Republic Day Special from Lotus Pens
On January 26th, 1930, the Indian National Congress had proclaimed “Purna Swaraj” as opposed to the dominion status that was offered by the British regime. After India achieved independence and her constitution was adopted on November 26th, 1949 by the Constituent Assembly, 26th January was selected for adopting the Constitution, marking the completion of the young Nation’s transition towards becoming an independent republic.
On 26th January 1950 had begun Dr Rajendra Prasad’s first term of office as the President of the Indian Union. It was also the day the Constituent Assembly had become the Parliament of India under the transitional provisions of the new Constitution. It is this date that we celebrate as the Republic Day. It is this day that we are celebrating as the 70th Republic Day today in 2019.
The Republic day, to most of us is synonymous with the celebrations held at the Raj Path in New Delhi before the President of India and other dignitaries. Ceremonious parades take place – a tribute to the Nation, its unity in diversity and rich cultural heritage. We fill our hearts with pride, chant the mandatory catchphrases and wait for the beating of the retreat.
However, this year it is going to be different. For Arun Sighi, pen turner extraordinary, has done something that will ensure that we carry our love for the Republic where it belongs – next to our hearts. Lotus Pens has fashioned its hugely popular Tectona pen as a tribute to the Republic Day – one that is aflutter with the tricolour from the core of our hearts.
As is de rigueur with Lotus Pens, the barrel and cap are made of white acrylic of the finest quality, to symbolise peace and truth that the Tiranga safeguards in the middle. At the top is Saffron symbolising courage and sacrifice, while the bottom band of Green stands for faith and chivalry. The Saffron and Green are hand painted – I must tell you this, as it is done with such artistic dexterity that one may err on the wrong side of judgement.
As for the pen itself, what can I say? As with every Lotus creation, it is perfect in terms of balance, weight and ease of use. It is slightly on the bigger side, which is not really a concern for me – as a matter of fact, it gives me great pleasure to note that it is its biggish size that makes it such a perennial favourite in the western countries!
The Tectona Republic Day Special from Lotus comes fitted with an internally acknowledged Jowo converter which is as hassle-free as it gets and the nib unit is from Schmidt, which too, is virtually beyond reproach. I know I am going overboard here, but the golden hue of light reflected from the nib, the blemish-less white of the body and the bands on the far ends of the pen, did make my heart beat faster. The golden clip and the centre-band too are so well ingrained into the overall aesthetics of the pen that it effortlessly makes the transition from being another instrument for writing to one that is timeless in its elegance and functionality. As a matter of fact, the minimalism has been taken to such a level that even the lotus logo, etched on the nib and the clip blend in as if in a silent tribute to the flag.
The invitational pricing – the pen is being made available at INR 2670 to commemorate the 70th celebration of January 26th – is also a huge step in the right direction. “The Republic Day Special is my personal salute to the Nation” said Arun Singhi “the pricing is deliberate – an effort to invite all Indians who want to carry a visual representation of their love for the Motherland, to partake in the celebration of our Nationhood. I hope that the pen will also incite the patriotic feelings in the future generations apart from inducing them to pick up the fountain pen in the pursuit of excellence and the unending quest for knowledge”.
Golden words, those.
Vande Mataram!
For More information contact:https://www.lotuspens.com
EndNote: I had meant to upload this piece on the early hours of the 26th, to mark the occasion. However, am uploading it in advance as it will accord an opportunity to those who wish to acquire this commemorative beauty at the special price in which the pen is being offered.
May all Indian hearts beat as one!