G. Sankara Kurup
A commemorative postage stamp on G. Shankarakurup, a Malayalam poet, essayist & literary critic, first recipient of the Jnanpith Award [a part of the series ‘Jnanpith Award Winners : Malayalam‘] :
Issued by India
Issued on Oct 9, 2003
Issued for : The Jnanpith awards for literary excellence, covering all the languages listed in the VIII Schedule of the Constitution of India, symbolises the unity of vision in Indian culture. They celebrate the vibrant creative energy of Indian literature by recognising the masters whose writings have enthralled readers in different parts of the country. Continuing with the series on Jnanpith laureates, which started in 1997, the Department of Posts now issues a set of three commemorative postage stamps on three writers in Malayalam, namely G. Sankara Kurup, S.K. Pottekkatt and Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai.
Design : The stamp designs incorporate visuals that recall the life and times of the three writers, apart from their portraits. Thus, the stamp on G. Sankara Kurup carries pictures of the writing desk and chair reminiscent of his intense intellectual pursuits. The next stamp, featuring S.K. Pottekkatt who was a legendary traveller, has a vintage steam locomotive chugging away in the distance. The third stamp which honours Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai has water wheel in the background, a regular sight in the paddy field of Kuttanad, the background of most of his stories.
Credits :
Stamp : Namboodiri
FDC & Cancellation : Alka Sharma; based on the ‘Bhartiya Jnanpith‘ publications.
Type : Horizontal Se–tenant Strip of 3 Stamps, Mint condition
Colour : Two colour
Denomination : 500 Paise
Overall size : 2.90 x 3.91 cms.
Printing size : 2.90 x 3.91 cms.
Perforation : 13 x 13
Paper : Imported un w/m Adhesive Gravure Coated stamp paper in Sheets 50.8 x 53.5 cms.
Stamps Printed : Eighty Thousand Mixed Sheetlet
Number per issue sheetlet : 15
Printing Process : Photogravure
Printer : India Security Press, Nashik
Name : G. Sankara Kurup
Born on Jun 3, 1901 at Nayathode, Kingdom of Cochin, India
Died on Feb 2, 1978 at Vappalassery, Angamaly, Ernakulam, Kerala, India
About :
- G. Sankara Kurup was a poet in the mystic mould whose poetry was marked by a refined diction, careful artistry and pervading intellectualism. There are about forty publications to his credit which include dramas and essays also, apart from poems. It is said that four phases – often intermingled – can be observed in his creative evolution, namely, romanticism, mysticism, nationalism and humanism. Sandhya Taram (Twilight Star), Sooryakanti (Sunflower) and Pushpageeti (Song of Flower) are all romantic and lyrical. Azhimukham (Harbour Mouth), Raktabindu (Drop of Blood) and the like express an intense nationalistic spirit. In Pathikante Pattu (Song of Wayfarer) his universal humanism comes across in a touching fashion. Odakkuzhal (The Flute), the Jnanpith-winning collection of poems is a work which the whole of India can be proud of, where one finds romanticism of the purest kind set to the backdrop of exalted mysticism.
- Text : Based on inputs from Bhasha Samanwaya Vedi – Kerala, Department of Culture, Government of Kerala and Sahitya Akademi publications.
