Description: This definitive postage stamp from the Republic of India features a detailed illustration of Nataraja, the Cosmic Dancer form of Lord Shiva. Printed in a vibrant, monochromatic orange-red ink palette, the centered design captures the four-armed deity performing the intense Ananda Tandava dance atop a lotus pedestal while stepping over the demon Apasmara. Horizontal background shading lines fill the inner rectangular layout. The word "POSTAGE" spans neatly across the upper right header banner. The denomination is split between corners, showing the alphanumeric "2 AS" on the left and its Devanagari script equivalent "२ आना" on the right. The country name "INDIA" anchors the baseline in block text. A wavy black commercial postmark cancellation slants across the left side.
Circa: 1949-1955
Condition: Used - Hinged
Notes:
This represents a crucial piece of India's famous 1949 Archaeological and Historical Monuments Definitive Series. Released precisely on the second anniversary of Indian independence, this landmark series replaced transitional colonial-era motifs with symbols of indigenous spiritual heritage, architectural triumphs, and classical art.
The engraving draws its direct visual lineage from the revered 9th-to-10th-century Chola bronze sculptures of Tamil Nadu. The four hands signify the cardinal points of the cosmos, with the upper right holding the damaru drum of creation and the upper left cradling the agni flame of universal destruction.