Issued by India

Issued on Dec 31, 2017

Issued for : Department of Posts is pleased to release a Commemorative Postage Stamp on Justice Mehr Chand Mahajan.

Credits :
Stamp/FDC/Brochure : Sh. Sankha Samanta
Cancellation Cachet : Smt. Nenu Gupta

Type : Stamp, Mint Condition

Colour : Multi Colour

Denomination : 500 Paise

Stamps Printed : 604500

Printing Process : Wet Offset

Printer : Security Printing Press, Hyderabad

Name : Mehr Chand Mahajan

Born on 23 Dec, 1889 at Tika Nagrota, Kangra district, Punjab, British India [now Himachal Pradesh, India]

Died on 1967

About : 

• Mehr Chand Mahajan was the third Chief Justice of India. His contributions for both on and off the Bench, will always remain a philosophical stimulus for the legal fraternity. Law Reports are a testimony of his work as a judge. He authored many famous decisions and landmark cases. Justice Mahajan made his name as an accomplished lawyer, a respected judge, and an influential politician.
• Justice Mehr Chand Mahajan was born in a small village called Tika Nagrota in the Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh in 1889. His father, Lala Brij Lal, was an advocate, who later established a reputed legal practice at Dharamsala. After completing middle school, he went to study in the Government College, Lahore, graduating in 1910. He enrolled in M.Sc. Chemistry, but switched to law following persuasion from his father. He earned an L.L.B. degree in 1912 from the Punjab University, Lahore and started his legal practice at Dharamsala. Soon, he shifted to Gurdaspur. It was at Gurdaspur, that he attained recognition as a lawyer. He thereafter, moved to the Lahore High Court. Within a few years, he became a leading advocate at Lahore, where he argued many important cases and was President, High Court Bar Association, Lahore from 1938-43. Mehr Chand Mahajan was appointed judge of Punjab High Court in September 1943. As a permanent judge, he superseded two sitting judges, one of whom was an Englishman, on the recommendation of the then Chief Justice, Sir Trevor Harries.
• Maharaja Hari Singh, the ruler of Jammu and Kashmir (in May 1947), sent Maharani Tara Devi and his son, Dr. Karan Singh, to meet Justice Mahajan, to offer him the post of Prime Minister. Justice Mahajan’s name was proposed by Sardar Patel – the then Home Minister of India. Before the offer could fructify, Justice Mahajan was made a member of the Radcliffe Commission as an Indian National Congress nominee. As a member of the Commission, he made a momentous contribution, by persuading Lord Mountbatten, to award Gurdaspur (initially awarded to Pakistan), to India. Justice Mahajan’s suggestion, that River Ravi should be made the boundary, dividing India and Pakistan was also accepted. Only, because Gurdaspur is a part of India, it became possible for India to make a road and rail link, connecting Jammu & Kashmir, with the rest of the country.
• After the Radcliffe award, Justice Mahajan who was Judge of the High Court of East Punjab joined the post of Prime Minister of Jammu & Kashmir, in September 1947. Justice Mahajan’s role in persuading Maharaja Hari Singh, to take the decision regarding the accession of Jammu & Kashmir with India, cannot be forgotten.
• On 1^st October 1948 Sh. Mahajan took the oath of office as a Judge of the Federal Court later known as the Supreme Court when the Constitution of India came into force on 26^th January 1950. Justice Mehr Chand Mahajan took over as the third Chief Justice of India on January 4, 1954.
• His three famous writings were titled “Preserving Unity of India”, “How to Increase Food Production”, and “Kashmir’s Accession to India”.
• A nationalist to the core, he was a person with strong convictions. He propagated his belief with determination. Though a pre-eminent Judge and Jurist, he was also an administrator of exceptional merit.
• Text : Based on the material received from proponent.

The post Justice Mehr Chand Mahajan appeared first on iStampGallery.

Issued by India

Issued on Dec 30, 2017

Issued for : Department of Posts is pleased to release a set of two Commemorative Postage Stamps on theme of National Birds of India and Papua New Guinea featuring ‘Peacock’ of India and ‘Raggiana bird-of-paradise’ of Papua New Guinea.

Credits :
Stamp/Miniature Sheet/First Day Cover/Brochure/Cancellation Cachet : Smt. Alka Sharma

Type : Miniature Sheet, Mint Condition

Colour : Multi Colour

Denomination : 2500 & 500 Paise

Stamps Printed : 2.1 Lakh each

Miniature Sheet Printed : 1.1 Lakh

Printing Process : Wet Offset

Printer : Security Printing Press, Hyderabad

About : 

• The Diplomatic relations between India and Papua New Guinea (PNG) were established when Indian resident Mission was opened in Port Moresby in 1996. PNG opened its resident Mission in New Delhi in 2006. India and PNG are commonwealth countries and enjoy warm and cordial relations.
• India and Papua New Guinea actively interact through different platforms that allow both countries to exchange views on many issues of common concerns. The cooperation covers multiple areas in economic, Industrial & commercial, science & Technology, Education and Cultural.
• With the significance of the bilateral relation between India and Papua New Guinea, the both Postal Administrations, in agreement, cooperated and jointly released this stamp issue featuring their respective national birds (The Peacock representing India and the Raggiana Bird of Paradise representing Papua New Guinea).
• Peacock:
  • The Peacock, Pavo cristatus (Linnaeus), is the National Bird of India. It is a symbol of grace, joy, beauty and love. Peacock is a large and majestic bird. Peacock is a colorful, swan-sized bird with a fan-shaped crest of feathers on its head, a white patch under the eye and a long-slender neck.
  • The male of the species is more colorful than the female with a glistening blue breast and neck and a spectacular bronze-green tail of around 200 elongated feathers. The female is called Peahen and it is brownish, slightly smaller than the male and lacks the tail. The peahen lays 3-5 eggs at a time in a hole of the trunk of a tree or in a bush. They sometimes dig small holes in the soil with their legs to lay eggs. Peacock occupies a respectable position in Indian culture and is protected under the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
  • Peacock is a hard bird. It has unique adaptability to extreme climatic conditions. Thus, it can live in the hot, dry desert region of Rajasthan as well as it can adjust nicely with colder climates of Europe and America. Generally, peacock likes to live in the bushes or jungles near a permanent water source. They cannot fly much but can run fast on their strong legs. Their wings are not strong enough for flying.
  • Peacock, known as “Mayur” in Sanskrit and Hindi and also known as “Mor”, finds description in popular art forms, songs, drama, dance, murals, sculptures and other forms of folk and traditional art. Lord Krishna is known to have an affinity for peacock feather as he used it to adorn his head. Peacock is also shown as the “Vahana” or vehicle of Lord Murugan or Kartikeya, Lord Siva’s son. A dancing peacock is often associated with onset of monsoon and has been so depicted in miniature paintings and other music and art forms. The rich colors and beauteous form of the bird is a popular decorative motif in jewellery and costume making as well.
• The Raggiana Bird of Paradise:
  • The Raggiana bird of paradise, (Paradisaea raggiana) is a large bird in the bird-of-paradise family Paradisaeidae.
  • The Raggiana bird of paradise is known as the Kumul and in 1971 Raggiana bird of paradise was made the national emblem of Papua New Guinea, included on the national flag and is the name of Papua New Guinea’s national rugby league team, the Kumuls.
  • Raggiana bird of paradise is 34 cm long, maroon-brown with a greyish-blue bill, yellow iris and greyish-brown feet. The male has a yellow crown, dark emerald-green throat and yellow collar between the throat and its blackish upper breast feathers. It is adorned with a pair of long black tail wires and large flank plumes. The female is a maroonish-brown bird with no long tail feathers. The ornamental flank plumes vary from red to orange in color, depending on subspecies.
  • Its diet consists mainly of fruits and arthropods. The species is an important seed disperser of some fruiting trees in New Guinea, and is for some species of mahogany and nutmeg the main fruit disperser.
  • The breeding system of the Raggiana bird-of-paradise is polygamy. Males congregate in leks (display arenas for visiting females). Leks can be 30-100 meters in diameter. The nest is a bowl-shaped structure composed of leaves and leaf pieces, stems, ferns and other plant fibres. It is lined with horsehair-like material and is situated 2-11 m above the ground on tree branches.
• Text : Based on the material available on internet.

The post India-Papua New Guinea : Joint Issue appeared first on iStampGallery.

Issued by India

Issued on Dec 30, 2017

Issued for : Department of Posts is pleased to issue a set of 16 Commemorative Postage Stamps on the theme Indian Hand Fan.

Credits :
Stamp/Sheetlets/Miniature Sheet/First Day Cover : Shri Jatin Das
Brochure/Cancellation Cachet : Smt. Nenu Gupta

Type : Miniature Sheet, Mint Condition

Colour : Multi Colour

Denomination : 1500 Paise (16)

Sheetlets Printed (5 types) : 0.1 million each

Miniature Sheet Printed (2 types) : 0.1 million each

Printing Process : Wet Offset

Printer : India Security Press, Nashik

About : 

• The origin of hand fans can be traced as far back as 4,000 years ago in Egypt. The fan was seen as a sacred instrument used in religious ceremonies and was also seen as a symbol of power even in its early forms. Other ancient people such as the Hebrews, Persians, Greeks, and Romans also used hand fans in various forms.
• The folding hand fan is recognized as being invented in Japan or China with both countries holding legends of its creation. In Japan the fan is thought to be modelled after the folding wings of a bat, while the Chinese believe the sight of a woman fanning her face mask at a festival led to the tool’s creation.
• Regardless of how the folding fan originated, the device was taken to Europe in the 1500s by way of trade routes and became an exotic and stylish symbol of wealth and class.
• The History of Indian Hand Fans is traced to ancient times for use in temples to fan deities, as also in royal courts and households. There is a mention of fans in Mahabharata. Temple fans vary in size from tiny two inches to large fans needing the full strength of a person to move them.
• The villages and towns of Indian subcontinent have varieties of traditional hand fans. In each place, the hand fans are made of different materials and have different varieties of intricate designs.
• Traditional crafts have survived in India because rural folk still make and use them. The same is true with traditional Indian hand fans, as the general public in villages and towns are still connected with traditional hand fans. The craft of fan making is done mainly by women all over India.
• There are antique ceiling-fans from the Mughal and Colonial period that were pulled by Pankhawala from outside the room and used for large congregations in temples, royal courts and aristocratic darbars and offices. There are fans called phad, large hand fans held by an attendant for groups of nobles and women. Then there are ceremonial fans and a large variety of personalized fans.
• Indian hand fans have many varieties, some fans are embellished with beads, silk, satin, some include paintings, prints, miniatures, patterns which tell a story of its origin from past to the present.
• Department of Posts is releasing Commemorative Postage Stamps on the following 16 Indian Hand Fans:
  • Applique Hand Fan, Rajasthan: An appliqué is ornamental needlework in which pieces of fabric in different shapes and patterns are sewn or stuck onto a larger piece to form a picture or pattern. It is an antique old hand fan from Rajasthan; sporting colourful frills and handle missing in this old rare fan.
  • Zardozi Hand Fan, Rajasthan: Zardozi embroidery Hand Fans are made glitteringly ornate and have heavily encrusted gold thread work. Embroidered Zardozi hand fan is from Rajasthan which is antique and rare.
  • Painted Hand Fan, Rajasthan: Hand fan painted on cardboard are used at Krishna Temple’s and are rare antique fan. This hand fan painted with various types of images are popular in Rajasthan.
  • Mirror Work Hand Fan, Gujarat: Gujarat is well known for the mirror work hand fans which are beautiful ethnic fans made of pure cotton and embellished with mirror work to produce elaborate designs. Beads and mirror hand fans are now used as wall decoration.
  • Phadh Hand Fan, Uttar Pradesh: Phadh hand fan is a rare antique fan with pure gold and silver zari, silk and satin frills. It was used to fan congregation of royalty and nobles.
  • Beads Hand Fan, Gujarat: Gujarat is the centre for bead craft across the country and it is also famous for its beads hand fans which is covered with colourful beads and has a silver handle.
  • Satin Ceiling Fan, Rajasthan: Rajasthan hand-pulled ceiling fan with silk and satin frills were used in the royal households. A rope was tied to the fan which passed through a hole, pulled by a Pankhawala sitting outside the room.
  • Palm Leaf, Odisha: A large palm leaf fan in natural color is used in Odisha.
  • Feather Hand Fan, Delhi: Feather Hand Fans are composed of peacock feathers. Each feather consists of tiny flat branches. It has a variety of decorative uses. These hand fans are available in many parts of North India including Delhi and Rajasthan.
  • Sola Pith Hand Fan, Bengal: West Bengal is famous for its Sola Pith art and craft which includes hand fans of Sola Pith. These hand fans are made by beautiful milky-white sponge-wood of the Sola tree, a plant of bean family – generally found in marshy waterlogged areas. Sola pith, reed hand fans are used for Devi worship and are very delicate.
  • Temple Hand Fan, Rajasthan: Temple hand fans are engraved brass hand fan with a long handle, offered to the temple deity in Rajasthan and some other places.
  • Leather Hand Fan, Kutch, Gujarat: Leather hand fans are from Kutch, Gujarat wherein the leather is hand stitched into its desired shape and is further decorated with threads or wool on its seams.
  • Date Palm Hand Fan, Sindh: The most popular raw material used for crafting hand fans, mats and baskets is the date palm leaf. Split palm leaves are used to make hand fans.
  • Embroidery Hand Fan, Gujarat: These traditional mirror work and cross stitch embroidery hand fans are created by the industrious home based women workers of Gujarat. It comes in different shapes and sizes.
  • Palm Leaf Hand Fan, Bengal: West Bengal is famous for its hand fans made of Palm Leaf. It is a traditional Bengali hand fan also known as Tal-Patar Pankha. These light-weight hand fans are easy to carry and are a permanent article of possession of a household.
  • Bamboo Hand Fan, Bihar: Hand Fans made of Bamboo, available in Bihar is distinctive for its colourful appearance and sturdy quality.
• Text : Based on the material available on internet & material provided by Shri Jatin Das.

The post Indian Hand Fan appeared first on iStampGallery.

Issued by India

Issued on Dec 29, 2017

Issued for : Department of Posts is pleased to issue a Commemorative Postage Stamp on Dadabhai Naoroji. The stamp also depicts Udvada Atash Behram Fire Temple and Elphinstone College. The Fire temple in Udvada is one of the eight fire temples (holy place of worship) of the Zoroastrian religion in the country and the oldest fire temples in India, dating back to the 8^th century, and represents the historical cultural and religious links with ancient Persia. This temple also symbolizes the contribution of Dadabhai Naoroji in spreading the message of Zoroastrian concepts and promoting social reforms in the Parsi Community. The temple attracts Zoroastrian pilgrims from all parts of India and from around the world.

Credits :
Stamp/First Day Cover/Brochure : Sh. Sankha Samanta
Cancellation Cachet : Smt. Nenu Gupta

Type : Stamp, Mint Condition

Colour : Multi Colour

Denomination : 500 Paise

Stamps Printed : 0.5 million

Printing Process : Wet Offset

Printer : Security Printing Press, Hyderabad

Name : Dadabhai Naoroji

Born on 4 Sep, 1825 at Bombay, British India [now Mumbai, Maharashtra, India]

Died on 30 Jun, 1917 at Bombay, British India

About : 

• Dadabhai Naoroji, known as the Grand Old Man of India was one of the guiding lights in the late nineteenth century who played a cardinal role in shaping India’s destiny. He had the distinction of becoming a Liberal Party Member of Parliament (MP) in the United Kingdom House of Commons between 1892 and 1895, the first Asian to be a British MP. Naoroji is also credited with the founding of the Indian National Congress, along with A. O. Hume and Dinshaw Edulji Wacha. His book “Poverty and Un–British Rule in India” gave a brilliant account of India’s economic exploitation under the colonial rule.
• Dadabhai Naoroji was born on September 4, 1825 in Mumbai in a Parsi family, and was educated at the Elphinstone Institute School. He was patronised by the Maharaja of Baroda, Sayajirao Gaekwad III, and started his public life as the Dewan (Minister) to the Maharaja in 1874. As an Athornan (ordained priest), Naoroji founded the Rahnumae Mazdayasne Sabha (Guides on the Mazdayasne Path) on August 01, 1851 to restore the Zoroastrian religion to its original purity and simplicity. In 1854, he also founded a Gujarati fortnightly publication, the Rast Goftar (or The Truth Teller), to clarify Zoroastrian concepts and promote Parsi social reforms. In 1855, he was appointed Professor of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy at the Elphinstone College in Bombay becoming the first Indian to hold such an academic position. He travelled to London in 1855 to become a partner in Cama & Co, opening a Liverpool location for the first Indian company to be established in Britain, but within three years, he resigned on ethical grounds. In 1859, he established his own cotton trading company, Dadabhai Naoroji & Co. Later, he became professor of Gujarati at University College London.
• In 1865, Dadabhai Naoroji directed the launch of London Indian Society, the purpose of which was to discuss Indian political, social and literary subjects. In 1861, Naoroji, alongwith Muncherjee Hormusji Cama, founded the Zoroastrian Trust Funds of Europe. In 1867 Naoroji also helped establish the East India Association, one of the predecessor organisations of the Indian National Congress with the aim of putting across the Indian point of view before the British public. The Association was instrumental in countering the divisive propaganda by some opinionated groups. This Association soon won the support of eminent Englishmen and was able to exercise considerable influence in the British Parliament. In 1874, he became Prime Minister of Baroda and was a member of the Legislative Council of Mumbai (1885-88). He was also a member of the Indian National Association founded by Sir Surendranath Banerjee from Calcutta a few years before the founding of the Indian National Congress in Bombay. The two groups later merged into the Indian National Congress, and Naoroji was elected President of the Congress in 1886.
• Naoroji moved to Britain once again and continued his political involvement. Elected for the Liberal Party in Finsbury Central at the 1892 general election, he was the first British Indian MP. In 1901, he published his book, “Poverty and un-British Rule in India”. In 1906, Naoroji was again elected president of the Indian National Congress, during the phase when opinion in the party was split between the moderates and extremists. Naoroji was a mentor to Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Gopal Krishna Gokhale and Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. He was married to Gulbai at the age of eleven. He died in Bombay on 30 June 1917, at the age of 91. In 2014, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg inaugurated the Dadabhai Naoroji Awards for services to UK-India relations.
• Dadabhai Naoroji’s work focused on highlighting the drain of wealth from India to England during colonial rule. One of the reasons that the Drain theory is attributed to Naoroji is his decision to estimate the net national profit of India, and by extension, the effect that colonisation has on the country. In Naoroji’s book he estimated a 200-300 million pounds loss of India’s revenue to Britain that is not returned.
• He was regarded as one of the most important Indians during the independence movement. Mahatma Gandhi wrote to Naoroji in a letter of 1894 that “The Indians look up to you as children to the father. Such is really the feeling here.”
• Text : Based on the material available on internet.

The post Dadabhai Naoroji 2017 appeared first on iStampGallery.

Issued by India

Issued on Dec 29, 2017

Issued for : Department of Posts is pleased to issue a set of 16 Commemorative Postage Stamps on Stepwells.

Credits :
Stamps/Sheetlets/First Day Cover/Brochure/Cancellation Cachet : Shri Brahm Prakash

Type : Miniature Sheet, Mint Condition

Colour : Multi Colour

Denomination : 500 Paise (8), 1500 Paise (8)

Sheetlets Printed :
1 Lakh each of 5 types
3125 each of 16 types

Printing Process : Wet Offset

Printer : Security Printing Press, Hyderabad

About : 

• Stepwells are the hallmark of India’s architectural brilliance. The simple, utilitarian wells have been taken to another level so that they become architectural master pieces. Most of the stepwells in India are found in the western states like Gujarat, Rajasthan, some part of North Karnataka and Delhi. They are known by different names. In Gujarat they are known as ‘vav’ or ‘vavdi’, where as in Rajasthan they are called Baori or Bawdi. In Karnataka, they are known as ‘Pushkarini’.
• Department of Posts is bringing 16 stamps on Stepwells of different parts of the country to commemorate the architectural heritage of India.
  • 1. Chand Baori, Abhaneri: This is an enormous stepwell located in the Abhaneri village of Rajasthan. It is believed to be built between AD 800 and 900. There are many balconies of Pavilion around the Chand Baoli, and also the reminiscent of a temple around it. Chand Baori stepwell consists of 3,500 narrow steps over 13 storeys.
  • 2. Raniji Ki Baori, Bundi: Raniji ki Baori, also “Queen’s stepwell” is a noted stepwell situated in Bundi town in Rajasthan state in India. It was built in 1699 by Rani Nathavati Ji who was the younger queen of the ruling Rao Raja Anirudh Singh of Bundi. It is a 46 m deep stepped well with some superb carvings on its pillars and a high arched gate. It is a multistoreyed structure with places of worship on each floor. The stepwell has a narrow entrance marked by four pillars. Stone elephant statues that face each other stand in the corners.
  • 3. Nagar Sagar Kund, Bundi: The Nagar Sagar twin stepwells are identical stepwells crafted in pristine masonry next to each other quite close to Chogan Gate in the centre of Bundi. The stepwells were originally called Jamna Sagar and Ganga Sagar – but are now jointly named as Nagar Sagar Kund. The stepwells were constructed by Maharani Chandrabhanu Kumari between 1871 and 1875 during the reign of Maharao Raja Ram Singh.
  • 4. Neemrana Stepwell, Alwar: Neemrana stepwell in Alwar district of Rajasthan was constructed in 18^th Century and it is as deep as 9 storey building. In the arid planes of Rajasthan, finding ground water was more difficult than finding gold. Therefore, it was built for famine relief by the local Rajas.
  • 5. Toor Ji Ka Jhalra, Jodhpur: Toor Ji Ka Jhalra was built in 1740s by Maharaja Abhay Singh’s Queen Consort in keeping with the old age tradition of ladies of the Royal family building public water works. Submerged in stagnant water for decades, its recent drainage, clean-up and restoration has uncovered over 200 feet of hand-carved treasures in Jodhpur’s famous rose red sandstones – including intricate carvings of dancing elephants, medieval Lion and Cow-shaped water spouts and water deities.
  • 6. Panna Mian ki Baori, Jaipur: Panna Mina Ki Baori is located near the fort in the ancient city of Amber in Jaipur, Rajasthan. It was built in the 16^th Century. The symmetry of the stairs makes this Baori picturesque. It has criss-cross stairs and a raised central platform. It was built as a sort of community gathering area.
  • 7. Pushkarini Stepwell, Hampi: Pushkarini Stepwell was built during the Vijayanagara period in the 15^th Century. In Karnataka, the stepwells are known as “Pushkarini”. This beautiful stepwell with five diminishing stages was found during an excavation in 1980. It is located quite close to the colossal structure named Mahanavami Dibba. The stepwell is perfectly geometrical, devoid of any elaborate carvings.
  • 8. Muskin Bhanvi Stepwell, Lakkundi: Muskin Bhanvi Stepwell is situated in Lakkundi, a tiny town located near the Hubballi city in Karnataka. Muskin Bhanvi is a deep stepwell near the Manikesvara Temple in Lakkundi. Bhanvi is word used to denote the stepwells in this region of Karnataka. This stepwell is believed to be from 12^th century AD.
  • 9. Rani ki Vav, Patan: Rani ki Vav (Queen’s stepwell) is situated at the town of Patan in Gujarat. This intricate stepwell was built around 1050 AD by the Queen of Bhimdev I of Solanki dynasty. It is 27m deep well with an intricate construction and beautiful carving featuring the Hindu Gods. This stepwell is constructed in Maru-Gurjara architectural style. It is recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage site.
  • 10. Dada Harir Stepwell, Ahmedabad: Dada Harir stepwell is situated in Asarwa area of Ahmedabad, Gujarat. Dada Harir stepwell is an enormous stepwell constructed in 1485, by a woman named Dada Harir. She was a dependent of Sultan Mahmud Begada of Muzaffarid dynasty. This stepwell is built in the Solanki architectural style. From the top, it looks like an octagon and has five floors. The galleries around the well are adorned with beautiful carvings and there are stairs leading to the bottom of the well.
  • 11. Adalaj Stepwell, Adalaj: This stepwell is one of the most intricately carved stepwells from Gujarat. It was made in 15^th century by the Sultan Mahmud Begada of Muzaffarid dynasty. It is a unique water building situated in the village of Adalaj near Ahmedabad.
  • 12. Surya Kund, Modhera: This beautiful stepwell is situated near the Sun temple complex in Modhera which is a small city located in the Mehsana district of Gujarat. The temple is quite ancient, built during the 1026-27 AD by the King Bhimdev of Solanki dynasty. It is a large rectangular stepped water tank known as a finest example of geometry. Leading to the stepwell, there is a beautifully carved domed door frame known as ‘Kirti-Torana’.
  • 13. Shahi Baori, Lucknow: Shahi Baori was built by fourth Nawab of Awadh. When the Bara Imambara was built a huge reservoir was created to store water. It was around this large water storage that the Shahi Baori was built by Nawab Asaf–ud–Daulah. The floors of Shahi Baori was specially designed by an expert designer from England.
  • 14. Ghaus Ali Shah Baori, Farrukh Nagar: It is an octagonal shaped stepwell located in Farrukh Nagar close to Gurgaon, Haryana. It was built by a local ruler named Ghaus Ali Shah who was under the patronage of Mughal king Farrukh Siyar. It was built during the 18^th Century. This stepwell is built out of stone, lime plaster and bricks. The water tank in the centre is surrounded by a verandah with well-framed arches on all sides.
  • 15. Agrasen Ki Baori, Delhi: Agrasen ki Baori (also known as Ugrasen ki Baori), designated as a protected monument by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act of 1958, is a 60-meter long and 15-meter wide historical stepwell on Hailey Road near Connaught Place, Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. It is believed that it was originally built by the legendary King Agrasen, and rebuilt in the 14^th Century by the Agrawal community which traces its origin to Maharaja Agrasen. This stepwell is built in 3 levels or 103 steps made of red stone and each level has surrounding walls with carved niches.
  • 16. Rajon ki Baori, Delhi: This ancient stepwell is located in the Mehrauli Archaeological Park in Delhi. It is believed to be built in 1506 by Daulat Khan under the patronage of Sikandar Lodhi. It is named as Rajon Ki Baori, as it was used by the royal masons or Raj Mistries. All three sides of this stepwell are covered with colonnaded arcades. This stepwell has four diminishing levels.
• Text : Based on the material available on internet.

The post Stepwells in India appeared first on iStampGallery.

Issued by India

Issued on Dec 28, 2017

Issued for : Department of Posts is pleased to issue a Commemorative Postage Stamp on Dr. Shivajirao Ganesh Patwardhan.

Credits :
Stamp/FDC/Brochure/Cancellation Cachet : Smt. Alka Sharma

Type : Stamp, Mint Condition

Colour : Multi Colour

Denomination : 500 Paise

Stamps Printed : 600225

Printing Process : Wet Offset

Printer : Security Printing Press, Hyderabad

Name : Shivajirao Ganesh Patwardhan

Born on 28 Dec, 1892 at Asangi, Karnataka, India

Died on 7 May, 1986

About : 

• Dr. Shivajirao Ganesh Patwardhan, who devoted his entire life for the upliftment of leprosy patients, was born on 28^th December 1892 in a small village Assangi of Jamkhandi District in Karnataka. He lost his parents in his childhood and therefore he left the place with his sister. He completed his pre college education at Pune in 1914. He received Diploma in Homoeopathic Medicine and Surgery Degree from Kolkata on completion of his education. He spent 18 months working for the Ramkrishna Mission.
• In Pune, he came in contact with leaders like Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Gopal Krishna Gokhale, Gopal Ganesh Agarkar & Mahatma Gandhi and got involved in the Freedom Movement. He participated in Salt Agitation and Quit India movement. He was put in Shivani Jail. He came to Amravati (Maharashtra) in 1917 & made it his work place.
• In his opinion treatment of disease was more important than its cure. He accepted the work of relief and rehabilitation of leprosy patients in 1946. He started Vidarbha Maharogi Seva Mandal on 26^th September 1950 and obtained 450 acres of land from donors. It was inaugurated by Shri Vinoba Bhave. It is known as Tapovan today and is situated at Amravati, Maharashtra. The institute is devoted to the treatment of leprosy & rehabilitation of leprosy patients.
• Earlier leprosy was considered as incurable disease and the persons affected by leprosy were forced to live away from the public eye. Dr. Patwardhan was inspired by Mahatma Gandhi’s approach to this problem and started rehabilitating leprosy patients in Tapovan. In 1947 he explained the nature of work in Tapovan to Gandhiji in Sevagram. Gandhiji suggested him to start rehabilitation work along with treatment of leprosy affected persons & also create self confidence in them.
• In those days Tapovan was the only organization working in the field of leprosy. Due to the work carried out in Tapovan the number of patients increased. At present there is facility to admit 750 patients at a time which involves free treatment as well as post treatment rehabilitation.
• Gandhi Memorial Leprosy Foundation, a pioneering organisation established in 1951 in the field of leprosy in India, instituted the award titled “International Gandhi Award” in 1986. Vidarbha Maharogi Seva Mandal, Tapovan was awarded with the International Gandhi Award for 2009 in recognition of their distinguished services.
• Government of India honored Shri Shivajirao Ganesh Patwardhan by conferring on him Padma Shri Award in 1959. Shri Patwardhan was never interested in publicity. He passed away on 7^th May, 1986. Anti Leprosy Day is celebrated every year on 30^th January. The pioneering work done by Dr. Patwardhan in the field of leprosy treatment will remain a beacon of inspiration for all.
• Text : Based on the material received from proponent.

The post Dr. Shivajirao Ganesh Patwardhan appeared first on iStampGallery.

Issued by India

Issued on Dec 26, 2017

Issued for : Department of Posts is pleased to issue a Commemorative Postage Stamp on Dr. Shambhunath Singh.

Credits :
Stamp/FDC/Brochure/Cancellation Cachet : Smt. Alka Sharma

Type : Stamp, Mint Condition

Colour : Multi Colour

Denomination : 500 Paise

Stamps Printed : 5.0 lakh

Printing Process : Wet Offset

Printer : Security Printing Press, Hyderabad

Name : Shambhunath Singh

Born on 17 Jun, 1916 at Rawatpar, Deoria district, Uttar Pradesh, India

Died on 3 Sep, 1991 at Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India

About : 

• Dr. Shambhunath Singh enriched the Post CHHAYAVAD Hindi literature through his multidimensional creative vision. His literary works reflect the struggle arising out of the conflicts among the social and cultural ethos, inherent in society. His prolonged fifty years literary career was solely aimed at Integral Humanism.
• Born on 17 June 1916 at Rawatpar Amethian village in Deoria district of eastern Uttar Pradesh as the middle son of Thakur Ram Dev Singh, Late Dr. Shambhunath Singh started his poetic career at the tender age of 13 years in 1930. By the year 1940, his poetic abilities were noticed by all. In the meantime, on arrival of Mahatma Gandhi at Kashi in 1934, on an evening in Prarthana Sabha, he presented him the poem titled “Harijan” which was framed in glass. It got instantly auctioned by Bapu and a sum of Rs. 50 was received in Harijan fund. In 1938, as a student of Allahabad University, during the golden jubilee celebrations, he was invited to participate in a “Kavi Sammelan” where his poem “Krishak Bala” was widely appreciated. His genius and talents drew the attention of Late Smt. Mahadevi Verma and Dr. Ram Kumar Verma. He came in close contacts with them and got their blessings.
• His poetic talents were further refined even after the year 1940. His poetry collections “Roop Rashmi” and “Chhaya lok” were published during the year 1940 to 1945. His famous poetry “Samay Ki Shila Par” was published in 1944. Dr. Shambhunath Singh wrote about grass root realities of Indian society which got published later on, as collection of poems like “Udayachal” and “Manvantar”. Depicting the social and economic conditions of Indian rural life, he published the collection of his poems in “Diva Lok”, “Maadhyam Main” and “Khandit Setu” after the year 1950.
• “Maadhyam Main” and “Khandit Setu” are the collections of neo-Hindi poetry written by him, but due to his deep love and affection for Indian natural and cultural consciousness he did not like the imported modernity of neo Hindi poetry. Therefore, he invented a new cult in Hindi poetic traditions, namely, the “Nav Geet”.
• During the 50 years of his literary career from 1940 to 1990, apart from the publications of his eleven collections of poetry he published many valuable research works and treatises too, such as “Hindi Mahakavya kaa Swaroop Vikas”, “Goswami Tulasi Das Jeevan aur Vyaktitwa”, “Chhayawaad Yug”, “Prayog Vaad aur Nai Kavita”, “Moolya aur Uplabdhi”, “Hindi Kavya kee Samajik Bhoomika”, “Hindi Alochana ke Jyoti Stambha”, “Vaidik Jaati Ka Nivas Sthan”, “Bhartiya Sanskriti ka Swaroop” and “Samkaleen Hindi Kavita ka Pariprekshya va Navgeet” etc. With publications of “Dharatee aur Aakash”, “Akela Shahar”, “Adrishya Champa” and “Deewar kee Wapasee” he successfully introduced the experiment of absurd drama in Hindi writing.
• His invaluable works on review, research, drama, essay and stories have glorified and immensely enriched the contemporary Hindi literature. He continuously kept himself abreast of the changes that were taking place in the circles of Hindi poetry. After the decline of Chhaya Vaad, he associated himself with the developing streams of Hindi poetry like Yatharthvaad, Prayogvaad, Pragativaad, Neo Poetry and Nav Geet.
• The renowned critic Dr. Prabhakar Machave has described him as “Prince of Songs”. Folk culture, society, nature, love and sensitivity are the central themes in the poetry of Dr. Shambhunath Singh and through its pursuance he established himself as the exponent of modernity and elevator of Indian cultural consciousness. Deeply engrossed in his relentless literary pursuits, he breathed his last on 3^rd September 1991 in Varanasi.
• Text : Based on the material received from proponent.

The post Dr. Shambhunath Singh appeared first on iStampGallery.

Issued by India

Issued on Dec 15, 2017

Issued for : Department of Posts is pleased to issue a Commemorative Postage Stamp on Shri Shirdi Sai Baba on the occasion of centenary of his Mahasamadhi.

Credits :
Stamp/FDC/Brochure/Cancellation Cachet : Smt. Alka Sharma

Type : Stamp, Mint Condition

Colour : Multi Colour

Denomination : 500 Paise

Stamps Printed : 600700

Printing Process : Wet Offset

Printer : Security Printing Press, Hyderabad

Name : Sai

Born on —

Died on 15 Oct, 1918 at Shirdi, Bombay Presidency, British India [now Maharashtra, India]

About : 

• Shri Shirdi Sai Baba was first seen in Shirdi as a youth in his teens, in the second half of the 19^th century. He spoke in Urdu, Hindi, Marathi and some South Indian languages. He participated in Hindu and Muslim festivals. His approach in short, was universal and humanitarian.
• By the 15^th October 1918, when Shirdi Sai completed his earthly sojourn, Shirdi had turned from an insignificant village of Maharashtra into a spiritual haven, teeming with devotees, spiritual seekers, mendicants of different religions and celebrities like Shri Bal Gangadhar Tilak. Shirdi Sai Baba, the ‘Sadguru’ to the Hindus and a ‘Fakir’ (dervish) to the Muslims, was the axis around which the life of his devotees revolved. Many people, who have recorded their encounter with Shirdi Sai Baba in books and personal diaries, are unequivocal in their opinion – they were captivated by his divine charm and overcome by his compassion. He was the divine protector of all those who visited him, having accepted him as their spiritual guide. To Sai Baba, differentiation in fate and pedigree of the devotees made no difference. Visitors were at a loss to decide if his divine personality, full of miracles or his humaneness, full of compassion, was the more imposing, as he simultaneously displayed a surfeit of both.
• As a result of his multi-dimensional activities – both temporal and spiritual – for the amelioration of his protégés, music, literature, folklore, drama and even some amount of gossip filled the social environment of the village. Be it the construction of a temple or a house, the sickness of an individual, the education or rearing of children, the celebration of any religious or social festival, or the settlement of conflict, the Master’s decision was the final word of wisdom and judgement. He stood between his devotees and suffering. Most of the villagers and the visiting populace willingly followed this way of living with Baba.
• The devotees, born after the Samadhi of Baba, have only read about him, visited Shirdi, prayed at his tomb and some other places related to him. Yet, to them Baba truly exists and helps them in many ways. This is the reflection of the divinity in Shri Sai Baba of Shirdi. Shri Shirdi Sai Baba stood for inculcating the qualities of compassion, love and tolerance in all beings. He never preached, rather taught everybody through his actions.
• Shri Shirdi Sai Baba entered Mahasamadhi on 15^th October, 1918 (Tuesday). It was the day of Dussehra or Vijayadashmi. Various temples and organisations, dedicated to Shri Shirdi Sai Baba and the Shirdi Sai Movement, in India and abroad are organising centenary celebrations between October, 2017 to October, 2018.
• Text : Based on the material received from proponent.

The post ‘Mahasamadhi’ of Shri Shirdi Sai Baba appeared first on iStampGallery.

Issued by India

Issued on Dec 7, 2017

Issued for : Department of Posts is pleased to issue a Commemorative Postage Stamp on INS Kalvari.

Credits :
Stamp/Sheetlet/FDC/Brochure : Sh. Kamleshwar Singh
Cancellation Cachet : Smt. Alka Sharma

Type : Sheetlet, Mint Condition

Colour : Multi Colour

Denomination : 500 Paise

Stamps Printed : 632600

Sheetlets Printed : 111400

Printing Process : Wet Offset

Printer : Security Printing Press, Hyderabad

About : 

• India by virtue of its location is placed in a position which exhorts it to safeguard the seaways. Indian Navy by way of its Maritime Strategy has adopted a strategy of deterrence to maintain peace. Submarines singularly form the most important pillar of this strategy. This strategy and primacy of submarines has been apparent since the very inception of the Indian Navy.
• INS Kalvari is first of the six submarines being built under Project 75 by technology transfer from France by Mazagon Docks in Mumbai. Commissioning of Kalvari this year marks the re-incarnation of the first submarine of the Indian Navy. The erstwhile Kalvari was commissioned into the Indian Navy on 08 Dec 1967. With the commissioning of INS Kalvari, Indian Navy has traversed the noteworthy milestone of 50 years of submarine operations.
• The Indian Navy has enhanced the deterrent capability of its conventional Submarine Arm, from the erstwhile Kalvari class to Sindhughosh class and to the Shishumar class and now the formidable new Kalvari class. While the earlier submarines were of Russian and German origin, the reincarnated Kalvari class is the first platform based on French design, to be inducted into the Indian Navy.
• INS Kalvari class is a potent, modern and advanced conventional submarine. She has the capability to dominate the waters off the adversaries’ coasts and also safeguard our littoral against surface and subsurface threats. To fulfil these missions, it is equipped with beyond visual range Tube Launched Missiles and long range Torpedoes. The sensor suite comprises highly advanced Sonar, Radar, Electronic Surveillance sensor and state-of-the-art Communication-suite capable of Network Centric Warfare. The submarine is well equipped to operate with dominance in dense Anti-Submarine Warfare environment.
• The indomitable spirit of erstwhile Kalvari is embodied in the new Kalvari and its crew is a harbinger of renewed vigour of the Submarine Arm.
• Text : Based on the material received from proponent.

The post INS Kalvari appeared first on iStampGallery.

Issued by India

Issued on Nov 27, 2017

Issued for : Department of Posts is pleased to issue a set of eighteen Commemorative Postage Stamps on Mahabharat.

Credits :
Stamp/Miniature Sheet/Sheetlet/FDC/Brochure : Designed by Smt. Bharti Mirchandani based on inputs received from Sh. Lakshmikanta Dash (Department of Posts), Ms. Meena Mani, and Smt. Santok Ba.
Cancellation Cachet : Smt. Nenu Gupta

Type : Sheetlet, Mint Condition

Colour : Multi Colour

Denomination : 10000 Paise, 5000 Paise, 2500 Paise (4), 1500 Paise (12)

Miniature Sheet Printed : 5.0 lakh each

Sheetlets Printed : 5.0 lakh

Printing Process : Wet Offset

Printer : Security Printing Press, Hyderabad

About : 

• The Mahabharat is a world of its own, vast, immortal, rich, deep, essential, thoughtful, philosophic, pure, intriguing, engaging and magnanimous. There isn’t any emotion that is left untouched or unspoken, as each character in this colourful yet tragic epic poem is a kind of its own. Each relationship is vividly expressed, yet exists on a complex note. JF Woods elucidates referring to Mahabharat, “what is not here, is nowhere else”.
• The greatest epic of India, Mahabharat, compiled by Vyasa between 300 BCE and 300 CE, is considered to be of the Puranic Period. The Bhagvad Gita is narrated during the Bhisma Parva, just before the epiphanic moment of beginning of the great war.
• If we look at the history of culmination of this sacred text, it is a conglomeration of ideas beginning from the earliest phase of Indian civilization. It includes the Vedic philosophy, the post Vedic, the Upanishadic thoughts, upto the Puranic narratives.
• All these developments formulating the essence of Indian philosophy constitute the Gita. It entails Lord Krishna’s revelation of his divine nature to Arjuna. As a result Arjuna is able to decide upon a course of action that was any way rendered inevitable by the complex sequence of events. Lord Krishna counsels Arjuna on the mandates of Dharma and the necessity of action, finally relieving him off his emotional dilemma.
• According to Nick Sutton in the essay, ‘What is Dharma? Ethical tensions within Mahabharat’, “the Mahabharat dramatises this tension between moral and ritual ethics and perhaps it is through the discourse of the Gita that the epic is able to explore further on these grounds.”
• This blend of Gita and Mahabharat is evocative of the interconnectedness within the universal cosmology, as both the divine and the human world tend to co-interact. Herein there is violence in both domains, emotional turbulence in the form of conspiracy of Duryodhana and Shakuni, deceit, hatred and victimization of the righteous Pandavas.
• The position of Draupadi within the epic is a complex one, on one hand, she suffered relentlessly, while on the other hand, she was a woman with a mind of her own, assertive and unflinching. Mahabharat operates on the concept of power, state and kingdomhood which is intricately tied to matters of inheritance and lineage. As the inevitability of fate determines events, in this duel between Karna and Arjuna, Ghatotkach falls prey to Karna’s attack from the infallible weapon blessed to him by Indra, thereby, sacrificing his life for Arjuna. Son of Bheema and Hidimbi, he was of a bold built, exemplifying a ghatam (a clay pot).
• The Lakshagriha episode is a result of Duryodhana’s wrath and hatred for the Pandavas. He conspires an evil trap in the form of House Of Lacquer to burn his enemies to death, but is himself befooled as Pandavas manage to escape through a secret tunnel, due to Vidura’s prior symbolic warning to Yudhishtira.
• Next if we explore the role of cosmology within Mahabharat, the best would be to refer to Bhisma and Shikhandi. Their encounter with each other in two different cycles of birth and rebirth is determined and based on the motif of revenge and fate. Having known that Bhisma’s ethical principles would prevent him from confronting a woman at the battlefield, Arjuna used Shikhandi as a shield to defeat the mighty Bhisma.
• Interestingly, Mahabharat apart from being a Mahakavya narrating the great war, it is also a bildungsroman which is a “narrative tracing the development of a protagonist’s character from childhood to maturity through varied experiences” as we see in the epic, the life and times of the Pandavas and Kauravas since their childhood to their growth as skillful warriors.
• War entails no peace, instead punctures a human being’s consciousness to the extent that its destruction of life and property haunts him throughout. The epic as it is marked by its multilayered characteristics unfolds its events within the paradigm of human fate and destiny, its magnanimity in the course of time has anchored it to eternity. As to this day we see adaptations of Mahabharat in different regional languages, it is interpreted and reinterpreted, not only in India but has bestowed its glory all over the world. The charm of this epic has cast its spell across time and space, as different part of the country adopted and adapted the narrative, wholly or focusing on parts, to suite their own cultural identities. Almost every State has some relics dedicated to an episode from the great epic. The spiritual vastness of this story, eventually is a reflection of spread of civilization and the related conflicts, manifest today in different architectural, sculptural, folk art and other forms of artistic expressions.
• Mahabharat is an epic that has permeated life and culture far beyond the Indian subcontinent. In India, facets of the epic appear in song, dance, film, literature, painting, sculpture, and everyday conversations. These stamps depict but a few strands of the art forms which continue to influence and mould life, learning, and politics. Department of Posts pays homage to this immense living tradition by offering a selection of works which depict the Mahabharat from different parts of India.
• The set of stamps being brought out by the Department of Posts is an attempt and portray this rich variety of expressions of different events and episodes of the story. Department of Posts issues one sheetlet with 18 stamps and two miniature sheets which are described in forthcoming paragraphs.
• As we count the stamps as they are arranged in the sheetlet and proceed from top to bottom, counting from left to right in each row, the cosmic form of the creator in traditional Rajasthani pichwai style is depicted in the large top stamp #1 in sheetlet. Raja Ravi Verma brought his distinct style to the royal depiction of the five Pandav brothers with Draupadi in stamp #4. Draupadi appears as a leather shadow puppet from Andhra–Karnataka region which is depicted in stamp #5. Stamp #9 is an illustration of the Pandavas with Draupadi during their years in exile from patachitra folk scroll painting from Bihar–Bengal region. In stamp #10 and #13, Miniature paintings done in the Mughal style to illustrate their translations into Persian have been depicted. Stamp #10 is the illustration from Bhagvat Puranam, wherein Kauravas confer at Hastinapur as Bhishm, Dhritrashtra and Vidur try to avert the war. Stamp #13 is the illustration from Razmnama, depicting Bhishma on a bed of arrows, awaiting for auspicious time to leave his mortal coil. Hindu and Jain manuscripts were illustrated in watercolour styles of northern India in stamp #16 & #17. Stamp #16 is the illustration from 1540 Bhagvat Puranam manuscript, depicting a vital battle during the great war, when Karna used up his most powerful weapon to subjugate Ghatotkachh which is depicted in stamp #17.
• The sculptors chiseled stone at Halebidu, depicted in stamp #7 showing Arjun at the svayamvar; stamp #12, depicts the chakravyuha that killed Arjun’s son in the great battle; stamp #14 is the battle scene showing Arjun, the skilful archer and Arjun’s penance to earn divine weapons, from Mahaballipuram in stamp #8. Kalamkari artists of Andhra Pradesh use fabric to paint scenes from the epics which is depicted in stamp #18.
• Many of the pictures used in the stamps (stamps #2, #3, #6, #11, #15) and in the accompanying philatelic material including the background and borders for the sheet of 18 stamps, are adapted from the huge body of work done by an ‘illiterate’ folk artist from the heart of central India who dedicated her life to illustration this epic. Santok Ba painted a scroll of 1200 meters depicting episodes from just the adi parva part of the epic. This work has been preserved at the IGNCA, Delhi, and Department of Posts is grateful for the opportunity to present some of her work to the world. Santok Ba’s family supported and supplemented her efforts and they deserve credit too, as do all the unnamed anonymous traditional artists who have kept the stories alive.
• Text : Based on the material received from writer Ms. Anika Singh and available on internet.

The post Mahabharat appeared first on iStampGallery.