Mahavir Prasad Dwivedi 1966 India Stamp

Mahavir Prasad Dwivedi  was a noted Indian Hindi writer. Adhunikkaal, or the Modern period of the Hindi literature, is divided into four phases, and he represents the second phase, known as the Dwivedi Yug (1893–1918) after him, which was preceded by the BharatenduYug  (1868–1893), followed by the ChhayavadYug (1918–1937) and the Contemporary Period (1937–present).

He was born in Daulatapur village in present-day Raebareli District of Uttar Pradesh. His father Ramsahay Dwivedi was in British Indian Army.

During his Indian Railways service in Jhansiin the 1880s, Dwivedi earned wide fame as a writer and litterateur. He published his translations and the critical works including Sahitya Sandarbh and Vichar Vimarsh.

In 1903, Dwivedi joined the Hindi monthly,  Saraswati and  was able to edit the journal with a knowledge of both classical and contemporary literature gained from his writing experiences. During his tenure as the editor (1903–20), Saraswati became most popular Hindi magazine.

He was considered as the mentor of Maithili Sharan Gupt, another noted Hindi poet and writer.

Though Mahavir Prasad Dwivedi  is well known as a Hindi writer, he has to his credit three translations of Sanskrit classics --

*The Kumara-sambhava of Kalidasa*

*The Raghu-vamsa of Kalidasa*  

*The Mahabharata*

He Breathed his last on 29 December 1938 at age of 74

Department of Posts Brought out a commemorative postage stamp on May15, 1966, to honour the memory of Acharya Mahavir Prsad Dvivedi, one of the outstanding men of letters of modern India.

Issued Date :15-05-1966
Denomination : 15 Paise

Gopal Krishna Gokhale 1966 India Stamp

Gopal Krishna Gokhale Political guru of Mahatma Gandhi  one of the pioneers of the Indian national movement  founder of the Servants of India Society.

Gopal Krishna Gokhale was one of the pioneers of the Indian national movement. He was a senior leader of the Indian National Congress. He gave voice to the aspirations of millions of Indians who were looking for freedom from the British rule.

Gandhiji considered him as his political guru. Apart from being a political leader, Gopalkrishna Gokhale, was also a social reformer. He founded the "Servants of India Society"-an organization dedicated to the cause of common people. Gopal Krishna Gokhale's contribution to the making of Indian nation is invaluable.

Gopal Krishna Gokhale was born on May 9, 1866 in Kothapur, Maharashtra. His father Krishna Rao was a farmer who was forced to work as clerk, as the soil of the region was not conducive for agriculture. His mother Valubai was a simple woman.

He received his early education at the Rajaram High School in Kothapur with the help of financial assistance from his elder brother. Later on he moved on to Bombay and graduated from Elphinstone College, Bombay in 1884 at the age of 18. 

Gopal Krishna Gokhale was one of the first generations of Indians to receive college education. He was respected widely in the nascent Indian intellectual community and across India. Education influenced Gokhale greatly. His understanding of the English language allowed him to express himself without hesitation and with utmost clarity.

His appreciation and knowledge of history instilled in him a respect for liberty, democracy, and the parliamentary system. After graduation, he moved on to teaching, and took a position as an Assistant Master in the New English School in Pune. In 1885,

He moved on to Pune and became one of the founding members of Fergusson College, along with his colleagues in Deccan Education Society. Gopal Krishna Gokhale gave nearly two decades of his life to Fergusson College and rose to become principal of the college. During this time, Gokhale came in contact with Mahadev Govind Ranade. Ranade was a judge, scholar, and social reformer, whom Gokhale called his guru. Gokhale worked with Ranade in Poona Sarvajanik Sabha of which Gokhale became the Secretary. 

Gopal Krishna Gokhale entered public life in 1886 at the age of 20. He delivered a public address on "India under the British Rule", which was highly appreciated. Gokhale regularly contributed articles to Bal Gangadhar Tilak's weekly "Mahratta". Through his articles he tried to awaken the latent patriotism of Indian people.

He was promoted as Secretary of the Deccan Education Society. When the Indian National Congress held its session in Poona in 1895, he was the secretary of the Reception Committee. From this session, Gokhale became a prominent member of the Indian National Congress.

Gokhale ji was twice elected as president of Pune Municipality. For a while Gokhale was also a member of the Bombay Legislative Council where he spoke strongly against the then Government. In 1902, Gokhale left the Fergusson College. He became a Member of the Imperial Legislative Council in Delhi. There he spoke for the people of the country in an able manner.

Gokhale had an excellent grasp of the economic problems of our country which he ably presented during the debates. In 1905, Gokhale started a new society called "Servants of India Society". This society trained workers for the service of the country. In the same year, Gokhale went to England to voice his concerns relating to the unfair treatment of the Indian people by the British government. In a span of 49 days, he spoke in front of 47 different audiences, captivating every one of them. Gokhale pleaded for gradual reforms to ultimately attain Swaraj, or self-government, in India.

He was instrumental in the introduction of the Morley- Minto Reforms of 1909, which eventually became law. Though the reforms sowed the seeds of communal division in India, nevertheless, they gave Indian access to the seats of the highest authority within the government, and their voices were more audible in matters of public interest. 

Gopal Krishna Gokhale was a diabetic and asthmatic. Excessive assertion took its toll on Gokhale's health and ultimately he breathed  his  last on February 19, 1915.

Department of Posts honoured a great  leader by releasing a commemorative postage stamp

Issued Date :  09. 05.1966
Denomination : 15 Paise

Kunwar Singh 1966 India Stamp

Kunwar Singh was one of the most important freedom fighters in the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857. Kunwar Singh was born in Jagdishpur in the Shahabad (now in BhojpurDistrict) of Bihar. 

It was about 1777 AD and was destined to die a hero in the Great Rising of 1857. When the people of all parts of India rose against British authority in 1857, Babu Kunwar Singh was already past his prime being nearly 80 years old. In that age, he fought against the British East India Company. Despite his age and failing health, when the call to fight came, Kunwar Singh plunged into the thick of it and for nearly a year battled against the British forces with grim determination and undaunted courage. 

In Bihar, Kunwar Singh was the Chieftain against the British. He assumed command of the soldiers who had revolted at Danapur on 5th July. Two days later he occupied Arrah, the district headquarters. Major Vincent Eyre relieved the town on 3rd August, defeated Kunwar Singh`s force and destroyed Jagdishpur. Kunwar Singh left his ancestral village and reached Lucknow in December 1857. 

In March 1858, he occupied Azamgarh. However, he had to leave the place soon. He was pursued by Brigadier Douglas and he retreated towards his home in Bihar. On 23 April, Kunwar Singh had a victory near Jagdishpur over the force led by Captain Le Grand, but the following day he died in his village. The mantle of the old chief now fell on his brother Amar Singh who, despite heavy odds, continued the struggle and for a considerable time ran a parallel government in the district of Shahabad. In October 1859 Amar Singh joined the rebel leaders in the Nepal Terai. 

*In his last battle, fought on 23 April 1858, near Jagdispur, the troops under the control of the East India Company were completely routed. On 22 and 23 April being injured he fought bravely against the British Army and with the help of his army drove away the British Army, brought down the Union Jack from Jagdishpur Fort and hoisted his flag. [citation needed] He returned to his palace on 23 April 1858 and soon died on 26 April 1858.*

Government of Bihar established Veer Kunwar Singh University, Arrah in 1992. Named after him,

The ICSE board has in its Hindi textbook (Ekanki Suman) a play by Jagdish Chandra Mathur (by the name of Vijay Ki Vela, literally: Moment of Victory and Veer Kunwar Singh) on the later part of Veer Kunwar Singh's life, starting from the time he was crossing the river Ganges and finishing with his death, because of his injury.

As a recognition to his contribution to India`s freedom movement, the Department of Posts honoured him by releasing a commemorative postage stamp.

Issued  Date : 23.04.1966
Denomination : 15 Paise

Kambar 1966 India Stamp

Wishes  it's  readers  *Happy  Ramanavami* today  coincidence  we  need  to  write  on Kambar the author of the Ramavataram, popularly known as *Kambaramayanam*

Kambar (Kamban in casual address) 12th - Century poet  born in Tiruvaluntur, Tanjore district was a medieval  Tamil poet and the author of the Ramavataram, popularly known as *Kambaramayanam*, the Tamil version of Ramayana. Kambar also authored  few  other literary works in Tamil, such as 'Thirukkai Vazakkam',  and 'Sarasvati Anthati.'  etc.

Kambar belonged to the uvachchar caste, traditionally priests in southern India.However, he was brought up in the household of a wealthy farmer named Sadaiyepa Vallal in Vennai Nellur in Tamil Nadu. The Chola king—having heard of this talented bard—summoned him to his court and honoured him with the title Kavi Chakravarty (The Emperor of Poets).

Kamban flourished in Therazhundur, a village in the culturally rich Thanjavur District in the modern state of Tamil Nadu in South India. Kamban was a great scholar of India's two ancient and rich languages; Sanskrit and Tamil.

The original version of Ramayana was written by Valmiki. It is an epic of 24,000 verses which depicts the journey of Rama, a prince of Ayodhya who belonged to  Raghuvamsa (Solar dynasty). In  Hinduism,  Rama is the seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu, one of the Trimurti (the Hindu holy trinity which includes Brahma  and Shiva).

The Ramavataram or Kamba Ramayanam of Kamban is an epic of about 11,000 stanzas, as opposed to Valmiki's 24000 couplets. The Rama-avataram or Rama-kathai as it was originally called was accepted into the holy precincts in the presence of Vaishnava Acharya Nathamuni.

Kamba Ramayana is not a verbal translation of the Sanskrit epic by Valmiki, but a retelling of the story of Lord Rama.

Legend has it that the entire episode was written in one night by Lord Ganesh. Ganesha is said to have written the poems that Kambar dictated to him during the night, as Kambar procrastinated the work till the day before the deadline set by the King.

Many Tamil poets, statesmen, kings, and common people have praised Kambar for his Kambaramayanam, which has more than 10,000 songs and more than 45,000 lines, forming one of the greatest epics of Tamil.

"Kamba Sutram" is a phrase used by Tamil people in their day-to-day activity. It was actually originally "Kamba Chithiram", only denoting Kamban's art. However, over period of time it rendered as "Kamba Sutram". The phrase is used just like "rocket science", which clearly denotes that skills of Kambar in writing poem with viruthapa is as difficult as "rocket science".

Kamba Ramayana was first delivered in Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple,  Srirangam at the court hall (Kambar Arangetra Mandapam) near Thaayar sannithi. The Swami applauded by laughing out aloud from his Sanctum Sanctora (Mettu Narasimhar Sannidhi), and this was taken as proof of approval.

Department of Posts released commemorative postage stamp on Kambar

Issued Date 05. 04.1966
Denomination: 15 Paise

Nandalal Bose India 1966

Nandalal Bose was one of the pioneers of modern  Indian  art and a key figure of Contextual Modernism.

A pupil of Abanindranath Tagore, Bose was known for his "Indian style" of painting. He became the principal of Kala   Bhavan,  Santiniketan  in 1922. He was influenced by the Tagore family and the murals of Ajanta; his classic works include paintings of scenes from Indian mythologies, women, and village life.

Today, many critics consider his paintings among India's most important modern paintings. In 1976, the Archaeological Survey of India, Department of Culture, Govt. of India declared his works among the "nine artists" whose work, "not being antiquities", were to be henceforth considered "to be art treasures, having regard to their artistic and aesthetic value".

Nandalal was born on 3 December 1882 in a middle-class Bengali family of Kharagpur, in, Munger district of Bihar state. His father, Purnachandra Bose, was at that time working in the Darbhanga Estate. His mother Kshetramonidevi was a housewife with a skill in improvising toys and dolls for young Nandalal. From his early days Nandalal began taking an interest in modelling images and later, decorating Puja pandals.

In 1898, at the age of fifteen, Nandalal moved to Calcutta for his high school studies in the Central Collegiate School. After clearing his examinations in 1902, he continued his college studies at the same institution. In June 1903 he married Sudhiradevi, the daughter of a family friend. Nanadalal wanted to study art, but he was not given permission by his family. Unable to qualify for promotion in his classes, Nandalal moved to other colleges, joining the Presidency College in 1905 to study commerce. After repeated failures, he persuaded his family to let him study art at Calcutta's School of Art.

As a young artist, Nandalal Bose was deeply influenced by the murals of the Ajanta Caves. He had become part of an international circle of artists and writers seeking to revive classical Indian culture; a circle that already included many  senior  artist from  around  the  world.

To mark the 1930 occasion of Mahatma Gandhi's arrest for protesting the British tax on salt, Bose created a black on whitelinocut print of Gandhi walking with a staff. It became the iconic image for the non-violence movement.

His genius and original style were recognised by famous artists and art critics like Gaganendranath Tagore, Ananda Coomaraswamy and O. C. Ganguli. These lovers of art felt that objective criticism was necessary for the development of painting and founded the Indian Society of Oriental Art.

He became principal of the Kala Bhavana (College of Arts) at Tagore's International University Santiniketan in 1922.

*He was invited by  Jawaharlal  Nehru to sketch the emblems for the Government of India's awards, including the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Shri.*

Along with his students, Nandalal Bose took up the historic task of beautifying/decorating the original manuscript of the  Constitution of India.

*His paintings are best modern paintings of the world. Today, the National Gallery of Modern Art in Delhi holds 7000 of his works in its collection, including a 1930 black and white linocut of the Dandi March depicting Mahatma Gandhi*, and a set of seven posters he later made at the request of Mahatma Gandhi for the 1938 Session  of the Indian National Congress.
.
In 1956, *he became the second artist to be elected Fellow of the Lalit Kala Akademi, India's National Academy of Art*
In 1954, Nandalal Bose was awarded the Padma Vibhushan.

In 1957, the University of Calcutta conferred honorary D.Litt on him.Vishvabharati University honoured him by conferring on him the title of 'Deshikottama'.

The Academy of Fine Arts in Calcutta honoured Nandalal with the Silver Jubilee Medal. The Tagore Birth Centenary Medal was awarded to Nandalal Bose in 1965 by the Asiatic Society of Bengal

Nandalal Bose's health started deteriorating in his old age and he gave up all hopes of physical powers. Even his mental illness started playing hide and seek with him. Towards the end, he was unable to recollect faces ever. Bose breathed his last on April 16, 1966. Condolences poured in from people all over on the demise of a master artist.

Indian Post honoured him on  1st Death Anniversary and his *Portrait* was featured on the stamp released in 1967 and his painting *Pratiksha* was depicted in the stamp released in 1983 on his birth centenary. In it, it gave the emotional value of the color. His heart had heart that always sounded for the art and painting in his mind.

Issued date: 1966
Denomination : 15 Paisa