NATIONAL PARKS OF INDIA released on 31 05 2007
| Denomination :500,500,500,500,500p Stamps Printed : 0.6 Million each Date of Issue : 31-05-2007 Theme : Building and places of public interest
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Indias rich biodiversity has fascinated people down the ages. We can boast of more than 500 species of mammals, 2000 species of birds, 500 species of reptiles, and 30000 species of insects. We also have an ingrained tradition of conservation stretching back in history. However the pressures of an increasing population have led to widespread changes in land ways.
A comprehensive legislation called the’ Wildlife Protection Act’ was enacted in 1972 for providing legal protection to wildlife,and to endangered species of fauna in particular, as protecting our natural heritage and preventing the extinction of increasingly rare and endangered species of animals like the one horned Indian Rhinoceros, the Indian elephant, the tiger, and the musk deer among other, assumed national importance.
Under this Act, the state Government are empowered to declared any area as a Sanctuary or a National Park for the purpose of protecting and conserving wild life and the environment. All National Parks and Sanctuaries are however not alike, some are famous for the richness and varity of their flora as well as fauna.
BANDIPUR NATIONAL PARK – The Bandipur National Park is a beautiful forest reserve located in Karnataka.It lies the shadow of the western ghats and spreads across an area of about 875 sq.km.at a height of 780-1455 m. above sea level .A moderate climate and diverse geographical features support a remarkable variety of flora and fauna.A mix of deciduous and evergreen forests and scrubland supported by the waters of the Moyar river,this forest reserve is home to Indian Elephants, Tiger, Gaur, Sambar, Chital, four horned Antelope, wild pig, black-Naped Hare and the Indian Porcupine.The park is also rich in avian population with an abundance of birds like the peafowl,and game birds like the grey Jungle Fowl, Red Spur Fowl ,etc.
MUDUMALAI NATIONAL PARK
The Mudumalai National Park lies in the state of Tamilnadu and is contiguous to the Bandipur National Park,separated by the river Moyar that flows between the two.It is located on a 1000mtr.high plateau at the base of the Nilgiri hills with a crore area of 104 sq.km, and was declared as a National Park in the year 1990.Just 321 sq.km.in area, the hilly terrain provides diverse habitats sustaining a great varity of wildlife including the Tiger,Leopard,Bear,Elephant,Bison,Sambar,spotted Deer, Four-Horned Antelope, Blackbuck,Hyena,Wild Dog,Porcupine,Jackle,Python etc.Rich in bird life,most families of birds found in India Subcontinent including some uncommon and rare species like the grey jungle fowl,Red SpurFowl,Grey Partrige,Malabar Whistlin Thrush, Magpie Robin,Spotted Babbler,Pigeon,BrownDove,Malabar GreyHornbill,Harriers,Falcons and king Vulture, etc. may be sighted in the Park area, comprising a mixture of rain forest,evergreen,and deciduous forest and scrubland,with lofty as well as stunted trees,grass coversd hills and marshy swamps.
BANDHAVGARH NATIONAL PARK- India’s rich biodiversity has fascinated people down the ages. We can boast of more than 500 species of mammals, 2,000 species of birds, 500 species of reptiles and 30,000 species of insects. We also have an ingrained tradition of conservation stretching back in history. A comprehensive legislation called the ‘Wildlife Protection Act was enacted in 1972 for providing legal protection to wildlife, and to endangered species of fauna in particular, as protecting our natural heritage and preventing the extinction of increasingly rare and endangered species of animals like the one-homed Indian Rhinoceros, the Indian elephant, the tiger and the musk deer among other, assumed national importance. Under this Act, the State Governments are empowered to declare any area as a Sanctuary or a National Park for the purpose of protecting and conserving wildlife and the environment. All National Parks and sanctuaries are however not alike. While some have been created to protect certain specific rare and endangered species, some are famous for the richness and variety of their flora as well fauna.In bringing out a set of five commemorative postage stamps on National Parks of India.
PERIYAR NATIONAL PARK-The Periyar National Park and Tiger Reserve was established in the verdant stretches of Kerala in 1895 and declared a Tiger Reserve in 1978. The Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary covers an area of 777 sq.km. of which 360 sq.km is under dense and evergreen forest cover.There are 35 species of mammals in the park including its major attraction,the Indian elephant, the endangered Lion tailed Macaque, Malabar Giant Squirrel,Flying Squirrel, Wild Boar, and barking Deer.This National Park is also rich in birds with 265 species including the Hornbill, Stork,Woodpecker,Raptor,Cormorant and the Darter.
KAZIRANGA NATIONAL PARK- Kaziranga National Park is one of the last refuges of the endangered one horned Indian Rhinoceros. Located in Assam on the southern bank of the Brahmputra River. Kaziranga was declared a reserve forest in 1908,primarily to protect this indigenous endangered species and a ban imposed on poaching of the Indian Rhino. Declared as a wildlife Sanctuary in 1940 the park was given the status of a National Park in 1974,and was declared a UNESCO world heritage site in 1985.Other animals that inhabit the Park are the Elephant, Tiger, Wild Boar, Jackle, Wild Buffalo, Python, Monitor Lizard, Bison, Leopard, Swamp Deer,Hog Deer, jungle Cats, Otters, Hoolock Gibbon, etc. Kaziranga is also a bird watchers paradise.
In bringing out a set of five commemorative postage stamps on national Parks of India,Indian Post celebrates the unique beauty of each. While applauding the conservation efforts so far made, there is obviously a need to carry this movement forward with greater resolve. This set of stamps will create greater awareness of the heritage we need to preserve.
TAJ MAHAL stamp released on 16 12 2004
Denomination :1500p
Stamps Printed :4 Million
Date of Issue :16-12-2004
Theme:
Buildings and places of tourist interest
For centuries, the Taj Mahal has inspired poets, painters and musicians to try and capture its elusive magic in word, colour and song. It is one of the most flawless architectural creations of the world. People from all over the world visit Agra, not to see the ruins of the red sandstone fortress built by the Mughal emperors, but to make a pilgrimage to Taj Mahal, the ultimate memorial to love. In a land where magnificent edifices abound bearing testimony to an ancient and rich civilization, the beauty of the Taj Mahal remains incomparable.
Taj Mahal stands in the city of Agra, on the banks of the Yamuna river. It was built in the memory of the beautiful Arjumand Bano Begum, who won the heart of a Mughal prince. She was married at 21 to Emperor Jahangir’s third son Prince Khurram and stayed loyally by his side through good times and bad, in the luxurious royal palaces of Agra as well as the transient tents of war camps. In 1628 AD, Khurram became King after a bloody battle of succession. He took the name of Shahjahan or “King of the world”, and showered his beloved begum with the highest titles. She became Mumtaz Mahal, the exalted of the palace, and Mumtaz-ul-Zamani, the exalted of the age. But Mumtaz Mahal was not destined to be Queen for long.
In 163 1, Mumtaz Mahal, the favourite wife of Shahjahan died at the age of 39, at Burhanpur. The grieving emperor vowed to build a memorial that would surpass anything ever created in the world. The construction of the Taj Mahal started in 1632, and was completed by 1654 AD. Tavernier, an eminent traveler and historian of those times, records that over 20,000 workmen laboured for 22 years to complete the Taj Mahal. Material for its construction was brought from all over India and Asia. Red stone from Fatehpur Sikri, Karauli, Tantpur and Paharpur, white marble from Makrana, Rajasthan, jasper from Punjab andd diamonds from Panna came from Indian sources. Material sourced from abroad included jade & crystals from China, turquoise from Tibet, lapis lazuli and sapphire from Sri Lanka, and coal and carnelian from Arabia. A fleet of 1000 elephants were used to transport the construction materials to the site. In all 28 types of precious and semi precious stones were inlaid into white marble to create this wonder of the world.
The Taj Mahal complex comprises of five main elements: the Darwaza or main gateway, the Bagicha or garden, the Mosque, the Naqqarkhana or rest house, and the Rauza or Mausoleum. The central dome, which is 187 feet high, is surrounded by four minarets. The mosque is to the left of the monument. The architecture combines elements and styles of Persian, Central Asian, and Islamic architecture.
At the heart of the Taj Mahal are the Centoaphs of Shahjahan and Mumtaj Mahal. A protective octagonal screen made of perforated marble or jali, with borders of inlaid marble, surrounds the two cenotaphs in the central chamber.
The decorative scheme of the Taj Mahal complex follows the Islamic tradition of combining calligraphic, floral and abstract geometric motifs. Three types of media are used to create these patterns: stone carving in high relief, painted stucco, and inlaid hard stone. Ustad Ahmed Lahori was the Chief Architect, Ismail Khan Afridi of Turkey was the domemaker, and Amanat Khan Shirazi was the calligrapher whose genius lives on through the enduring beauty they created.
The dome is made of white marble and is set against the plains across the river. This backdrop works its own magic of colours that contributes to the changing views of the Taj, as the colours change with the hours and the seasons. Like a jewel, the Taj sparkles in moonlight, when the semi-precious stones inlaid into the white marble on the main mausoleum catch the glow of the moon. The Taj is pinkish in the morning, milky white in the evening, and golden when the moon shines. It is said that these changes depict the different moods of woman.
Different people have different perceptions of the beauty of the Taj Mahal. Suffice it to say that the Taj, the ultimate monument to love, has a life of its own that leaps out of the marble. As an architectural masterpiece, nothing could be added or subtracted from it. It is best described by the English poet, Sir Edwin Arnold, as “Not a piece of architecture, as other buildings are, but the proud passions of an emperor’s love wrought in living stones”.
The Department of Posts is proud to issue a commemorative postage stamp on the Taj Mahal, the symbol of eternal love.