Sambhars at Ranthambore Tiger Sanctuary, Rajasthan. 

A family of langurs at the Ranthambore tiger sanctuary. 

Stamp of Chennai - 8

The University of Madras is into its 150th year. Set up in 1857 -- a year more popularly known for the first war of independence, the sepoy mutiny -- along with the universities in Mumbai and Kolkata this year also marks the start of the western system of education in India.
India Post brought out a commemorative stamp to mark the occasion. It shows a section of the Senate House, the building from which the University started functioning. It is being renovated after it lay disused and dilapidated for over two decades.

The stamp brought out in 1957 to mark the centenary of the University of Madras also featured the Senate House. I think despite the monotone print this stamp brings out the Senate House's grandeur better than the recent colourful version.

A view of the Senate House as it is today. I could not get a fuller view of the building as the renovation work is still on and a portion still has scaffolding around it.

A First Day Cover and special cancellation to mark the 150th year.  

A minaret of the Senate House. A view similar to the one depicted on the First Day Cover.  

A view of a section of the university buildings reflected in the waters of the Cooum. To the left are the arches of the bridge built a few years back as a mirror image of the older Napier Bridge that runs parallel to it. 

The statue of Dewan Bahadur Sir S. Subrahmanya Ayyar the first Indian Vice Chancellor of the University of Madras.