New Christmas stamps from Iceland

 

 

Issue Date: 1 November2012

Iceland Post issued a set of two stamps on 1stNov 2012 for this year’s Christmas.

The motifs for the 2012 Christmas stamps are based on the story of the Night Troll which is included in the Jón Árnason collection of Icelandic folk tales. The story as told by an old woman from Rangárþing was recorded in the 19th century. According to the story, persons who were responsible for looking after a certain farm in Iceland on Christmas night were either found dead or gone insane.

Once a peasant girl offered to stay at home on Christmas night. She sat in the communal sleeping room of the farmhouse singing to the child she was holding. That night a troll came to the window and started reciting verses in praise of the girl’s beauty. She answered immediately, reciting her own verses in return. At sunrise the troll disappeared from the window. The same morning a large rock was found in the farmyard, and it has been there ever since. The girl recounted the happenings of the night and it became clear that a night troll had appeared at the window and turned to stone at the dawn of day.

From Our Readers…

SIZE & DESIGNS OF FDC OF SAME STAMP DEFERS BUREAU TO BUREAU

- Sudhir Jain.

Being Jainism theme collector, I was looking to collect FDC of Godiji Jain Temple stamp (issued on 17-4-2012) from all the Bureau of India. There are total 68 Philatelic Bureau in India. Out of these 68, I have collected FDC from 67 Bureau. Only one Bureau is missing that is Agartala Philatelic Bureau. I shall be glad if any Philatelist can help me in getting this Agartala Bureau FDC on attractive exchange / price.

I have interestingly noticed that Bureau to Bureau size, design and even colors of the cancellations are different. Style of writing name of Bureau and date is also defer in most of the cases. Even FDC of two Bureau Port Blair and Muzaffarpur does not bear name of Bureau.

I am exhibiting here some of such FDCs.

: Sudhir Jain - email : sudhirjain@unistar.co.in

Festivals of India - Ram Navmi.....

Greetings on Ram Navmi

Hi ! It is Ram Navmi - Birthday of Lord Rama which is celebrated as important Hindu festival in India and other countries of Hindu Cummunity . Ramnavami is dedicated to the memory of Lord Rama. It occurs on the ninth day (navami) of Chaitya ( Hindu calender) . The festival commemorates the birth of Rama who is remembered for his preperous and righteous reign. Ramrajya (the reign of Rama) has become synonymous with a period of peace and prosperity. Greetings to all on this festival !

I have just posted April Issue of Rainbow Stamp News on the blog. Please visit www.rainbowstampnews.blogspot.com . This is all for today !......Have a wonderful weekend !......

Ram Navmi
Sri Ramnavami occurs at the beginning of summer when the sun has started moving nearer to the northern hemisphere. The Sun is considered to be the progenitor of Rama's dynasty which is called the Sun dynasty (Raghukula or Raghuvamsa, Raghu means Sun and Kula or Vamsa mean familial descendant). Rama is also known as Raghunatha, Raghupati, Raghavendra etc. That all these names begin with the prefix Raghu is also suggestive of some link with Sun-worship. The hour chosen for the observance of the lord's birth is that when the sun is overhead and is at its maximum brilliance. In some Hindu sects, prayers on Ramnavami day start not with an invocation to Rama but to Surya (sun). Again the syllable Ra is used in the word to describe the sun and brilliance in many languages. In Sanskrit, Ravi and Ravindra mean Sun.

The occurrence of this syllable in most names used for Rama alongwith other clues is strongly suggestive that the festival Ramnavami antedates the R- ayana and it must have originated much before the Ramayana, as a 'Sun-festival' for invoking the Sun who was recognised as the source of light and heat even in ancient times. The importance of the Sun was much more in the higher latitudes from where the Aryans are supposed to have migrated into India. Many royal dynasties potrayed symbols of virility like the Sun, Eagle, Lion etc. as their progenitor. Rama's dynasty considered themselves to have descended from the Sun. This could have led to the tagging on, of Rama's birthday to a festival devoted to the sun.

There is some link between Lord Rama and Sun Worship. The Sun is considered to be the progenitor of Rama's dynasty which is called the Sun dynasty (Raghukula or Raghuvamsa, Raghu means Sun and Kula or Vamsa mean familial descendant). Rama is also known as Raghunatha, Raghupati, Raghavendra etc. That all these names begin with the prefix Raghu is also suggestive of some link with Sun-worship. The hour chosen for the observance of the lord's birth is that when the sun is overhead and is at its maximum brilliance. Significantly, the ancient Egyptians termed the sun as Amon Ra or simply as "Ra". In Latin the syllable Ra is used to connote light. For example, we have Radiance which emission of light, or Radium which means any substance emitting light or brilliance. The common element is the syllable Ra which in many languages is used to derive words for describing Sun or light.

Errors in Indian Post Independence Stamps


BEIJING OLYMPICS 2008 MINIATURE SHEET

VERTICAL THREE LINES IMPERF

MULTIPLE HORIZONTAL PERFORATION

Contributed by- Pradeep Kumar Agarwal E-Mail - pradipphil@gmail.com