Lighthouses of India
A Miniature Sheet consisting of 2 nos of commemorative postage stamps on Indian Lighthouses : Alappuzha and Mahabalipuram :
Issued by India
Issued on Dec 23, 2012
Issued for : Department of Posts is happy to release a set of two Commemorative Postage Stamps on Alleppey (Alappuzha) and Mahabalipuram (Mamallapuram) Lighthouses.
Credits :
Stamp : Sankha Samanta
Cancellation : Alka Sharma
Type : Miniature Sheet, Mint condition
Colour : Multi colour
Denomination : 2000 & 500 Paise
Stamps Printed : 0.4 Million Each (0.1 Million for the proponent)
Printing Process : Wet Offset
Printer : Security Printing Press, Hyderabad
About :
- A lighthouse is a tower, building, or any other type of structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses as an aid to navigation at sea or on inland waterways. Lighthouses mark dangerous coastlines, hazardous shoals, reefs, safe entries to harbours, and can also assist in aerial navigation. In ancient times, the lighthouses were the lifeline of maritime navigation. Once widely used, the number of operational lighthouses has declined due to the expense of maintenance and replacement by modern electronic navigational systems.
- India has a 7,516.6 kms long coastline. Some of its lighthouses have found a place in the hearts of the people and transformed themselves as an identity of the city or town where they stand. Alleppey and Mahabalipuram are among such landmarks.
- Alleppey (Alappuzha) Lighthouse :
- Alleppey was a principal port of the erstwhile princely state of Travancore founded by the visionary Prime Minister of Travancore, Raja Kesava Das during the rule of Sri Rama Rajah Bahadur. The port was commissioned in the year 1772 and within a short time, vessels from most Indian and European ports started calling.
- A modern lighthouse for Alleppey port was first proposed in 1840 but the actual work started only in 1860 with the appointment of Hugh Crawford as Commercial agent to Travancore State and Port Officer, Alleppey. He designed the tower of the lighthouse in the shape of the ‘Queen‘ pawn of chess symbolizing the Queen of Arabian Sea. The construction of the present Alleppey Lighthouse tower was completed in 1862 during the reign of Rama Varma Maharaja.
- The then modern flashing light had nine Catadioptric lenses and nine coconut oil wick lamps with polished reflectors and a range of 17 nautical miles. The lighting apparatus was supplied by M/s. J. Milano and Sons, Scotland. This served Alleppey Port for a century. The lights were electrified using apparatus supplied by M/s B.B.T. France, in 1960.
- Mahabalipuram (Mamallapuram) Lighthouse :
- Mahabalipuram was the port of the Pallavas who ruled South India with their headquarters at Kancheepuram. A lighthouse was erected at Mahabalipuram in 1887 as a part of the development of Madras port to warn the ships approaching Madras port from south about the dangers from Tripasore reef in the neighborhood of Mahabalipuram. Construction of the present lighthouse, a circular 26 meter high granite tower was completed in the year 1900 and the lighting apparatus was supplied by M/s Chance Brothers, Birmingham. A second order for revolving optic and a 55 mm Petroleum Vapour burner as illuminant so as to send its light beams to a distance of 24 Nautical miles, was commissioned on 31st March, 1901. The light was electrified in 1994 and subsequently the light source was replaced with metal halide lamp.
- Text : Based on the material provided by the proponent.
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