Two stamps showing the 16th-century Agra Fort here in all its splendour have been released here on the occasion of the Aga Khan Awards.
S. Jaipal Reddy, union minister for culture, information and broadcasting, released the two special postal stamps of Rs.15 each Sunday night.
With him was Minister of State for IT Shakeel Ahmad and Uttar Pradesh Minister of Tourism Kokab Hamid, local MP Raj Babbar and the Aga Khan himself.
The stamps show the Agra Fort in all its splendour and also Khas Mahal inside it that was built in 1637.
Reddy said Akbar under whose reign Agra Fort was constructed was one of the greatest emperors of history. He said the Taj Mahal was the most beautiful monument in the world and Shah Jahan the world's greatest builder.
The actual Aga Khan Awards for architecture were given away by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to seven international institutions at Humayun's Tomb in Delhi Saturday evening.
Aga Khan said the stamp release functions along with the awards started back in 1980. Pakistan was the first to release special stamps. The awards for architectural excellence were given keeping in view the past, present and future possibilities in the field.
A special programme presented by the Aga Khan music initiative and Silk Road Ensemble set the mood for a grand cultural exposition, which proved once again that music has no language and is not a victim of political boundaries.
At the Taj, foreign visitors trooped in for night viewing. Aga Khan and his entourage of nearly two dozen people reached the Taj around 11 p.m. and spent quite some time admiring the monument to love bathed in moonlight.
--Indo-Asian News Service