Sree Thakur Satyananda
A commemorative postage stamp on Shree Thakur Satyananda Dev :
Issued by India
Issued on Jul 23, 2002
Issued for : The Department of Posts is happy to issue a postage stamp in honour of Sree Thakur Satyananda.
Credits :
Stamp & FDC : Layout by Alka Sharma (Based on material furnished by the sponsors)
Cancellation : Alka Sharma
Type : Stamp, Mint Condition
Colour : Four Colour
Denomination : 500 Paise
Overall size : 2.90 x 3.91 Cms.
Printing Size : 2.90 x 3.91 Cms.
Perforation : 13.5 x 13.5 with elliptical hole on each 39.1 mm sides
Paper : Matt Chromo
Stamps Printed : 0.4 million
Number per issue sheet : 40
Printing Process : Photo Offset
Printer : Calcutta Security Printers Ltd.
Name : Sree Thakur Satyananda
Born on 1902 at Calcutta, India
Died on 1969
About :
- An ascetic, philosopher, writer and poet, Sree Thakur Satyananda (1902-1969) left a deep imprint on the spiritual, social and cultural life of 20th century West Bengal.
- Hailing from Kolkata, he lived an austere life even as a student and was an inward looking youngster. After completing his higher education in Commerce, Shri Satyananda became absorbed in deep contemplation for about 14 years. He is believed to have attained supreme realization in 1939, after which he embarked upon many programmes for the spiritual and social upliftment of the masses. Hundreds of devotees thronged to him and he founded many ashrams for their temporal education and spiritual training as well as for promoting religious, humanitarian and educational activities. He gave equal opportunity to all men and women for practicing religion, subject to their ability and aptitude. Ability was judged not by birth in any particular caste, but by the qualities one possessed. He was emphatic in declaring that all human beings had the required potentialities for spiritual progress, irrespective of class, gender or creed.
- Many of the ashrams founded by him were in rural and remote areas like Birbhum, Rampurhat, Dubrajpur, Balikar, Nirsinghapur Kandi and Dumka. Distribution of food, clothings and medicines as well as promotion of primary, secondary and college education were the common activities at these ashrams. He also founded agricultural and cottage industry training institutes.
- Sree Thakur wrote at least seven thousand songs, hundreds of dance-drama and many scenarios for rural folk theatre. He organized cultural activities in abundance. Through these, the joys of life and pursuit of spirituality were harmonized. He was also keen to update the age-old shastras and bring out India’s ancient thoughts in the fields of science and medicine. Sree Thakur‘s discourses bear ample proof of his blending of modern scientific thoughts with the principles contained in ancient scriptures.
- Today, the message and ideals of Sree Thakur Satyananda are kept alive by two institutions founded by his followers namely, Sree Satyananda Devayatan and Sree Satyananda Mahapeeth, through various educational, social and spiritual activities.
- Text : Layout by Alka Sharma (Based on material furnished by the sponsors).
