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Print Word and Civilization are Synonymous A Unique Calendar
Printing History on a desk Calendar
Ludhiana (PRWEB) April 20, 2006 -- If story of printing is the story of civilization itself, then you have it all told in a succinct, illustrated form on a 13-page table-top calendar—Printers Calendar-2006-07. It is the brainchild of Kamal Chopra for whom printing is not a livelihood but life itself, a passion unparalleled. He has his print shop in Ludhiana, where the earliest printing press was set up way back in 1809.
After three years of meticulous research, Kamal has come out with the complete history of printing, which dates back to more than 100,000 years. He traversed across the globe from Printing Museum and Institute of Graphics Communication in Beijing to Library of the Congress in Washington and from Gutenberg Museum in Mainz to British Library, London, in pursuit of tracing the history of printing. His documentation from journals and archives has resulted in this beautiful calendar, perhaps, the first of its kind anywhere.
Says Kamal, "What I have put in a capsule form in the desk-top calendar is not a complete end product. However, it does present almost the complete story of the evolution of printing. Yet, I would welcome suggestions for improvement. It is, I believe, a collector’s item, which may inspire future generations of students and professionals to explore the world of printing or communication in greater depth".
The calendar carries unique photographs to depict the story of printing, which is believed to be the "mother" of all revolutions. It is also a humble tribute to all the known and unknown heroes, who toiled over centuries to develop printing and printing technology as a means of expression of human feelings. Yes, printed word is still looked upon with great trust, value and authenticity. No one goes back on the written word.
Beginning with a cave painting at Lascaux, France, Circa 20,000 B.C. each page carries a small description how printing evolved over a period of time. One learns about "our own" history of civilization as also printing through recorded drawings, signs and words from the ancient caves of the Neanderthals (120,000-35,000 B.C.) to the present day innovations in printing technology.
The calendar shows Sumerian clay tablets, surviving Papyrus and Parchment scrolls, Egyptian ‘book of the dead’, the original Dharani Sutra in Sanskrit and Chinese, model of an ancient Chinese print shop,, movable types of clay—1040 A.D., portrait of Johannes Gutenberg, facsimile of 42-line Bible printed by him in 1452 and his press and then there is the map of India showing some of the earliest pointing presses—1556-1809 A.D.
Kamal says that printing came to India "accidentally." Bishop-designate of Abyssinia broke his journey at Goa in 1550 A.D. and subsequently died there due to illness. He left behind a wooden printing press he was carrying. It was his associate Joao-de-Bestowment, who eventually set up this press there in 1556 A.D.
The first paper-mill, tells the story on the table-top calendar, was established by Ziegenbaig at Porayar, near Tranquebar in 1712 A.D. Bhimji Parakh was the first Indian to adopt printing as a "carrier" in 1647 A.D.
Besides much more, each page of the calendar in itself is a rich source material on printing, which gives enough cuds to chew and wonder as much at the marvels of man as the painstaking effort of Kamal to compile this informative, educative and entertaining master-piece. Where it gives chronology of the evolution of printing and how it developed with the passage of time, Kamal has also printed facsimiles of the first set of currency notes of Independent India, first set of British India currency notes—1867 and then there is a picture of the first known currency notes in India—1773. Also shown is the first block ever used to print the first currency as also the first ever paper currency.
Kamal’s calendar in itself is a piece of great art and printing, which he has perfected over a period of time. A quick learner, he believes in exploring the unknown facets of printing and communication. No wonder, the calendar shows the "penny Black" 1840 UK, said to be the first postage stamp of the world! And there is also the first postage stamp used in India in 1852 and of course, the first postage stamp of Independent India, printed in 1947, showing a fluttering Tricolour with "jai Hind" in Hindi printed on the right hand top corner. The oldest newspaper of the world, dateline 1659 from the Library of Congress is also shown alongside the facsimiles of these stamps.
Kamal says, "Lead has, more than gold, changed the face of the globe, and more so the lead from the composing sticks than that from the gun". And, did you know that February 24 is celebrated as Printer’s Day all over India to pay tribute to all known and unknown inventors and developers of printing technology? In fact, there is much more to this only of its type calendar besides the usual month-date-section.
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