Fifty days ago, India yanked most of its currency from circulation
without warning, jolting the economy and leaving most citizens
scrambling for cash. As the deadline for exchanging the devalued 500-
and 1,000-rupee notes for new ones hit on Friday, many Indians were
still stuck waiting in long bank lines.
Empty ATMs and ever-changing rules prevented people from withdrawing money, and many small, cash-reliant businesses from cinemas to neighborhood grocery stores suffered huge losses or went under.