New Special Covers

 Jain Saint Acharya Shantisagar Maharaj

On the occasion of inauguration of centenary year celebration of Muni Diksha of first Digsmber Jain Acharya of 20th century Prathamacharya Shantisagar Ji Maharaj, a special cover and special cancelation has been released at Humcha (Karnataka) on 20th March 2019. 

A function was organized in the holy presence of Pujya Acharya Vardhmansagar ji Maharaj in which Swasti Shree Devandrakeerthi Bhattarak Swamiji released the cover. Many other Jain Math Bhattarakji, Sri Ashok Patni, Sri Nirmal Kumar Shethi, and Karnataka Chapter Convenor of Jainism Philately Group Mr. Mahaveer Kundur etc. were guest of honor.

- Sudhir Jain, Satna (MP)

Special Cover on Ice Stupa

On March 18, 2019 India Post  released a ‘special stamp cover on Ice Stupa’. The stamp was released by Jammu and Kashmir’s Chief Postmaster General during a function organised at the Ice Stupa site at Gangles Village in Leh.

A number of officers and dignitaries from Army and civil administration were present on the occasion.

Over 12 villages in Ladakh have built ice Stupas this year in various villages.

With the technical and material support by the Himalayan Institute of Alternatives Ladakh ( HIAL) , village youths have enthusiastically participated in building the ice Stupas. 

To keep motivated, this year HIAL has organized a competition among the villages on ice Stupas .

Ramon Magsaysay and Rolex award winner Sonam Wangchuk said simple living in cities only would help and allow the ecology of mountains to just survive. 

Global warming, ecological imbalance have caused irreparable damage oñ Himalayas, thus this awareness through the stamp release has been taken up, he said.

Ice Stupas is not any celebration but survival technique we in SECMOL have developed over a period, Wangchuk said.

Saving Winter water, that flows waste, in a cone shaped stupa which is not melted easily is the main idea behind it , he explains.

This stupa melts slowly  and serves the purpose of drinking and irrigation, he said. 

In each ice Stupa atleast 30-50 lakh ltrs of water is saved. This is apart from the naturally saved water in the slopes of mountains, Sonam Wangchuk said.