Page 22 - A brief note on calligraphy of the Constitution of India in English and Hindi

20

have,started. Even, otherwise, the historic document
deserves calligraphy, decoration and illumination.
I find that in the matter of the English copy 2/3rd
has been done in respect of calligraphy, while, so far
as decoration and illumination is concerned, only l/5th
is done. As regards the Hindi copy, hardly anything
is done. Only l/10th is calligraphed and the decora­
tion and illumination is not yet started.
I think, we should also have some printed copies of
the calligraphed and decorated editions. The ques­
tion is about the'sizes of these printed copies, and
whether they should be printed only in black or in
colours.
I send herewith two specimens of the print, which
may kindly be returned. One sample shows the
original calligraphed copy reduced by one-half, and
the other is of the copy reduced by one-third. As
such works are done only once in a while, I think, we
may not mind a little more expenditure, and have th?
copies as beautifully printed as possible. I am there­
fore. inclined to have the bigger size and printed in
colours, instead of simple black as shown in the
accompanying sample.- The total cost for the edition
of a thousand copies will come to about Rs. 62,000
as against about Rs, 42,000 for an edition of five
hundred copies. If we go in for Hindi copies also, as
we should, we will have to incur similar cost for that
edition. There will be some extra cost, say about a
couple of thousand rupees for each edition on account
of binding, etc.
I should think that it may be possible for us to
dispose of some copies at a price of say Rs. 25 each
copy and realise about Rs. 20,000 or so from both
editions. The proposal, therefore, involves roughly
the cost as follows:—
KB .
1. Calligraphy fl -00O
2. Decoration and Illumination for bnth the
English and Hindi Editions , , 40,000