Indian Saints & Poets 1952

Complete Set of 6 nos of commemorative postage stamps on Indian Saints & Poets :

Issued by India

Issued on Oct 1, 1952

Issued to Commemorate the Saints & Poets of India

Picture : 

• Kabir : A mystic saint of the 15^th century. His poetry and his teachings represent a synthesis of the Hindu and Muslim thought. He condemned bigotry and religious hypocrisy and believed in simple devotion and non-violence. His couplets in easy and intelligible Hindi have an irresistible appeal.Adapted from a painting in the State Museum, Lucknow.

  Colour of the stamp is Yellow Green. 

• Tulsidas : The universe I see pervaded by the lord : To Him I bow with folded hands. A celebrated saint-poet of the 17^th century and a contemporary of Akbar. As author of Ramcharitmanas, popular Hindi version of the Indian epic, Ramayana, his contribution to Hindi literature is unique.Adapted from a painting in the Bharat Kala Bhawan, Banaras.

  Colour of the stamp is Crimson.

• Meera : Let me Thy servant, O’ Lord : I shall Thee and tend Thy garden and (as my reward) see Thy face every day : Of Thee, shall I sing in the lanes and bowers of Bindraban. This Rajput princess and consort of the heir-apparent to the throne of Udaipur in the 15^th-16^th century gave up earthly glories for the sake of divine love. Her life was a pure flame of devotion. Her songs have enhanced generations of listeners to this day.
  Colour of the stamp is Scarlet.
• Surdas : Look not at my vices, O’ Lord: All are equal in Thy eyes, they say, Thou canst, only if Thou wilt, grant me salvation. A blind poet of the 15^th-16^th century. Like Tulsidas, he preached the gospel of universal love. The final aspect of love for Lord Krishna is the main theme of his poetry. The language used is ‘Brajbhasha’ noted for its simplicity and sweetness. ‘Sursagar‘, a collection of his poems, is a masterpiece of literature in the national language.
  Colour of the stamp is Blue.
• Ghalib : Mirza Asadullah Khan Ghalib was a renowned Urdu poet of the 19^th century, closely associated with the court of Mughal emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar. Also a Persian poet, he originated a new style of letter writing. His poems, mainly Gazals, range over the entire gamut of human emotions and reveal deep insight.Adapted from a painting in the library of Nawab Sadar Yar Jung of Habibganj (Aligarh).

  Colour of the stamp is Magenta.

• Tagore : Thou hast made me known to friends whom I knew not, Thou hast given me seats in homes not my own, Thou hast brought the distant near and made a brother of the stranger. Rabindranath Tagore, poet, dramatist and philosopher is a literary genius of modern India. Among his works, the ‘Gitanjali’ won him the Noble Prize in 1913. In ‘Jana Gana Mana‘ India’s national anthem, the great poet has immortalised himself.
  Colour of the stamp is Dark Brown.
• These six stamps are the first emissions printed by Photogravure in India and thus an important landmark in the evolution of Indian stamps.

Type : Postal Used

Watermark : Yes [5 pointed multiple star]

Denomination : 9 pies, 1 anna, 2 annas, 4 annas, 4.5 annas & 12 annas

Size : 1.6″ X 0.95″ (inch)

Perforation : 14

Printing Process : Photogravure