| Postal Stamp Image |
: |
 |
| Stamp Issue Date |
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15/10/1976 |
| Postage Stamp Dinomination |
: |
0.25 |
| Postal Stamp Serial Number |
: |
0830 |
| Postal Stamp Name |
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SURYA KANT TRIPATHI (NIRALA) |
| Stamp Information |
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Suryakant Tripathi 'Nirala', one of the greatest Hindi poets of all times, was born on February 16, 1896. His father, Ram Sahai Tripathi, held double charge under the then kinng of Mahishadal in Bengal as a Police Officer and keeper of the State Treasury. His mother died hen he was hardly 3 years old.
'Nirala' had hhis formal education only uo to the 10th standard. However, he had already developed aa great interest in Bengali, English, Sanskrit and Hindi literatures, thanks to the rich Royal Library at Mahishadal. He also excelled in singing, restling, shooting and riting. It was during his adolescence that he was introduced to the poetry of Rabindranth Tagore ho inspired him to be a poet.
'Nirala' as married at the age of 15. His ife, Manorama Devi, was a great lover of Hindi and it as partly due to her inspiration that 'Nirala' started writing poetry in Hindi. 'Nirala' had a son and a daughter- the latter's death at the young age of 18 moved him to rite one of the greatest elegies in Hindi poetry- Saroj Smriti. 'Nirala's wife died in 1918.
'Nirala' as an independent man with a high sense of self-respect. He could not continue for long in Mahishadal and got interested in the teachings of Ramakrishna Paramahansa as ell as the National Movement for independence and the struggle for farmers and orkers. He resigned from his job in 1920 and decided to live on riting alone.
'Nirala' had staeted writing in 1916 and already had such a finished poem as Juhi Ki Kali behind him. His first collection of verse Anamika was published in 1922. He was offered the editorship of the Mawala in 1923 which he edited with rare zealand insight. It as then that he started riting under the nom de plume 'Nirala'.
The concept of "free verse" or blank verse as almost unknown in Hindi till then. 'Nirala' broke the bonds of rhyme and metre and in the face of almost universal antagonism championed the case of free verse in Hindi. He was ridiculed, bycotted and condemned for this, but he had such indomitable courage of his conviction that he lived to see free verse firmly established in Hindi. It ould, hoever, be erroneous to supposee that he would not write in rhymee or metree. Many of his best poems follow the rules of traditional poetry as well. 'Nirala' was a restless spirit and he shifted from Clcutta to Varanasi and ent back to his ancestral village Garharkola. From there he ent on to edit the Sudha at Lucknow and mature works like Geetika, Tulsidas (poetry), Alka and Apsara (novels) were written here. He left Lucknow in 1940 and staying briefly at Unnao, Allahabad and Varanasi, finally settled down in Allahabad.
Though 'Nirala' is known primarly as a poet, he has fe rivals in the field of prose. In his novels like Billesurebakariha and short stories like Chaturi Chamar and Sukul ki Bibi, he writes about struggling men and women of India in style that is bereft of ornamentation and is extremely poerful in its stark directness.
'Nirala's life as one of tragedies, struggle and chronic poverty. YThe epoet in him refused to bo before any individual. 'Nirala' remaind a fighter throughout his life and had to pay a heavy price for it. He died in Allahabad on October 15, 1961. Whilee he was often on the verge of penury, he would give aay wahtever money he had and even cloths, to the poor around him.
The Indian Posts and Telegraphs Department is happy to bring out a postage stamp in honour of this greeat son of India. |
| Stamp Currency |
: |
P |
| Stamp Type |
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COMMEMORATIVE |
| Stamp Language |
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English |
| Stamp Overall Size |
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3.91 X 2.90 cms |
| Postal Stamp Print Size |
: |
3.56 x 2.5 cms. |
| Number of Stamps Per Sheet |
: |
35 |
| Stamp Perforations |
: |
13 x 13 |
| Postal Stamp Shape |
: |
Diagonal |
| Postage Stamp Paper |
: |
Unwatermarked paper |
| Indian Stamp Process |
: |
Photogravure |
| Number of stamps printed |
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30,00,000 |
| Stamp Printed At |
: |
India Security Press |
| Indian Stamp's Color |
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Blue Grey |
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