St Patrick’s Day

Date of Issue : 25 February 2016

St Patrick’s Day is celebrated in many parts of the world, especially by Irish communities and organizations. Many people wear an item of green clothing on the day. Parties featuring Irish food and drinks that are dyed in green food color are part of this celebration. It is a real gaudy !

St. Patrick was a 5th century Romano-British Christian missionary and bishop in Ireland. Known as the “Apostle of Ireland”, he is Ireland’s patron saint. It is said that when Patrick was about 16 years old he was captured by Irish pirates from his home in Great Britain, and taken to Ireland to work as a slave. He was held captive for six years before escaping and returning to his family. Patrick became a cleric and returned to Ireland to spread Christianity.

This year’s stamp, designed by Steve Simpson, is based on an illustration by John Kindness of a young Patrick in slavery with Slemish Mountain (Co. Antrim) in the background.

New Special Covers

Golden Jubilee Year - SujathaHigh School, Hyderabad

Guntur Mirchi 

Undavalli Caves , Guntur

Platinum Jubilee Celebration of CSI Corely Higher Secondary School,Tambaram

C.S.I. Corely Higher Secondary School was started as Primary School by the Methodist Missionaries then it was upgraded  as a middle school in the 1941.  The school was named after a Methodist Missionary Prof. Ferrend Edward Corley who worked in Madras Christian College as a professor of history.  In the academic year 1978 - 1979 the school was upgraded as a Higher Secondary School.  By imparting holistic education, training and moulding, we help our students to be intellectually sound, morally upright, socially sensitive and spiritually perfect.

GOLDEN JUBILEE OF INNER WHEEL CLUB MADRAS - I.W.D. 323 - CHENNAI

The Barbara Kelly Home is the star project of the Inner Wheel Club of Madras.  Housing girls from single-parent homes, in its own building in Thoraipakkam, the IWC Madras completely looks after each girl's board, lodging and schooling.

- Sreejesh Krishnan, Trivandrum

Alphabet Stamps from Australia

Date of Issue :  1 March 2016

Here is beautiful set of stamps on 'Children' Theme to be issued by Australia Post on 1st  of March 2016. The children would love to collect  these stamps.

Fair Dinkum Aussie Alphabet

Test your spelling with this first installment of the fair dinkum Aussie alphabet! Have you ever seen a winsome wombat watering a waratah in Western Australia? Or Vince the vague Victorian vanquishing violins with his Victa while devouring his vegemite victuals? How about a quizzical quokka queuing for a Quokkair flight to Queensland, or nautical numbat navigating naughty nippers in New South Wales? This stamp issue is part one of a series featuring an old-fashioned Aussie alphabet of humorous scenes devised by artist Gavin Ryan. It begins with the letters representing five of Australian states.

N is for … New South Wales, nipper, numbat…

Q is for … Queensland, Quokka, queue, quoll…

S is for … South Australia, shark, sandcastle, surf, starfish, sausage…

V is for … Victoria, Victa, vegemite, vegetables, violin…

W is for … Western Australia, wombat, wattle, waratah, water hose…

Source : Australia Post

New Global Moon stamp from USPS

Date of Issue : 22 February 2016

The United States Postal Service issued a new Global postage stamp featuring moon on 22 February 2016.Issued at the $1.20 price, this Global Forever® stamp can be used to mail a one-ounce letter to any country to which First-Class Mail International® service is available. As with all Global Forever® stamps, this stamp will have a postage value equivalent to the price of a single-piece First-Class Mail International® first ounce machinable letter in effect at the time of use. To distinguish this stamp from other Forever stamps, the shape of the international stamp is round and bears the words “Global Forever.”

As Earth’s only natural satellite, the moon has long had considerable impact on mankind. Its gravitational pull creates ocean tides and affects our planet’s motions. The moon and its regular lunar phases have also served as important social, spiritual, and mythological influences on various peoples throughout history.

The stamp sheet’s selvage features a tree line silhouetted against the night sky, which creates the appearance of the full moon stamps rising above the horizon.

Full moon depicted on a new issue by USPS provides fascination for many cultures and are the subject of a variety of folktales. Due to the regularity of full moons, which occur approximately every 29.5 days, several of them even have names and cultural characteristics associated with them.

A full moon occurs when the moon is opposite the sun, with Earth between the two. From our planet, the visible surface of the moon appears fully illuminated and larger than anything else in the night sky. Since the rotation and orbit periods of the moon are the same, the same part of the moon is always seen from Earth. 

New Special Covers

Jal Mahotsav Mahya Pradesh, 12-21 February 2016

MP State Level Philatelic Exhibition, MAPPEX 2016 - 7 February 2016

Singhastha

MP State Level Philatelic Exhibition, MAPPEX 2016 - 7 February 2016

Unique Hathkargha of MP

Archbishop Benedict Mar Gregorios 

Shri Lakshmi Narayan Temple

National Heritage : Maharaja agrasen Ko Baoli

Courtesy - Sreejesh Krishnan, Trivandrum

New Stamps on Greetings

Cheerful Congratulations !!

Date of Issue : 26 February 2016

Our life is full of pleasant events and, of course, of cheerful congratulations that follow them. To felicitate the nearest and dearest in the original way Finland Post has designed five cute 1st class congratulations stamps to be issued on 26th February 2016.

New Special Cover on Jainism

SPECIAL COVER ISSUED ON 18th FEB. 2016 AT JAIN PILGRIMAGE CENTRE

On the occasion of the Panch Kalyanank Prartishtha  and Mahamastakabhishek of newly installed world’s tallest idol of Bhagwan Rishabhdev, a special cover with special cancellation has been released on 18th Feb. 2016 at famous Jain pilgrimage centre Mangi Tungi, District Nasik, Maharasthra. Cover was released in a grand function in the auspicious presence of Ganini Pramukh Pujya Aryika Gyanmati Mataji and Bhattarak Ravindra Kirtiji Maharaj.

The idol of Bhagwan RIshabhdev, carved out of a single rock, is 108 feet tall and stands as the world’s tallest Jain idol. 

- Sudhir Jain

Inspirational Quote on new Austrian stamp

The future has not yet been written. It is what we make it !

“Die Zukunft ist noch nicht geschrieben. Sie ist, was wir daraus machen!“ (The future has not yet been written. It is what we make it!) ‒ this is the slogan with which the design team Anna Liska and Andreas Wesle won this year’s stamp design competition, held by Austrian Post in collaboration with the daily newspaper “Die Presse”.

This year‘s theme was “The Future Factor”: What is it that will define Austria as a successful location for business in the future? This was the question for which the creative participants had to come up with a design for a stamp which must be produced graphically, through illustration or typographically in a size of 35 millimetres by 35 millimetres. 5,000 Euro awaited the winner.

A spirit level hanging perpendicularly was one design; the motto “Schau’ ma mal” (Let’s just wait and see) arranged in front of mountain peaks another. The designs submitted also included eagles bearing a ski-jumper aloft, and speech bubbles, to remind  that dialogue is a means of resolving conflicts and problems. 96 designers took part in the competition, the only requirements being that they must be at least 18 years of age and were only allowed to submit one design each.

Otherwise the competition was open to anyone with a creative urge. A preliminary panel comprising experts in graphics and communication as well as representatives from “die Presse” and Austrian Post selected 15 finalists, which were then showcased in the “Presse am Sonntag” and on the newspaper’s website. The creative people behind the designs were also showcased, and a text explaining their design idea published.

Getting into the final required just that little bit more: “The message must still work in that critical small format”,said Jörg Pribil, Head of Philately at Austrian Post.

On top of all that, the winning design should tell a story if it is to be well received by philatelists and stand up to closer scrutiny. “Above all else, philatelists play close attention to the details of the design”, said Jörg Pribil.

The winning design by Liska and Wesle shows the sentence quoted at the start of this article, printed white on white on the stamp using varnish. This symbolically makes the stamp a white (i.e. blank) page, and is intended to encourage everybody to get involved in helping to create the future, as the two artists explain. The Liska Wesle design studio works in Vienna and Berlin, providing graphic solutions in the art and culture sector. Its customers include Tanzquartier Wien, Secession Vienna, MUMOK Vienna, Kunstraum Niederösterreich, 21er Haus, “Spex” – the magazine for popular culture and many others.

All-women post office

An All-women post office inaugurated at Singjamei

By KanglaOnline -

Shri Vinod Kumar, Director (Posts) Manipur dedicated an all women post office, Singjamei Sub office to the people of Manipur with all ladies staff members including Post master.

February 4, Imphal: An all women post office, Singjamei Sub office was dedicated to the people of Manipur by Shri Vinod Kumar, Director (Posts) Manipur , with all ladies staff members including Post master.

The Director congratulated the postmaster Smt GA. Memi Devi and other staff members on this historical occasion. He intimated that there is one postal assistant Ms. E. Geeta Devi and one Gr. D official who also are ladies. This Sub Post Office serves postal and financial requirements of large number of people, among them majority are women. SPM intimated that female customers feel comfortable with lady staff while it comes to getting some information about postal schemes or if they have any doubt.

The Post Office is under Project Arrow scheme and consists of three counters. Two of the two counters offer Multi Purpose services such as registration, booking of speed post as well as sale of  Stamps. All the counters will have only women employees.

On this occasion Md Riyajuddin, Inspector of Post Offices, 3^rd Sub Division was also present who has made a state level record of 757 rural PLI policies in single day at Mayang Post Office recently. He said there is lot of possibilities for PLI/RPLI in Singjamei post office which will be beneficial for women visitors.

It is also important to note that Singjamai Post office comes under Second sub division which is being headed by woman officer Ms. O. Nishita, Inspector Post Office and on this occasion Ms Homeshori, In-charge, Philately Bureau, Imphal Head Office represented HPO while Divisional Office, Imphal was represented by Ms Rebeca, OA Phila & BD.

Shri Vinod Kumar, Director (Posts) Manipur dedicated an all women post office, Singjamei Sub office to the people of Manipur with all ladies staff members including Post master.

Ms Rebeca said that all women post office is a step towards better services for women in Manipur and it also paves way to more empowerment for women as various social security schemes are available here especially Sukanya Samridhi Yojna for girl child which will guarantee bright future for girls. Ms. Homeshori intimated that a lot of philately material related to women issues will be displayed in this office for sale and efforts will be made to open more philately accounts for girls.

Courtesy : Dr SK Sondhi

Stamps for World Poetry Day

Poetry reaffirms our common humanity by revealing to us that individuals, everywhere in the world, share the same questions and feelings. To underline this unity of souls San Marino Post decided to release three spiritual and romantic stamps to celebrate World Poetry Day .

The World Poetry Day is celebrated on the 21st of March and was established by UNESCO in 1999. The purpose of this day is to promote the intercultural dialogue, the language diversity, communication and peace.

New Stamps on Indian Theme - Ramayan

On the occasion of  Year of Monkey 2016, Indonesia Post issued 3 stamps featuring legendary monkeys of Ramayana namely Bali,Sugriva,Hanuman,Angada,Nila.

Couretsy - Leeza Padhi , Cuttack

New stamp from Russia with Luminescence Effect...

The 175th Birth Anniversary of Arkhip Kuindzhi (1841-1910), Artist

Russian Post has introduced an original stamp that commemorates the 175th birth anniversary of Arkhip Kuindzhi, a Russian painter. It is the first time in the history of philately that special transparent ink, which glows in the UV radiation, has been used when manufacturing this special philatelic item.

The souvenir sheet consists of a postage stamp bearing an image of Night on the Dnepr painting (1882), and the margins feature a painting by Ivan Kramskoi called Portrait of Painter Arkhip Kuindzhi. Thanks to the technologies used, a glow in the UV radiation can be seen on the stamp.

Kuindzhi was called “a painter of light”. The stamp truly represents the painter’s artistic intention to create real moonlight and space depth. In the artist’s opinion, Night on the Dnepr became the main painting of his life.

The painting depicted on this original souvenir sheet by Russian Post demonstrates harmonicity and tranquility, as well as simplicity of patterns. The moon shines in the night sky, painting the clouds in a cold light. The moonlight can be seen fluctuate in the waters of Dnepr below.

The slow current of the river, its curves, the coastline and peasants’ huts can also be seen. The whole nature has become silent fascinated by the marvelous shining of the sky and the Dnepr waters.

Love is in the air.....Happy Valentine's Day !

This year’s Love stamp from Ireland issued on 11th February 2016,  is based on the theme the chain of love. The stamp features an interesting and unusual graphic design of hearts forming a chain.

The heart symbol we see here has been used to symbolise love for generations. Hunters reportedly scrawled the symbol on cave walls, though why they did this nobody knows. Ancient Egyptians believed that the heart epitomised life and morality while the Greeks suggested it controlled reason, thought and emotion.

Love Letter with Fountain Pen

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Love letters are one of the ways people express their feelings of love. In our modern age of computers and the internet, this form of amorous communication is gaining entirely new forms, modes and dimensions.

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We are dealing with a phenomenon that probably goes beyond the classic dimension of writing love letters, which, after all, was conditioned by the individual’s degree of literacy, sense for the written expression of romantic feelings and ability to create a suitable text. Love letters were – without exception – written by hand, using pen and ink. Love letters were not mere brief communications, but deeply considered sentences. They could even take the form of poetry, but in any case they were written with carefully chosen words and the finest calligraphy. Illiteracy, or other handicaps such as poor handwriting or a lack of dexterity with romantic content, resulted in the phenomenon whereby gifted individuals would write love letters on behalf of others. There were even books and manuals published with sample content to help people compose letters and express their romantic feelings.

Love letters are (were) therefore a lot more than the mere expression in words of one’s feelings towards a certain person. They represent excellent examples of interpersonal communication, and also varying degrees of literary creativity and sense for the visual design of a text, which in some cases even included illustrations full of romantic iconography and symbols.

After My Stamps, now My Cancellations.....

  

MY CANCELLATIONS….START OF ANOTHER FASCINATING FACILITY

- Naresh Agrawal

MY STAMP an innovative and attractive facility has now become popular in India which gives one to tag his/her photo/image or of some one, some place etc.  along with the stamp which becomes a part of the stamp known as “My Stamp”. This has been  quite appreciated and used by Indian people mainly stamp lovers. And  the least known “My cancellation” allows one to get a postal seal with a special message for specific occasion along with a personalized “My Stamp” .

                                        

Only  a few days back, a history had been created in philatelic field in India as according to me, the first ever “MY CANCELLATION” has been issued by Chennai Post office along with “MY STAMP” related same theme i.e. Royal Wedding Invitation of marriage of one of India’s prominent philatelist and stamp dealer Mr. V. Ethiraj’s son. This is a unique invitation. Many of us have been talking and thinking about such combination to come. But Mr. Ethiraj has become the first person to achieve, create and put it forward. He created this cover so beautifully and gracefully that it attracts attention of one and who looks at it. He has also chosen the perfect event to introduce this to the philatelic fraternity  and has been nicely put forward in a proper way mainly sending it through speed post. The stamp depicts photographs of to-wed couple i.e. Mr. Ramesh and Miss Dhivya  and the  cancellation depicts Chennai 690002  112016 dated 06.01.2016 (Name of the post office and Date of issue/application) and the message.

               The Beautiful Invitation Cover With “My Stamp” And “My Cancellation”

                                       

The subject matter of cancellation is bilingual i.e. Hindi and English which reads “शादी का निमंत्रण” and “Marriage Invitation” on circular form with names of the Bride and Bride Groom in designer alphabets which reads “Ramesh weds Dhivya”. Thereafter below it the wedding date which reads 06.03.2016. The post office name to in bilingual i.e. Chennai and चेन्नई and then the pin code 69002 and then below all this is the date which reads 112016 (01.01.2016)

                           

                                          

          My Cancellation  : Special Carrying Message

The MY STAMP shows a beautiful photo of the to-wed couple (bride and bridegroom) where in their names are also mentioned in English which is tagged with Rs.5/- stamp of Port Blair Island issued by India Post. It is a Speed Post Cover with Speed Post  registered label affixed on the front.

                              

                          1.Speed Post  Mail    2.The venue : Rajah Muthiah Halls, Chennai

The cover is a multicolor cover with beautifully designed images highlighting large printing designer alphabets reading “Royal Wedding”, beautiful Monogram of Royal Wedding mentioning Prince Ramesh and Princess Dhivya & that of the venue. The venue so chosen is one of the the magnificent halls where last INPEX 2008 ,National Stamp Exhibition was held that is Rani Meyyammai & Rajah Muthiah A/C Halls, Egmore, Chennai - 600008. This shows an absolute philatelic dedication, concern and connection of Sri V.Ethiraj.  A great philatelist by heart, soul and mind.

While I was writing this report, I could find on social media  that the same has already been published in one of the newspaper in Chennai. The news paper says “After personalized stamps, including those with selfies, customers can now own “My cancellation” on envelops with special messages.”

The Hindu, reputed English Daily News Paper of Chennai states that as part of the efforts to rekindle the interest in philately, the department of post is offering residents a chance to send letters with a personalized touch. The idea for the ‘My Cancellation” cover was born when philatelist Mr. V Ethiraj recently ordered Rs. 1 lac worth of  “MY STAMP” with a to-wed couple photos printed on them. He later sought for a special cancellation on the wedding covers too that would carry personalized stamps.

In an interview to the same paper Mr. Mervin  Alexander, Post Master General (Chennai City Region) said that the department usually released special cancellation covers commemorating an event along with commemorative stamps but they had  decided to offer the personalized cancellation cover as people would cherish the covers. As it is special facility, MY CANCELLATION” would  be available only for those who orders minimum of 100 sheets of MY STAMP on the same theme.”My Cancellation” facility would be offered  for Rs. 1500.00. He further added that they had planned to spread awareness among school children about MY STAMP, MY CANCELLATION and philatelic deposits. They would also Hold special camps for the children to own stamps.

While we thank Mr. Ethiraj for putting forward this new attractive facility before us, we also thank DOP for introducing and encouraging this facility. We hope this facility will gain momentum and would be used for so many occasions by so many people regularly.

We congratulate  the whole family  of Mr. Ethiraj in advance for this royal wedding.

- Naresh Agrawal, Bilaspur (C.G.) : email : nareshkumar1992@yahoo.co.in

Bold issues from UNPA - Free & Equal – UN for LGBT Equality

Equality is a fundamental principle of human rights! Six stamps by UN Post support gay, lesbian or bisexual people

Date of Issue : 5 February 2016

Here is a a new philatelic issue by UNPA that promotes the UN Free & Equal campaign for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) equality. The new six stamps, which celebrate the diversity of the LGBT community, mark the first time that the UNPA has issued stamps with an LGBT theme. 

This issue promotes the UN Free & Equal campaign for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) equality. The new stamps, which celebrate the diversity of the LGBT community, mark the first time that the UNPA has issued stamps with an LGBT theme.

An initiative of the UN Human Rights Office, Free & Equal is a global public education campaign dedicated to raising awareness of homophobic and transphobic violence and discrimination globally. Since its launch, the campaign has generated a stream of popular content and engaged millions of people in an effort to promote the fair treatment of LGBT people and generate support for measures to protect their rights.

Equality is a fundamental principle of human rights. All human beings – whoever they are, wherever they live, whomever they love – are entitled to enjoy the same basic rights, free from arbitrary interference. All States, regardless of their political, economic and cultural systems, have a legal duty to promote and protect the human rights of all. LGBT people, like everyone else in the world, are entitled to live their lives free from fear, violence, discrimination and persecution.

UN Free & Equal recently celebrated two years of campaigning, in which the campaign’s message of acceptance and equality reached some two billion people. To learn more about the Free & Equal campaign, please visit www.unfe.org.