Hi !
Through Net surfing I just came across an interesting article about “ Missing Post Office “ of Japan. I am sharing here it with the Readers…
There might be something waiting for you at Japan’s Missing Post Office
Many countries’ postal systems have a type of “dead letter office” which handles mail that has been inappropriately addressed and could not be sent. In most cases, if the sender cannot be found the messages are destroyed in order to maintain privacy.
The Missing Post Office, on the other hand, welcomes unaddressed post cards and keeps them for eternity if need be until they end up with the rightful owner even if they aren’t alive. The unusual post office opened on the island of Awashima on 5th October 2013 and welcome all to come and read their discarded messages of humanity.
■ A work of art
The Missing Post Office was created by artist Saya Kubota as a part of the Setouchi Art Festival around the Islands of the Seto Inland Sea in Kagawa Prefecture. It’s actually a renovated post office which closed down in 1991.
Much of the office remains intact aside from the addition of some art pieces and changes to the sign. The standard 〒 symbol which identifies post offices was stylized into a wavy version symbolizing the ocean which carries messages in a bottle – a central theme to the Missing Post Office. The symbol can be seen all around the place including the uniforms of its staff.
■ Meet the staff
Director – Katsuhisa Nakata
Mr. Nakata was the director of the Awashima Post Office for 45 years until retiring. After serving his community for most of his life he was asked to return as acting director of the Missing Post Office, a post which he accepted with pride.
Clerk – Saya Kubota
The creator of the Missing Post Office, Ms. Kubota wanted a place where human thoughts and emotions could accumulate like flotsam on a beach. Only instead of tossing a message in a bottle and possibly losing it to the depths of the ocean (an act which she compares to posting on the internet), the Missing Post Office will protect it and allow it to be found by its rightful owner and anyone else who needs to share that same feeling.
■ Inside the office
The main piece of the Missing Post Office is the Drifting P.O. Box. Tin boxes are suspended on standing piano wire all atop a revolving wooden table. Visitors are encouraged to reach into a box and pull out a message. The messages are anonymous but 100% real. They might be written to deceased relatives, unborn children, or even a traffic light. Whatever people were motivated to write down or needed to get off their chest can be found in these boxes.
The following are some sample messages from the Drifting P.O. Box:
“Mother,
When you died last summer I didn’t cry. When you were alive it was like we only said horrible and spiteful things to each other… If we met now I think we still would… But a year has passed and I have only loving memories from childhood left.
I have when we made pudding together.
I have when we read books.
I have when you bought me my piano. That was the happiest.”
_________________________________________________________________
“To my future grandchild,
When will you arrive? The sooner the better, come on and be born! I can’t wait to finally do for you everything I couldn’t do for my own kids.”
_________________________________________________________________
“Actually, I was hoping to do the folk dance at school with you. My heart was pounding with excitement as our turn together was coming around soon but… just before it happened, the song cut off.
Since then several autumns have gone by. What might have happened to you by now?”
■ How to send to the Missing Post Office
If you’d like to send a message to the Missing Post Office, just write it on a post card and send it to the address listed below without including the name of the recipient, your own name or address. Only post cards though. They will not open envelopes since the message is not meant for them.
In the case that your message is too long to fit on a post card, then they encourage you to use several. Whoever it’s meant for should be able to piece it together. Also, in the event that the person who the message is intended for appears at the Missing Post Office, they will be able to leave with it.
Although the Setouchi Art Festival will come to an end on 4 November, it looks as if the Missing Post Office will live on. The 79-year-old Mr. Nakata said he will continue to serve as its acting director.
The autumn is a very nice time to visit the islands of Kagawa Prefecture, and even if conceptual art is not your thing, it’s hard to ignore the raw humanity that can be felt in the Missing Post Office.
Information
Missing Post Office (Hyoryu Yubinkyoku)
〒769-1108
Hyoryu Yubinkyoku Dome
Awashima 1317-2, Takuma Town, Miyoto City, Kagawa Prefecture
Missing Post Office: Website
Allahabad Philatelic Exhibition 2015
Head Post office, Allahabad
Special Cover on Head Post office of Allahabad was issued on 9 January 2015 during Allahabad Philatelic Exhibition 2015.
- Ambrish Kumar Allahabadi - Allahabad
1st CBS Sub Post Office of Odisha Circle
A special cover was released on 1st CBS Post Office of Odisha Circle by the Hon'ble Governor of Odisha, Dr. S C Jamir on 9 Decembere 2014.
Rajbhawan S O, Bhubaneswar – 751 008 successfully migrated to CBS on 09.12.2014 First CBS Sub Post Office of Odisha Circle and 2ndCBS Office ( Next to Bhubaneswar GPO) .
- Sreejesh Krishnan – Trivandrum
Image Courtesy - http://ipasporissa.blogspot.in/2014/12/roll-out-of-raj-bhawan-so-to-cbs-as.html
CBS Post Office
India Post has the largest Postal Savings Bank network in the world. Keeping pace with the technological changes in the banking field and to meet the expectations of the customers, India Post has undertaken a project for switching over to a Core Banking Solution (CBS) platform with a total project outlay of Rs. 800 crores. CBS will enable customers to do banking operations through computers, mobile phones and withdraw cash through ATMs. Money transfer from one account to another too will become easier and faster.
Gandhipex-2104, a district level philatelic exhibition is organized at K. B. Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Gandhinagar (Gujarat) on 25th and 26th July 2016. Exhibition was inaugurated by Shri R. K. Jayabhaye, Director Postal Services (H.Q.), Gujarat Postal Circle. A Special cover on Sports Authority of India was issued on the occasion. Shri R. K. Naidu, Director, Sports Authority of India was also present on the occasion.
Two booklets on 2014 FIFA World Cup and Sachin Tendulkar were also issued during the exhibition. Philatelic Workshop was conducted by Shri Vijay Navlakha.
Rashtrapati Bhavan Post Office
The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee inaugurated the Rashtrapati Bhavan Post Office in its new building on 24th July 2014 at President’s Estate.
The Rashtrapati Bhavan Post Office started functioning as Viceroy’s Camp Post Office at SHIMLA
on 10th June, 1904 has historic records. In 1948, it was renamed as Governor-General Post Office and in 1950; it was again renamed as President-Camp Post Office. On 7th December, 1950 it was named as Rashtrapati Bhavan Post Office. This Post Office caters to the needs of President’s Secretariat as well as residents of the President’s Estate. The Post Office was relocated from a heritage building as part of measures to implement the Comprehensive Conservation Management Plan for the President’s Estate.
Courtesy : Indian Philately Digest
Date of Issue: 25 June 2014
Here are new stamps on Festival theme from Singapore. Singapore’s rich and vibrant multicultural heritage is best reflected in the many colourful festivals celebrated throughout the year. SingPost continues its tradition of issuing the Festivals stamp set with these eight bright and cheerful rendering of the four most important festivals celebrated in Singapore – Chinese New Year, Hari Raya Aidilfitri, Deepavali and Christmas stamps.
The festivals are featured on two stamps each i.e. the 1st Local (S$0.26) and S$0.55 stamps. The Festivals 2014 stamp issue aims to help add a warm touch to letters and cards sent to friends and family during the festive season. SingPost releases stamps on Singapore festivals every two years, with the last issue in 2012.
My recent Cover
Cover from Germany
Received this Registered cover from Germany so kindly sent by Mr Wolfgang Beyer. Many thanks to him for this nice cover with pictorial bird cancellation !
Club News
My Stamp facility at Vadodara Philatelic Bureau, Vadodara H. O.
My Stamp facility has been made available at Vadodara Philatelic Bureau (Vadodara Head Post Office) from 2nd July 2014. A function was organized at Vadodara Head Post Office to inaugurate the My Stamp Facility Counter and launch of My Stamp at Vadodara Philatelic Bureau.
Shri A. Marimutthu, Sr. Postmaster, Vadodara H. O. delivered the welcome speech and informed about the ‘My Stamp’ facility. Smt. Sucheta Joshi, Director Postal Services, Vadodara Region inaugurated My Stamp Facility Counter at Vadodara Philatelic Bureau.
Shri Prashant Pandya, President of Baroda Philatelic Society gave information about the Personalised stamps available in various countries and about the experiments of Personalised Stamps done in Kolkata during 2001 – 2003 at Industrial Fair and Book Fair. In his address Mr. Pandya informed about the history of Vadodara Head Post office.
Vadodara Head Post Office is celebrating 80 years of its existence and to mark this celebration first My Stamp was launched with the photo of Vadodara Head Post Office.
APPEX 2014 : Vijaywada
Appex - 2014, Andhra Pradesh State Level Philatelic Exhibition at Vijayawada - 24th - 26th July 2014.Appex-2014, Andhra Pradesh State Level Philatelic Exhibition will be held at Vedika Function Hall, Benz Circle, Vijayawada from 24th to 26th July 2014. The AP Postal Circle is organising the event with the aim of promoting the habit of postal stamp collection among the people.
Shri B. V. Sudhakar, Chief Postmaster General, Andhra Pradesh Postal Circle unveiled the APPEX-2014 logo on 1st July 2014. He said that several philatelists who have been passionately collecting stamps for decades will exhibit their valuable collections in the three-day event. He also flagged off a publicity van ‘Naandi Ratham’ to create awareness about philately among the public and promote the habit. The van depicts colourful paintings by children on themes like environment and girl child safety, among others. Postmasters General Ms. Sandhya Rani (BD), Shri M. Sampath (Vijayawada Region) and Mrs. M. Sharada Sampath (Vishakhapatnam Region) were also present on the occasion.
Courtesy : Indian Philtely Digest
Date of Issue : 22 March 2013
Slovenia Post issued a souvenir sheet on 22 March 2013 featuring world’s first underground Post Office of the world.
The first underground Post Office
Postojna Cave is the most famous cave in Europe, welcoming half a million visitors each year. In its 200-year tradition of tourism, the cave’s beautiful dripstone formations have been admired by 35 million people, including 150 monarchs. The cave extends for 21 kilometres. Tours of the cave have been possible for 141 years via the cave railway. It is a cradle of bio speleology, and an area with the greatest diversity of cave fauna in the world, since in addition to the proteus or “human fish”, it is home to the first cave beetle, Leptodirus hochenwartii, and 100 other species of cave fauna. Prior to the appearance of postcards, the cave had already
enjoyed a long tradition of tourism.
The number of postcards sent from Postojna grew markedly at Whitsuntide and the Feast of the Assumption, when mass events and dances were held. For this reason the cave management sent a request to the Austrian trade ministry in Vienna for the opening of a post office in the cave.
Postojna Cave – Underground Post Office
Date of Issue : 22 March 2013
On 15 August 1899, next to the Dance Hall, 500 metres from the entrance to the cave, the first underground post office in the world was opened. It used the postmark “ADELSBERGER GROTTE – POSTOJNSKA JAMA”. At first the post office was open only on special occasions, but after 1911 it operated regularly, with a record 75,000 postcards being sent at that time on Whitsun Monday, and thereafter 6,000 to 11,000 were posted each day. Even during the First World War, when Postojna hosted the General Staff of the Austro-Hungarian forces for the Soča (Isonzo) Front, the underground post office stayed open, and continued to operate between 1922 and 1927, after the annexation of Postojna to the Kingdom of Italy. At that time the post office used the postmark “POSTUMIA (GROTTE)”. In May 1927 a second underground post office was constructed in the Concert Hall, 1400 metres from the cave entrance, and this operated up until 1945.
A philatelic Counter was inaugurated at Shri Aurbindo Ashramm Post Office Pondicherry on 15th August 2013. The above cover was posted to me on 19th August by someone from this Post Office which I received today. But the sender has not mentioned his name on the cover. My Thanks to the sender.. But I wish to know the name of the kind sender. The new name of Pondicherry is Pudducherry but the cancellation bears the name Pondicherry.
The department of posts introduced a permanent pictorial cancellation shown below at Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Puducherry on 15th August 2013, to mark the birth anniversary of the revolutionary-turned-philosopher-saint Sri Aurobindo. The design of the cancellation is based on the symbols of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother.
![image_thumb[11]](http://lh5.ggpht.com/-xXrXKf_sU_E/UdRjZhPuaZI/AAAAAAAAzfk/M1qjmdgKEDo/s1600-h/image_thumb%25255B11%25255D%25255B4%25255D.png "image_thumb[11]")
GPO Shimla
Hi !
While Net surfing I came across a beautiful Blog “ A Wandering Mind ” by Anuradha Shankar with a nice Post on Post Offices of Shimla. The pics of Post offices of Shimla are so beautiful and taking me to Shimla again where I also once took few pics of Shimla GPO .
Just wish to share the pics taken by Anuradha Shankar with all of you.
![image_thumb[9]](http://lh6.ggpht.com/-mtUkVCSra1M/UdRjh1ESHqI/AAAAAAAAzf0/LQo0nXHj2pg/s1600-h/image_thumb%25255B9%25255D%25255B2%25255D.png "image_thumb[9]")
Post Office at Chaura Maidan, Shimla
![image_thumb[10]](http://lh3.ggpht.com/-IUxvepbwPxU/UdRjoQDV74I/AAAAAAAAzgE/e1CT0mYIdKQ/s1600-h/image_thumb%25255B10%25255D%25255B2%25255D.png "image_thumb[10]")
Post office near Kalka Shimla Railway line
View more pics at : http://anushankarn.blogspot.in/2013/03/post-offices-of-shimla.html
Ever heard of an underwater post office? A rare phenomenon found in only 5 countries of the world, Malaysia takes pride in hosting one of its first ever underwater post offices in Sabah.
Apparently an old 40 foot wooden cargo ship of a resort on Mataking Island which was a part of Malaysia’s conservation program sank. This old wooden ship thereafter became one of the 5 similar underwater post offices in the world. The underwater mail box was placed on the front of the wheel house of this cargo ship.
Now an amazing facet unfolds here: you could write or just buy a postcard at the resort’s gift shop and seal your letters a special water proof plastic postal wrap bag to take it down and deposited into the box. All your mails shall be collected twice per week. And even before you realise your mail is sent that too in any part of the world.
Also it is fascinating to know that the sunken wooden ship initially was an artificial reef which acted as a catalyst in attracting many tropical reef fishes. As for today, this wreck has a reputation of housing some of the most incredible species from this spectacular island.
With the proliferation of WiFi and cell phones, does anybody mail postcards anymore ? there are five underwater mailboxes for you to visit:
Articles
DISTRUBED POSTAL SYSTEM IN UTTRAKHAND
- Naresh Agarwal
BADRINATH POST OFFICE BEFORE TSUNAMI
The devastating natural disaster due to Monsoon floods named as Himalayan Tsunami is a very sad incident as it has destroyed buildings, roads, houses and washed away complete villages at places. Various government and private offices have been destroyed in this incident. All the surface communication systems are badly affected as roads, bridges, village paths are washed away at places leaving the crying hills with flow of roaring eye drops streams creating havoc.
The postal system in Uttrakhand is badly affected as mail/post could not be carried and question of delivering does not arise under the circumstances. There are or were (still uncertain) post offices in all major townships/villages of Uttrakhand’s affected area but there could not be any mail carriage to those offices for last two weeks and also all other mail activities are held up. Mr. Abhai Mishra, a veteran philatelist has come with images of some of the affected post offices of the holy hills of Uttrakshi and surroundings on Rainbow Blog afew days back which spoke about the situation then prevailing there. Looking in to further forecast of heavy rains the situation seems to deteriorate further. And under this situation, it is difficult to say that how much time it will take to resume the services which are vastly dependent on major civil reconstruction activities such as roads, rehabilitation of people, local residents and start of normal administrative and functioning of business and trade.
It is presumed that Emergency, Temporary or Mobile post offices might be set up in that area to give service to the people who live in their villages which are at present isolated from the others. Temporary emergency aerial postal routes/services may be opted and adhered to but looking in to the quantity and necessity of distribution of mail. Temporary mail collection, carriage and distribution systems and channels might be developed. Under these circumstances, the private courier services are presumed to be held up completely.
For philatelists, the coming time in Uttrakhand area will produce good collectable postal and philatelic material in form of different mail systems, routes, cancellations, postmarks, stationery etc.. Philatelic fraternities in India too should come up with new innovative philatelic material giving tribute to the people of died and suffered. It will be interesting to watch how the services are rendered in near future before those are resumed properly.
: Naresh Agarwal - email : nareshkumar1992@yahoo.co.in
Light Houses of Poland
Thanks to Andrzej Bek, Poland
Amarnath Yatra
Amarnath cave is a very famous shrine in Hinduism located in Jammu and Kashmir . It is dedicated to Shiva. The cave is situated at an altitude of 3,888 m (12,756 ft), about 141 km (88 mi) from Srinagar, the capital of Jammu and Kashmir and reached through Pahalgam town. The shrine forms an important part of Hinduism, and is considered to be one of the holiest shrines in Hinduism. The cave is surrounded by snowy mountains. The cave itself is covered with snow most time of the year except for a short period of time in summer when it is open for pilgrims. An annual pilgrimage is made to the Amarnath cave by lakhs of Hindu devotees on challenging mountainous terrain to see an ice stalagmite formed inside the cave. Amarnath Yatra is an important holy pilgrimage of Hindus.
Cancellations from the APO en-route to Amarnath Yatra
Amarnathyatra 2000 Cancellation of FPO 873 & Unit censor E1-239
Amarnathyatra 2000 Cancellation of M.I. Room 4/1 Gorakha Regiment
: Timir R. Shah- Vadodara
News from UK..
Birds attack on Postal Workers…
Postal workers are refusing to deliver to a seaside cul-de-sac because they are coming under attack - from dive-bombing seagulls. Officials at Royal Mail said petrified postmen have been injured by the swooping birds, dive-bombing and pecking at their heads.
It is thought the gulls are launching their aerial onslaughts to protect nests, and are being made even angrier by the postal workers’ brightly-coloured uniforms. Royal Mail has now ruled the gulls are a health and safety risk and have told residents at Liskey Hill Crescent, Perranporth, Cornwall, to collect their letters from a nearby post office.
But homeowners say they have had to put up with the seagull blitz themselves for years and want mail staff to start delivering again. Jackie Bray, 67, who has lived on the crescent for 35 years, said: 'I’m waiting for a hip operation and now I have to go to the post office every day to collect my mail.
'It’s a service that we pay for, a service we are not getting. We have to put up with the seagulls so why can’t they? They should man up, buy a hard helmet and deal with it.'
: Markand Dave – Nadiad (Gujarat)
