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.

Read More….

: Jagannath Mani- Bangalore