Sign language on stamps

 

Date of Issue : 8 April 2014

Israel Post issued a stamp sheet  of 10  definitive stamps on Israeli Sign Language. Israel is home to some 750,000 people who are deaf and hard of hearing, approximately 15,000 of whom use sign language.The signs that appear on the stamps are presented as images comprised of a hand shape and the location of the sign. The tabs of the stamps also show different expressions of sign language.

Wedding stamp from Israel

Another beautiful definitive stamp issued by Israel  Post  feature Wedding greetings.

Greetings (Definitive Stamp) Mazal Tov for Marriage Stamp Sheet

The Mazal Tov wedding stamp ( definitive ) has been issued as My Own stamp sheet. Each sheet contains 12 pairs of stamps ( postage stamp with personalized tab ) and the sheet also serves as a gift - both personal and official.

Club News

Special Cover on Jainism

A special cover  will be released to mark Mahavir Jayanti on 19th April at Mumbai.

- Kapil Gorgi – Mumbai

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New Greeting stamps from Finland

 

Date of Issue : 3 March 2014

Celebrating Easter with endearing bunny rabbit design This year’s Easter stamp from Finland features a cheerful little girl dressed as a bunny rabbit, surrounded by Easter eggs and spring flowers.

The 1st class Easter Surprise were released as a 10-stamp sheet.
Easter is the third most popular card-sending occasion in Finland after Christmas and Valentine’s Day. In 2013, Finns sent a total of 1.4 million Easter Cards .

Congratulations !!

Itella Posti Oy released a new set of stamps “Congratulations!” adding a bit of extra style to a birthday or other greeting card.

Five new ways to say “congrats” Illustrator Kaarina Toivanen, renowned for her many postage stamp and postcard designs, has created a booklet of five 1st class stamps ideal for marking happy occasions of all kinds. According to Toivanen, floral motifs work well for graduations, birthdays, weddings and even children’s parties. Each booklet includes a set of Priority labels to match the stamps.

A series of short greetings are featured on the cover of the Congratulations! booklet, which exudes the balmy warmth of a sunny summer’s day. On the back cover is a stylized bar code, also the work of Toivanen, which takes its creative cue from a summer meadow.

Club News

New Special covers from  Assam

2  Special Cover during  Assampex2014 issued on 26-27 Feb. at Jorhat,Assam.

 

- Vishal Sanganeria - Guwahati

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New Greeting stamps from Ireland

 

Date of Issue : 30 January 2014

Every year, An Post issues vibrant and cheerful Greetings stamps which are designed to reflect the rich tradition of Irish hospitality and friendliness.

The Greetings First Day Cover features the aliens and robots collecting post and parcels from a spaceship with a colourful and friendly backdrop.

Greeting stamps are also intended to convey the warm good wishes of the sender when used with a card or envelope on practically every kind of celebratory occasion. In particular, they add a sense of fun and an extra touch of merriment to envelopes containing greeting cards.

This year’s Greetings stamps are based on illustrations by Phil Elliott, a multi-award winning Irish designer and illustrator and a member of the Irish Guild of Illustrators (Illustrators Ireland).

Phil’s designs for these stamps are centered around a more youthful celebration of occasions that warrant greetings by featuring vibrant, colorful, joyful images of robots and an alien.

Club News 

KULLUPEX 2014

A district level stamp exhibition will be held at Dev Sadan,  Kullu from 25th to 26th Feb 2014 . The exhibition is being organized by Mandi Postal Division.

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New Love stamp from Ireland

 

On the eve of the St. Valentine’s Day, An Post issued a Love and Marriage stamp as an extension of the popular Wedding stamp series. This year, the stamp is based on a photograph of a red rose – the symbol of love – by award-winning, Galwaybased photographer Kelvin Gillmor.

Roses have long been synonymous with love and marriage and are ancient symbols of love and beauty. The rose was sacred to a number of goddesses including the Greek goddesses Isis and Aphrodite the goddess of love, known as Venus by the Romans.

Club News

Basant Ke Rang (Colours of Spring)

State Flower Show, Raj Bhawan, Dehradun, Uttarakhand

Started in 2003, the State Flower Show is held at Raj Bhawan, Dehradun, every year. Releasing of special cover and cancellation is customary in the flower show as it is part of the official agenda, courtesy to the then Governor H.E. Sh. Sudarshan Agarwal, who himself is a keen philatelist. Special covers has been released in 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013.

This year the flower show will be held on 22-23 February 2014. Special cover on Kedarpatri ( Skimmia laureola) will be released on 22-02-14 by the Governor H.E. Dr. Aziz Qureshi. Kedarpatri has medicinal values and is also favourite food of musk deer. It is found at 2400-3600 mt. height in northern India. It is a strongly aromatic evergreen shrub, creeping or erect to 150 cm., with simple rather thick leathery, oblanceolate to oblong-elliptic, shortly pointed leaves, and very compact terminal clusters of yellow flowers, flowering from April to June.

- Abhai Mishra, Dehradun

JAINISM PHILATELY GROUP ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATED 

Jainism Philately Group, Pune Chapter organised a special function on Sunday 16th February 2014 at Pune. JPG National Chairman Sudhir Jain of Satna was the chief Guest. 3rd Anniversary of Jainism Philately Group and 1st Anniversary of JPG Pune Chapter was celebrated in this function.

Sudhir Jain delivered talk on pictorial cancellations on Jainism and Bazaar Cards and displayed his collection on both these themes.

Press Clippings

A Karnataka philatelist society Life Member, Mr H MAnanda Murthy a Mechanical Engineer, philatelist,  artist and calligraphist makes time for his passion. He also paints temples, and makes models in clay and thermocol. Wax sculpture, illustration and calligraphy are his other interests.

“This philatelist does covers” an article about  his philatelic collection  was published in Indian Express .

 

This philatelist does covers

By Revati Bhat - BANGALORE

Published: 17th February 2014 08:27 AM

A Bangalorean philatelist holds the rare distinction of owning cancelled postal covers dating back to 1864 and spanning 60 years of pre-Independence India.

H M Ananda Murthy has been collecting cancelled covers whose combined worth is estimated at more than `35 lakh today.

Since his childhood, he has collected stamps of every colour and size from almost every country. Hailing from Chikkanayakana-halli in southern Karnataka and now settled in Bangalore, 54-year-old Murthy continues his hobby.

“I have collected a wide range of stamps since 1974. In 1996, I got the silver medal at Canada Philatelic Exhibition in Toronto,” he told City Express.

He also started collecting Traveling Post Office (TPO) and Railway Mail Service (RMS) cancellation covers dating back to 1864.

His unique collection includes many types of cancellations. Some names given to them are: Bombay circle, Howrah circle, up train, down train, unpaid sorting, registered, first, second, third, fourth delivery with  semi-circle, triangle, diamond, hexagon and oval design. Each of these has a story to tell and generates interest among collectors.

“My collection spans 61 years from 1864 to 1925. I have collected more than 350 to 400 covers worth more than `35 lakh. I have in my collection the rare mirror image cancellation (when the dateline is in reverse), and error cancellations (to correct wrongly mentioned date, month or year),” he explained.

The jury of the Philatelic Congress of India gave him additional marks for his unusually detailed study of every cancelled cover.

In spite of leading a very busy life as a mechanical designer, Murthy makes time for his passion. He also paints temples, and makes models in clay and thermocol. Wax sculpture, illustration and calligraphy are his other interests.

His thematic collection also includes rare flora and fauna, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Mahatma Gandhi, locomotives and more.

“I approach old people and sometimes buy or exchange covers during exhibitions. My hobby has made me more self-reliant and helped me make friends across generations and boundaries,” he said.

Murthy has participated in several exhibitions and received appreciation letters and accolades. “I have also been invited by the postal department to guide and train school children and conduct workshops,” he said.

The huge collection of these rare covers is neither available with the Railways nor the Postal department. “I feel proud and elated to say that it is out of my own efforts that I have come to this position,” he said.

So what is the future? “My dream is to do research further, gain more knowledge and to get a doctorate,” he added.

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: Jagannath Mani- Bangalore

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Roses from Malaysia

 

Date of Issue : 14 February 2014

Pos Malaysia issued a beautiful set of stamps with a lovely miniature sheet on 16th February for sending special greetings with a touch of warm love to the dear ones.

This rose stamp collection series has been issued as  a way to encourage the public to appreciate hand-written cards and letters, sealed with a meaningful stamp on the envelope.

Throughout history, no flower has been so loved, revered, or renowned as the three species namely the Hybrid Tea rose, Grandiflora rose and English rose which are selected to be featured in this Rose-themed stamp and philately collection.

The stamps are available in three denominations featuring the Hybrid Tea rose at RM0.60 each, Grandiflora rose at RM0.70 each and English rose at RM1.20 each. The miniature sheet at RM5.00 with a heart-shaped Hybrid Tea rose is also available.

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New Special Cover..

 

Centenary Celebration of First Felicitation of Rabindranath Tagore as Nobel Laureate

 

 

Special Cover on Centenary Celebration of First Felicitation of Rabindranath Tagore as Nobel Laureate - 1st February 2014.

As a part of Centenary Celebration of the First Felicitation of Rabindranath Tagore as Nobel Laureate organised by Rammohan Library and Free Reading Room, Kolkata a special cover was released in Kolkata on 1st February 2014. The cover is designed by Shri Babul Dey.

13 November 2013 marked the centenary of Rabindranath Tagore’s Nobel Prize in Literature. Almost 100 years back, the writer, educationist and philosopher was informed of being conferred with the prestigious award. Stating the reasons, the Swedish Academy said that “because of his profoundly sensitive, fresh and beautiful verse, by which, with consummate skill, he has made his poetic thought, expressed in his own English words, a part of the literature of the West”. Born on May 7, 1861, Tagore in 1913 became not just the first Asian Nobel laureate but the first non-European to win the Nobel Prize for literature.

Courtesy : Indian Philately Digest

 

New Love Stamp from Slovenia

 

 

Date of Issue : 31 January 2014

Here is a beautiful stamp from Slovenia to send very special greetings to someone you love !!

Even though an old Slovenian proverb says that the way to someone’s heart is through their stomach, this relationship between two people is first and foremost a matter of the heart. This is also proven by a silver ring from the collection of the Slovenian Ethnographic Museum in Ljubljana formed by two hands holding a heart with a crown and featured on a new Slovenian stamp. The ring thus symbolizes the crown to a couple’s love, which can denote engagement, wedding or merely an objectification of love between two partners. In Slovenia this way of displaying love and affection between the two sexes goes back to the seventeenth century when wedding rings began to be used.

Wearing rings for decoration and the custom of giving a ring to someone as a token of affection developed later on, in the second half of the nineteenth century. The Slovenian word prstan “ring” itself also developed later than some other similar expressions such as rinka, rincica and rincca, which are all derived from the German word Ring “ring, circle”.

 

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Heartwarming stamps from Hong Kong….

 

A set of special stamps on the “Heartwarming” theme was released by Hong Kong Post.The “Love and Care” stamps depict a family of three with heart-shaped balloons and a flower. Hand in hand, they are happy together. Against the background of a magnificent fireworks display, the “Celebrations” stamps portray people drinking a toast on a joyous occasion. The “Birthday/Newborn” stamps feature colourful pennants, myriad gifts and exquisite cakes for celebrating birthdays or the arrival of newborn.

Delicacies from Taiwan…

Chunghwa Post is issuing a set of four stamps, featuring popular gift-packaged desserts. Each stamp is denominated at NT$5.

The designs follow:

1. Pineapple Shortcrust Pastry: the aromatic and soft skin of this pastry is made of shortcrust pastry dough, butter, eggs, and sugar. The filling comes in a wide variety, the most common being white gourd and pineapple jams. This dessert promises a party in the mouth. For the people of Taiwan, the pastry’s popularity transcends time and age.

2. Mochi: made of glutinous rice, the dessert is savory and chewy. Plain mochi is eaten with a coat of redolent, powdered peanut. Or one can choose mochi with filling, which ranges from red bean, peanut, or sesame pastes, and is ubiquitously delicious. The dessert offers a multiplicity of texture.

3. Sun Cake: the filling of this time-honored pastry comprises maltose, with golden-crispy crusts. The crusts are flaky, rich and exquisite; the maltose, on the other hand, leaves a sweet, addictive aftertaste.

4. Egg Yolk Pastry: The red bean or jujube paste is stuffed with a salty, delectable egg yolk. The filling is then tucked into rich, full-flavored pastry crust. A pinch of sesame is sprinkled on the dessert. The combination of sweetness and saltiness is absolutely ambrosial.

 

Club News

Special Cover on Golden Jubilee of Goa State Assembly (Vidhan Sabha)

The Goa state assembly celebrated its Golden Jubilee on 9th January 2014. The programme held at Kala Academy where all four surviving MLAs of the first Goa legislative assembly of 1964 - Atchut Usgaonkar, Gajanan Raiker, Mohammed Ali Jiwani and Theotonio Pereira were felicitated. A book, 'history of the official language' by Suhas Belekar and a reference book 'Architects of Goa Vidhan Sabha" comprising the profiles of all Goan legislators were released at the function. A Special Cover on the Goa legislative assembly was released at the function by the department of posts on 9th January 2014.

Courtesy : Indian Philately Digest

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Happy Republic Day…

 

 

Today is our 65th Republic Day. Greetings to all Indians on this very special Day !!

 

 

Happy Republic Day  !!!

Club News

Chenspex 2014

 

A Special Cover was issued on occasion of Chenspex 2014 on 25th January 2014. As part of the event, Mr. Seshadhri, a veteran philatelist of Chennai, conducted a workshop for children.

 

: Mahesh Parekh, SIPA &  Priya Kothai - Chennai

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New Valentine’s Day stamps

 

Date of Issue : 20 January 2014

As the valentine’s Day approaches  new stamps are being issued from different Postal administrations, Here are new stamps to be issued tomorrow by Finnish Post.

This year’s Valentine’s Day stamps from Finland depicting furry teddy bears convey a message of friendship and remembrance of others. The Bear Friends stamp series is drawn by a new face to the world of stamps from Kemi, Henna Takkinen, an artist who has specialized in teddy bears.

Born in 1969, Henna Takkinen is influenced by naivism and story illustration and has combined these elements into her own unique form of teddy bear art. In the early 2000s she completed her Master’s thesis on teddy bears, whose history dates back to ancient bear worship and up to the modern soft commercial teddy.

“Teddy bears have taken me on an endless adventure, everything is possible in their world. I want to share through art a teddy bear world of universal peace and love. Through stamps that message of caring and friendship can be shared with the world,” says Henna Takkinen, describing her artistic vision.

The Bear Friends stamp sheet has six 1st class stamps and four teddy bear stickers.

 

Club News

New Special Cover

A special cover was released in Bangalore by Karnataka Postal Circle  to commemorate fifty glorious years of service of Bangalore Police Commissionerate,which was established in the year 1963.

: Suresh R. – Bangalore : email : suresh.hobbies@gmail.com

 

EIPEX-2014, Bhubaneswar

A Philatelic exhibition namely EIPEX-2014, Bhubaneswar is going to be organised by the Eastern India Philatelists’ Association to commemorate the 15th year of Foundation of EIPA with an objective to promote philately and to encourage new and emerging philatelists. The main theme of the exhibition is ‘Save our Environment’. The exhibition will be held on 08th and 09th, February, 2014 at the Kalinga Buddha Vihara, Unit-IX, Bhubaneswar-751007. There will be 100 frames for display in the exhibition. The participation is limited to the members of the Eastern India Philatelists’ Association whose membership is accepted by 31.12.13 only and the school students of Odisha. No previous award is required for the exhibition. The exhibition will be a Non-competitive one. Only one exhibit from a philatelist subject to two from a family is allowed. The maximum number of frames per exhibit is limited to one only. Exhibitors will submit their entry form in duplicate to the Organizing Committee, EIPEX-2014. The last date of submission of entry form is 30.01.2014.

The entry to the exhibition is free. All the exhibits will be treated as Non-Competitive Class only.
Contact persons:
Ajit Kumar Dash,
Email: akdash2000@yahoo.com
Anup Kumar Rout,
Email: anupraut@yahoo.com
Anil Kumar Dhir,
Email: anildhir2k5@hotmail.com
Shri Shanti Swarup Rath,
Email: ssrath@hotmail.com
Scheduled dates:
Receipt of Entry Forms: 30.01.2014

 

List of Prticipants ar BIRPEX 2014, Poitiers

List of participants at BIRDPEX 2014, Poitiers is available at following link .

http://www.mg-o.de/mgobirdpex2014htm.

Courtesy : Wolfgang Beyer, Vice Chairman of the German Collector Group ZOOLOGIE.

Mr.Beyer is interested to contact with the Indian participants at BIRDPEX 2014.

Mail: Wolfgang.beyer1@aol.de

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Greetings on Makar Sankranti

Makar Sankranti, the  harvest festival also known as Pongal

Today is Makar Sankranti. Greetings to all on this festival. Makara Sankranti is one of the most auspicious occasions for the Hindus, and is celebrated in almost all parts of India and Nepal in a myriad of cultural forms, with great devotion, fervour, and gaiety. It is a harvest festival.

Makara means Capricorn Zodiac Sign and Sankranti means transition of the Sun from one zodiac sign to another. Thus Makar Sankranti is the day that marks the transition of the Sun into Makara rashi (Capricorn) on its celestial path.  The day is also believed to mark the arrival of spring in India.Makara Sankranti is a solar event making it perhaps the only Indian festival whose date always falls on the same date on Gregorian calender every year: 14 January, with some exceptions, when the festival is celebrated on 13 January or 15 January .

In Tamil Nadu, the festival is celebrated as Pongal where people cook sweet rice and other delicacies and shout, 'Pongal'. Whereas, in Punjab, it is called 'Lohri' where music, dance and prayers take the center-stage with fervour and dedication. Karnataka does away with the prefix and calls the festival 'Sankranti' or 'Shankranti'. The festival is celebrated joyously by sharing sweets and neem-leave-jaggery mixture powdered together. This is exchanged among family and friends to mark the auspicious beginning of the year.

Kite flying is another aspect of the festival that marks the beginning of a new year. The message intended is, "Rise higher like the kite'. But, there are many injuries due to kite-flying as birds get entangled in the plastic Maanja. So, the everyone should restrict kite-flying and be sensitive towards the avian species.

As bulls signify the harvest season, they are treated with respect and decorated with garlands and prayed to. Major cattle fairs are held at different places where many camels, bullocks and horses are sold and purchased by animal lovers.

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New stamp from India

 

 

Date of Issue : 31st December 2013

India Post issued today the last stamp of this year on Babu Banarsi Das. Babu Banarasi Das (1912-1985) was a noted politician and a member of Janata Party.During his long political career, he worked as a Minister, Speaker and Member of Parliament (both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha). He also held the position of the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh from  1979 to 1980.

Stamp Image Credit : Mansoor B. – Mangalore

New Postmark from Patna

Save Water Save Life : Water Conservation Year 2013

A special Postmark was provided at Patna on 30 December 2013 : Save Water Save Life : Water Conservation Year 2013.

Courtesy : Pradip Jain – Patna : email : philapradip@gmail.com

Wishing you all a  Very Happy  & Prosperous New Year !!

This is the last Post of this year as the year 2013 is saying Good Bye…In this year  Indi Post issued maximum number of stamps in a single calendar year… The last stamp of this year  released today on Babu Banarsi Das.. With this issue India Post  issued of  about 142 stamps, miniature sheets and sheetlets in the year 2013…Which is a record number.The issuance of Stamp and Miniature sheet on Sachin Tenudlkar was also remarkable as very limited stamps have been issued by India Post on living personalities .  Philatelically it 2013 was a good year with a National stamp show at Mumbai and record number of entries in World Philatelic Exhibition BRASILIANA 2013.  A new website Indian Philately Digest has been launched by Mr Prashant Pandya that proved to be a great help for all the  lovers of Indian Philately with its quick updates. It is a milestone in the field of Indian Philately. In this last Post of The year I  share here some most beautiful  and remarkable stamps of the year 2013…

India Post issued stamps and miniature sheets on 50 iconic personalities of India Cinema.

India Post Issued stamps, Minature sheet  sheetlet on Sachin Tendulakar’s 200th Test Match.

“The Postman Van” was the theme of EUROPA 2013 stamps.

“Wildlife’ was the theme of SEPAC 2013 stamps.

The Year 2013 was “Lunar Year of Snake”.

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