatyam in Tamil Nadu. Women wear a typical saree in the dance performance, men have bare chest and wear a dhoti-like outfit in the lower part of the body. It is performed with the knees of the dancers bent and the dance form uses hand movements to convey different kinds of emotions to the audience. The main drum used is the Mridangam

Mridangam
The Mridangam is a doubleesided drum used as accompaniment in the Bharatanatyam dances. It is also the main percussion instrument used in Carnatic concerts.

Text edited from Press Releases of the CBSL. Images as in full page colour advertisements published in local newspapers.

Shehan Patterson has observed that the image of female dancer doing the Bharatanatyam on the back of the Rs100/- note has been drawn with only 4 fingers. On the hand stretched above the head the thumb could be hidden from view. But the hand close to the body could not have any fingers hidden from view, based on the pose and the different heights of fingers.

I wonder if this error would get corrected and this first issue become rare like the 1991 Rs100 note where there was a missing dot in a Thamil character.