Rasbehari Basu 1967 India Stamp

I was a fighter, "One fight more, the last and The Best". The above aphorism of Shri Rasbehari Basu sums up the philosophy of his struggle. Rasbehari Basu was the first Indian revolutionary since 1857 who had planned and acted to overthrow the British rule from India by armed insurrection.

He was born on the 25th may, 1886 at Palara Bighati village in the District of Hoogly, West Bengal. His father Shri Benode Behari Basu was an employee of the then Government of India. He received his early education at Chandernagore and Calcutta. According to his own statement, he began his revolutionary career when he was only fifteen. Inspired with the spirit of militant nationalism, he first tried to enter the army but later on got a job in the Forest Research Institute at Dehra Dun. It was from here that he commenced his revolutionary activities. He was so adapt in the art of secret organisation that even expert officers of the British Intelligence Police failed in their attempts to arrest him. It was he, who managed the throwing of the bomb on Lord Hardinge on the occasion of his State entry in Delhi on The 23rd December, 1912.

Rasbehari Basu left India for Japan in disguise in May, 1915. The British Police pursued him in Japan for nearly eight years to apprehend him dead or alive but he escaped until he eventually secured Japanese citizenship in 1923. In Japan, he learnt the Japanese language and wrote 16 voluminous books in that language on various subjects.

It was Rasbehari Basu who founded the Pan Asian League. He also founded the Indian Independence League in 1924 to carry on India's freedom movement from the East. This organisation, during the World War II was a parent body of the historic Indian National Army. Rasbehari Basu became the President of the Indian Independence League and the Indian National Army till Subhash Chandra Bose who saved the lives, properties and honour of millions of Indians in South-East Asia from the Japanese Occupation Army by arrangements with the Japanese military headquarters during the World War II. He passed away in Japan on the 21st January, 1945 at the age of 60 years.

The life and achievements of Rasbehari Basu can best be summed up in the following tribute paid to him by our late Prime Minister, Shri Lal Bahadur Shashtri: "Shri Rasbehari Basu is one of those famous names which was on the lips of those of the younger generation during the early part of the 20th century, who were fired with deep patriotic urges and emotions. Shri Basu was dedicated to the freedom and Independence of India and he considered no sacrifice small for the attainment of his objective." "He was gifted with a rare organising ability and during the First World War, he and his other comrades had planned an armed revolt of which he was the spearhead, he had to escape to Japan and undergo much suffering." "A man of great faith and courage, he lived up to the traditions of the renowned leaders and patriots of Bengal who have left behind a deep and lasting impression on our countrymen."

It was on the 26th December, 1941 that Shri Rasbehari Basu, as the President of the Indian Independence League had declared war against the British from Tokyo and this was a turning point in the struggle for India's Independence, as from that date the Indian National Army developed and expanded with great vigour.

The Department of Posts released a commemorative postage stamp in honour of Rasbehari Basu

Issued Date :26-12-1967.
Denomination : 15 Paise

Maharana Pratap 1967 India Stamp

Maharana Pratap was a Hindu maharaja of the Rajput confederacy of Mewar, in the present day state of Rajasthan. Much renowned for successfully resisting the efforts of the Mughal emperor, Akbar, to conquer his area, he is honored as a hero in Rajasthan.

His father, Rana Udai Singh, is considered to be a weak ruler but Maharana Pratap in contrast is revered as a courageous and brave warrior who refused to submit to the Mughal invasion and tirelessly defended his land and people until the very end. The eldest son of Rana Udai Singh II, he was the designated crown price who started displaying his valor during the reign of his father. While several of Pratap’s brothers-- Shakti Singh, Jagmal and Sagar Singh—served the Mughal emperor, Akbar, Pratap himself chose to resist the Mughal pressures to force him into submission.

Akbar sent a total of six diplomatic missions to Pratap in the hopes of negotiating an alliance with him, but Pratap vehemently refused to accede to the demands of the Mughal. War between the Rajputs and the Mughals became inevitable. Even though the Mughal army greatly outnumbered the Rajput one, Maharana Pratap fought bravely till the very end. He died a hero and his birth anniversary as
(Maharana Pratap Jayanti) is celebrated as a full-fledged festival every year on the 3rd day of the Jyestha Shukla

Maharana Pratap was born on 9 May 1540, in Kumbhalgarh Fort, Rajasthan, as the eldest son of Udai Singh II and Maharani Jaiwanta Bai. His father was the ruler of the kingdom of Mewar, with his capital at Chittor. As the eldest son of the ruler, Pratap was given the title of Crown Prince.

In 1567, Chittor was surrounded by the Mughal forces of Emperor Akbar. Rather than capitulating to Mughals, Maharana Udai Singh decided to leave the capital and move his family to Gogunda.

Prince Pratap wanted to stay back and fight. But the elders in the family convinced him that leaving Chittor was the best idea. Udai Singh and his nobles set up a temporary government of the kingdom of Mewar in Gogunda.

Udai Singh passed away in 1572, and Prince Pratap ascended the throne as Maharana Pratap, the 54th ruler of Mewar in the line of the Sisodiya Rajputs. His brother Jagmal Singh had been nominated as the Crown Prince by their father in his last days. But since Jagmal was weak, inefficient and had a drinking habit, the seniors in the royal court preferred Pratap to be their king. Jagmal swore revenge and left for Ajmer, to join the armies of Akbar, and obtained a jagir - the town of Jahazpur - in return for his help.

After the Rajputs had left Chittor, the Mughals had taken control of the city. However, they were unable to annex the kingdom of Mewar. Akbar wanted to rule all over Hindustan by himself and sent several emissaries to Pratap to negotiate an alliance.

In 1573 alone, Akbar sent six diplomatic missions to Mewar but Maharana Pratap turned down each one of them. The last of these missions was headed by Raja Man Singh, the brother-in-law of Akbar himself. The failure of efforts to negotiate a peace treaty angered Akbar who resorted to war to lay his claim on Mewar.

Akbar deputed Man Singh and Asaf Khan I to lead a force against Maharana Pratap in 1576. The Mughal forces numbered 80,000 men while the Rajput army had 20,000 soldiers, commanded by Gwalior's Ram Shah Tanwar and his three sons, Rawat Krishnadasji Chundawat, Maan Singhji Jhala and Chandrasenji Rathore of Marwar.

The Battle of Haldighati was a very fierce one following which the whole of Mewar except some of the Aravallis fell in Mughal hands. The Mughals were, however, unable to kill or capture Pratap who never ceased in his efforts to reclaim the kingdom.

In July 1576, Pratap recaptured Gogunda from the Mughals and made Kumbhalgarh his temporary capital. But then Akbar personally led a campaign against Pratap and occupied Gogunda, Udaipur and Kumbhalgarh, forcing the Maharana to retreat into the the mountainous tracts of southern Mewar.

Ever the resilient warrior, Maharana Pratap remained steadfast in his aim to recover his kingdom and within a few years he recovered many of his lost territories including Kumbhalgarh and the areas around Chittor. Eventually he also regained Gogunda, Kumbhalgarh, Ranthambore and Udaipur.

In 1576, Maharana Pratap fought the fierce Battle of Haldighati against the Mughal forces. Even though his army was greatly outnumbered by that of the Mughals, the Rajputs fought valiantly. The Rajput army faced heavy causalities, including the loss of the Maharana’s favorite horse Chetak, but the Mughals were not able to kill or capture the Maharana himself.

Maharana Pratap had 11 wives; among them his first and favorite wife was Maharani Ajabde Punwar. He had 17 sons and five daughters.

He sustained injuries in a hunting accident and died on 29 January 1597, aged 57. Upon his death his son Amar Singh succeeded him. On his death bed, Pratap told his son never to submit to the Mughals and to win Chittor back. But Amar Singh eventually submitted in 1614 to Emperor Jahangir, son of Akbar.

Department of Posts honoured Great  warrior by releasing a commemorative postage stamp

Issued Date : 11. 06.1967 
Denomination : 15 Paise

Hampi Stone Chariot 1967 India Stamp

The Stone Chariot in Hampi is an artistic marvel that is renowned for its exquisite architecture. The Stone Chariot is located within the Vittala Temple complex that is situated in the north eastern part of Hampi. The striking chariot is considered  to be the most fascinating sculptural achievement of the Vijayanagara era.

This stunning structure of Hampi has become one of the most famous symbols of Karnataka Tourism. The structure is a huge attraction for the tourists and is often considered by the visitors as the highlight of their Hampi trail. The Stone Chariot at Hampi is one of the three famous stone chariots in India. The other two chariots are situated in Konark (Odissa) and Mahabalipuram (Tamil Nadu).

The Stone Chariot of the Vittala Temple complex is also known as the "Kallina Ratha" in Kannada, This ancient structure was built in the 16th century, during the rule of King Krishnadevaraya, one of the greatest kings of the Vijayanagara Empire.

It is believed that the idea for the construction of the chariot dates back to the time when King Krishnadevaraya  saw the famous stone chariot at the Konark Sun Temple in Odissa while waging war on the eastern state.

The architecture and beauty of the chariot at Konark Sun Temple fascinated him so much that he decided to construct a similar chariot in his own kingdom, Vijayanagara. As Hampi was the core of the  Vijayanagara Empire, he decided to build a magnificent  stone chariot in Hampi.

Interestingly, the locals at Hampi believe that the world will be destroyed the day the Stone Chariot of the Vittala Temple moves from its place.

The Stone Chariot represents  the artistic perfection of the craftsmen of the Vijayanagara period. The structure was carved with great precision. The Stone Chariot is actually a shrine that has been given the shape of a chariot and has been decorated with ornamental carvings.

The shrine is dedicated to Garuda, the mythical mount of Lord Vishnu. The temple had an image of Garuda enshrined inside the sanctum. It is regarded as one of the most beautiful monuments in Hampi.

The beautiful chariot is a piece of creative excellence. It was meant to be a decorative shrine and was not built for transportation. So, unlike the wooden temple chariots, this stone chariot never moved from its place since its construction more than 500 years ago.

The Stone Chariot is built in the Dravidian style of architecture. One of the specialties of the architecture of this structure is that the chariot looks as if it is a monolithic structure that has been carved out of a gigantic stone.

However, the colossal structure was built using a number of granite blocks of huge size. The joints of the granite blocks were hidden by exceptional carvings and it provided the chariot the look of a monolithic structure.

The chariot is built on an ornamental rectangular base that has a height of about one foot. The base platform is decorated with scenes from mythical battles. The chariot has four massive granite stone wheels attached to it with axis shafts. The wheels are decorated with floral motifs and are capable of revolving.

*The chariot has two elephants positioned at its front side. It seems as if the elephants are pulling the chariot. However, on careful observation it can be seen that the two elephants do not belong to the original structure of the chariot. They were added later on to replace the two horses that were carved into the front position of the chariot.*

It is presumed that the sculptures of the horses were somehow destroyed and the elephants were placed in front of the chariot as their replacement. In fact, the tails and the hind legs of the horses can be seen behind the structures of the elephants even now.

There was once a stone ladder that was used to access the sanctum of the shrine. The ladder can be seen between the sculptures of elephants.

The Stone Chariot is a representation of the rich sculptural beauty prevalent during the days of the Vijayanagara Empire. However, the structure has suffered some damage through the centuries.

Today The sanctum of the shrine once contained an image of Garuda. The sanctum is an empty structure now as the image is no longer there. The giant granite wheels of the chariot were designed for rotation. Some years ago the government cemented the wheels of the chariot and rendered them unmovable. This was done to protect the wheels from any further damage caused by their turning by the huge number of tourists.

There was a large superstructure of the chariot that has gone missing over the centuries. It is not clear whether it has crashed or was removed to protect the remaining part of the chariot. But it was definitely an impressive part of the stone chariot.

Now-a-days there are floodlights installed within the Vittala Temple complex. These floodlights illuminate the chariot in the evenings and provide an amazing view of the beautiful structure. The bright lights illuminating the structure against the backdrop of the dark night sky is a grand view that leaves the spectator mesmerised.

Department  of Posts  issued definitive  postage stamp on Hampi Stone Chariot along  with  4th Definitive-Agriculture & Tourism series.

Issued  Date :15.03.1967
Denomination: 70 Paise