PRIDE OF INDIA

-Pride of India Collection-

INDIA - The seventh largest country in the world. Its fast-growing economy. Home to the ancient civilization of the Indus Valley, the Taj Mahal, Mother Teresa, the philosophy of Gandhism, and myriad schools of art and architecture.
The symbols of India's greatness are as numerous as they are diverse. And nothing illustrates them better than Indian postage stamps.
For over 60 years, Indian stamps have paid tribute to the great men and women that shaped the country, and marked each historic step on the way to progress.
Now, in unique celebration of these distinguished figures and defining moments, 25 stamps have been chosen to be preserved forever as engraved solid pure silver ingots, layered with pure 24-carat gold. The Pride of India Collection is the first and most important stamp ingot collection ever produced for India. It is a treasured heirloom to be passed from one generation to another..
The 'Pride of India' collection is the latest addition to the international scene, and celebrates the unique culture and history of the world's greatest democracy, and the emergence of India as a world power.
The highest quality, each precious image has been sculpted by the world's finest artists and minted by Swiss craftsmen.
Pure silver ingots (Swiss .999) are placed in a huge 360 ton minting press and struck with massive pressure to bring out every tiny details of the original design. Perforations are precision diamond cut, and each stamp ingot is layered with pure 24-carat gold to create a perfect golden masterpiece.
(Each Stamp Ingot is 2.2mm thick, with diamond cut perforations.)
The 'The Pride of India' Collection is a strictly limited edition of only 7,500 complete collections worldwide. It is not available in any store or Post Office, but only by subscription through this special offer.
Once the edition limit is reached, the dies will be defaced so they can never be used again. These master dies, along with Set No. 1, will be permanently displayed at the National Postal Museum in New Delhi.
Each stamp ingot will vary in size to conform to the original stamp,

Source - India Post

INDIAN RAILWAY

Rail transport is a commonly used mode of long-distance transportation in India. Almost all rail operations in India are handled by a state-owned company, Indian Railways, under the federal Ministry of Railways. The rail network traverses the length and breadth of the country, covering a total length of 63,140 kilometres (39,233 mi). It is said to be the 4th largest railway network in the world, transporting over 6 billion passengers and over 350 million tonnes of freight annually. Its operations cover twenty-eight states and three union territories and also provide limited service to Nepal, Bangladesh and Pakistan.
Railways were introduced to India in 1853,and by the time of India's independence in 1947 they had grown to forty-two rail systems. In 1951 the systems were nationalised as one unit—Indian Railways—to form one of the largest networks in the world. The broad gauge is the majority and original standard gauge in India; more recent networks of metre and narrow gauge are being replaced by broad gauge under Project Unigauge. The steam locomotives have been replaced over the years with diesel and electric locomotives.
Locomotives manufactured at several places in India are assigned codes identifying their gauge, kind of power and type of operation. Colour signal lights are used as signals, but in some remote areas of operation, the older semaphores and disc-based signalling are still in use. Accommodation classes range from general through first class AC. Trains have been classified according to speed and area of operation. Many trains are officially identified by a four-digit code, though many are commonly known by unique names. The ticketing system has been computerised to a large extent, and there are reserved as well as unreserved categories of tickets.

This article is about the technical workings and operations of railways in India which are run by the Indian Railways.

Classical Indian dance

Indian classical dance is a relatively new umbrella term for various codified art forms rooted in Natya, the sacred Hindu musical theatre styles, whose theory can be traced back to the Natya Shastra of Bharata Muni (400 BC). These are:
Dances performed inside the sanctum of the temple according to the rituals were called Agama Nartanam. This was a spiritual dance form.
Dances performed in royal courts to the accompaniment of classical music were called Carnatakam. This was an intellectual art form.
Darbari Aattam form of dance appealed more to the commoners and it educated them about their religion, culture and social life. These dances were performed outside the temple precincts in the courtyards.
For lack of any equivalents in the European culture, the British colonial authorities called any performing art forms found in India as "Indian dance". Even though the art of Natya includes nritta, or dance proper, Natya has never been limited to dancing and includes singing, abhinaya (mime acting). These features are common to all the Indian classical styles.
A very important feature of Indian classical dances is the use of the mudra or hand gestures by the artists as a short-hand sign language to narrate a story and to demonstrate certain concepts such as objects, weather, nature and emotion.
The Sangeet Natak Akademi currently confers classical status on eight Indian dance forms:
Bharatanatyam - Tamil Classical Dance
Odissi - Orissa Classical dance
Kuchipudi - Telugu Classical dance
Manipuri - Manipur Classical Dance
Mohiniaattam - Kerala Classical Dance
Sattriya - Asamese Classical Dance
Kathakali - Malayalam Classical Dance
Kathak - North Indian Classical Dance
Out of the 8 styles, the most ancient ones and the ones that have their origin in Agama Nartanam are Bharatanatyam and Odissi. These two most faithfully adhere to the Natya Shastra.
Kuchipudi and Mohiniaattam are relatively recent Darbari Aatam forms, just as Kathakali, and two eastern Indian styles, Manipuri and Sattriya, that are quite similar. Kathak was influenced in the Mughal period by various other dance forms, including Persian dance

Mother Teresa

Mother Teresa of Calcutta (August 26, 1910 – September 5, 1997), born Agnesë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu, was an Albanian Roman Catholic nun with Indian citizenship , who founded the Missionaries of Charity in Kolkata (Calcutta), India in 1950. For over 45 years she ministered to the poor, sick, orphaned, and dying, while guiding the Missionaries of Charity's expansion, first throughout India and then in other countries.
By the 1970s she had become internationally famed as a humanitarian and advocate for the poor and helpless, due in part to a documentary, and book, Something Beautiful for God by Malcolm Muggeridge. She won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 and India's highest civilian honor, the Bharat Ratna, in 1980 for her humanitarian work. Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity continued to expand, and at the time of her death it was operating 610 missions in 123 countries, including hospices and homes for people with HIV/AIDS, leprosy and tuberculosis, soup kitchens, children's and family counseling programs, orphanages, and schools.
She has been praised by many individuals, governments and organizations; however, she has also faced a diverse range of criticism. These include objections by various individuals, including Christopher Hitchens, Michael Parenti, Aroup Chatterjee, Vishva Hindu Parishad, against the proselytizing focus of her work; this included baptisms of the dying, a strong anti-abortion stance, and a belief in the spiritual goodness of poverty. Several medical journals also criticised the standard of medical care in her hospices and concerns were raised about the opaque nature in which donated money was spent.
Following her death she was beatified by Pope John Paul II and given the title Blessed Teresa of Calcutta.

Satyajit Ray

Satyajit Ray (Bengali:Shottojit Rae ) (2 May 1921–23 April 1992) was an Indian Bengali filmmaker.

Ray is regarded as one of the greatest auteurs of 20th century cinema. Born in the city of Kolkata (formerly Calcutta) into a Bengali family prominent in the world of arts and letters, Ray studied at Presidency College and at the Visva-Bharati University. Starting his career as a commercial artist, Ray was drawn into filmmaking after meeting French filmmaker Jean Renoir and viewing the Italian neorealist film Bicycle Thieves during a visit to London.
Ray directed thirty-seven films, including feature films, documentaries and shorts.

He was also a fiction writer, publisher, illustrator, graphic designer and film critic. Ray's first film, Pather Panchali, won eleven international prizes, including Best Human Document at the Cannes film festival. Along with Aparajito and Apur Sansar, the film forms the Apu trilogy. Ray did the scripting, casting, scoring, cinematography, art direction, editing and designed his own credit titles and publicity material. Ray received many major awards, including 32 National Film Awards, a Golden Lion award, and an Academy Honorary Award in 1992.

The Pride of India- Rabindranath Tagore

Rabindranath Tagore -
Rabindranath Tagore, the Nobel laureate poet, writer, philosopher was the ambassador of Indian culture to the rest of the world. He is probably the most prominent figure in the cultural world of Indian subcontinent and the first Asian person to be awarded with the Nobel prize. Even though he is mainly known as a poet, his multifaceted talent showered upon different branches of art, such as, novels, short stories, dramas, articles, essays, painting etc. And his songs, popularly known as Rabindrasangeet, have an eternal appeal and is permanently placed in the heart of the Bengalis. He was a social reformer, patriot and above all, a great humanitarian and philosopher. India and Bangladesh - the national anthems of these two countries are taken from his composition.

First War of Independence - Rani Lakshmibai

1857. The year India rose to break its shackles. The year the first step was taken on the long road to freedom. The year that saw the First War of Independence. In more ways than one, the rebellion of 1857 kick started India's struggle for Independence. It made people realize the importance of unity to overthrow an oppressive regime. It resulted in the dissolution of the East India Company and replacement by direct rule within the British Empire. Rani Lakshmibai,
revered heroine of the great rebellion, is an iconic figure for all the brave warriors who fought and died striking a blow to free India. Their dream is our reality now.

Source :India Post

'Father of the Nation' - Gandhi

The impact of Mahatma Gandhi on the world has been extraordinary. His use of non-violent resistance in leading India to freedom inspired future leaders like Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela, and set an example for freedom movements throughout the world. As a pioneer of the philosophies of Satyagraha, and Ahimsa, Gandhi's life is an example of
unfaltering commitment to non-violence even in the most extreme situations.

Source: India Post

The Timeless Art

Radha Kishangarh -

In 1952, by sheer chance, a bundle of paintings wrapped in cloth were found dumped in the corner of an old fort in Kishangarh. On inspection they turned out to be one of the great treasures of Indian art, the Kishangarh miniatures, inspired by the divine lovers Radha and Krishna, and lost to the world for over 200 years. Flawless artistry, spiritual yearning, and eternal love and devotion all combine in the sublime
mysticism of the Kishangarh school of art. It is recognized as the very pinnacle of the vast scope of Indian art and acclaimed by connoisseurs around the world.
In 1778 the great exponent of the art of miniature painting, Nihal Chand, created the legendary face of the Kishangarh Radha, the quintessence of Indian womanhood and grace.

Soruce : India Post

The Pride of India - MADHUBALA

Epitome of Indian Beauty-

Madhubala, often called the Marilyn Monroe of Indian Cinema, is possibly the most breathtakingly beautiful actress of India ever. Born as Mumtaz Begum Jehan Dehlavi, Madhubala, even today remains the most enduring and celebrated legend of Indian cinema. Her acting prowess coupled with her exquisite looks made, not just India but also Hollywood take notice. With Hollywood beckoning, Madhubala chose to stick to Bollywood. With the release of Mughal-E-Azam,
Madhubala soon became larger than life. In fact this was the film that marked what many consider to be her greatest and definitive characterization as the doomed courtesan Anarkali. It would be an understatement to say that Madhubala still lives in the hearts of millions. The undisputed Queen of Indian Cinema and an epitome of beauty whose name Indians still swear by.

Source :India Post

PRIDE OF INDIA - TAJMAHAL

A Love Story --

The most beautiful monument of Love.

The international symbol of India.

The finest example of Mughal architecture at its peak, and recently voted one of the seven new wonders of the world.

Built as a white-marble mausoleum for Mumtaz Mahal, the favourite wife of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan,

Taj Mahal has grown to be the universal symbol of true love.
Millions of tourists visit every year from all over the world,

and most of them leave a little of their heart behind.

One of the greatest architectural wonders of the world,

and a universal symbol of undying love,

this shining ingot is a fitting tribute to Taj Mahal.

Source : India Post