My recent covers……

 

EUROPA – Year of Children’s Books

Hi ! Here are some nice covers received by me from Poland, Latvia & Algeria. I just want to inform my friends that they should send only specific FDCs & please do not send empty covers for exchange as due to recent hike in Registered Airmail postage which is now three times the normal Air-Mail Postage. So it is not possible to reciprocate for the blank empty covers which are sent by most of the collectors as these covers do not serve any philatelic purpose. It is really very disappointing that often some collectors send empty ordinary covers (with no philatelic value) in exchange of stamps and Max Cards. In fact such covers are of no use for an advanced philatelist as they bear only used stamps. These covers serve the purpose of general collectors only.  Exchanging of stamps and covers is a great pleasure but it should be substantial and worth for someone and it must have some philatelic value. So exchange on particular themes will be better for both partners. However I prefer exchange of mint stamps, postal stationery and other philatelic items on my specific themes. I assure of sending nice philatelic items in exchange. I have recently added two new themes to my interest and these are Mona Lisa & EUROPA themes. I would certainly like to exchange stamps and philatelic items on these themes besides my other themes mentioned in my profile. It is a pity that the place where I live FDCs are not available on the date when they are issued. I get them quite late from other place so I cannot provide my friends the real FDCs timely. However I can send them mint stamps and other special covers available with me. This is all in this Post…….Till Next Post……Have a Great Time !

EUROPA 2010 – Year of Children’s Books

Cover from Poland - Thanks to Andzej ! A real FDC of EUROPA 2010, posted from Poland. I love this theme very much.

20 years of Declaration of May 4th, 1990

Cover from Latvia – Thanks to Mr EN Limanski. A real FDC posted from Latvia. Thanks LImansky for making it philatelically important by making it a Registered FDC ! Though the theme depicted on FDC is not my subject but it is a good registered used FDC for Flag theme !

Cover from Algeria – Thanks to Mr Ouari Khemissi for the cover. This cover is not a real FDC but a simple computer printout. It has no philatelic value as it does not even bear a special cancellation except two used postage stamps affixed on it. This cover cannot be included in Polar regions collection. Only the  stamps used on the envelop can be included to some extent.

Club News

Heartiest Congratulations to all Winners at LONDON 2010 !

Two entries of Indian participants in Literature Class of Mr Dinesh Chandra Sharma, Lucknow and Mr Vikas Singh, Ghaziabad have won Bronze medal in London 2010.

Views & Opinions

Kasinath R., Tanjore

I like to share the present condition of availability of low value MS released by India Post.
I still have not got one Polar Region MS. whenever I approach the GPO, they say the quantity which came are already sold out. I think this is the case in many GPO in India. but then, these are available for sale in abundant quantity for higher prices in online auction houses and with local dealers. selling the Polar Region MS @15 to 20 (100% profit) each and Silent Valley @ Rs. 15 each (200% profit). In eBay, making easy money. these are available even in packets (100 nos and 200 nos), while a student philatelist or others who need 1 or 2 for their collection need to visit the GPOs repeatedly to get one.

My nearest philatelic bureau is 60 km away from my city. I get my stamps through PDA a/c, but then too I did not receive the Polar region MS so far.Are these stamps issued mainly for benefit of dealers? or are the dealers bribing the clerks at GPO counter to get bulk quantity?

It seems that in future, new MS should be bought only from dealers and through auction sites. I started hating to collect Indian Stamps. Also, these postal staff give out huge quantities to dealers without any question. When I asked for 10 MS of Silent Valley, they looked at me top to bottom and asked whether I'm a dealer.Can't there be anything done to restrict this?

Shimla GPO on stamp..

Hi ! Here is the beautiful stamp on Shimla GPO recently issued under series of Heritage Post offices of India on 13 May 2010. It is also the first issue of “Curtain raisers to Delhi 2011(World Philatelic Exhibition 2011)” I am very pleased to share these stamps with all of you as I have visited Shimla and Lucknow GPO many times and it’s a pleasure to see them on postage stamps. Though Shimla GPO is very small as compared to other post offices depicted on these stamps but its building has a wonderful architecture. A special cover was issued by HP Circle on Shimla GPO on 6 July 2008. I have already written about it earlier but I am giving its details again while sharing this nice stamp here. This is all for Today…..Till Next Post….Have a Nice Time !

Date of Issue - 13 May 2010

Shimla:India Posts has brought out a set of commemorative postage stamps on six postal heritage buildings, including Shimla GPO, Lucknow GPO, Delhi GPO, Nagpur GPO, Udagamandalam HPO and Cooch Behar HPO.All the stamps issued are in denomination of rupees five.

According to Ambesh Upmanya, director, postal services, HP circle, Shimla GPO building finds place in the set of these six postal heritage buildings. Shimla GPO was established in year 1883 in the heart of the city – the Mall. The site was initially known as ‘Conny lodge’ and was purchased from one Mr. Peterson at that time. Mr F Dalton was the first postmaster of the GPO whereas AK Hajari was the first postmaster of Indian origin of this GPO.

The building was mainly a timbered structure with a tin-roof. An interesting element about its design in large hollow pillars of stone and brick that transverse its height, making it an excellent example of English hill architecture. A fire broke out on the first floor of the building on September 21, 1972, in which most of the old records were brunt. The building was again renovated with its architectural features still preserved and in the year 1992, it was declared as one of the heritage post office buildings in the country.

http://www.himvani.com/news/2010/05/14/shimla-gpo-in-commemorative-postage-stamp/5205/

History of Shimla GPO
The General Post Office, situated on the Mall Shimla, is one of the oldest Post Offices in the country. The building known as Conny Cottage was purchased from Mr. Peterson, Manager of the Shimla Bank in 1883. Mr. F. Dalton is believed to have been the first Postmaster. Mr. L.G. Pigott was the last English Postmaster till December 1946. Mr. A.K. Hazari became the first Postmaster of Indian origin on 01.01.1947. The three - storeyed, mainly wooden, structure is a nice example of English hill architecture. Prior to acquisition for the Post Office, the building had some exclusive shops of some European tailors like Engelbad & Co. and the Coutts & Co. Some portion of the building, damaged by fire in the year 1972, was renovated, maintaining the original facade. In the year 1992, the GPO was declared as one of the Heritage Post Office Buildings in the country.

Club News

LONDON 2010 – Festival of Stamps

Indian philatelists shine at LONDON 2010….

                  

                                  Pradip Jain (Gold )                      Lallan Prasad Singh (Silver)

Mr Pradip Jain has been awarded Gold Medal for his one frame new exhibit "The Development of Airmail Route between Cairo and India until 1929" and the other exhibitor from Patna, Mr. Lallan Prasad Singh has also won Silver Medal for his exhibit entitled : Twin Cobra Overprints of Gwalior (On George V British India Stationery) in London 2010, World stamp exhibition. The First phase of the exhibition is over and second phase, 12 to 15 May 2010 begins,which include exhibits of  Class: Postal History, Aerophilately, Thematic and Youth one-frame. The rest of the result of other classes will be declared tomorrow .

Following participants from India have sent entry in London 2010:-
Name - Exhibit - (Frames)

1. Dhananjay Desai Sourth (8)
2. Abdual Hai India Pre-Ind.up to K.Ed. (5)
3. Pragya Kothari Grey Goose Wings (5)
4. Pradip Jain India-Cairo Air route (1)
5. Lallan P. Singh Twin cobra overprins (1)
6. Dinesh C. Sharma Literature
7. Vikas Singh Literature

Pride of India Collection…

Hi ! Here is the recent issue from the series of Pride of India Collection. The new issue featuring stamp on famous shlok from Bhagwadgita, one of the most famous religious and philosophical books of Hindus. The original stamp of Gold replica shown above was issued on 25 August 1978. The stamp is magnificent in golden and orange color and is one of the best stamps issued by India Post ! This is all for Today….Till Next Post….Have a Great Time !

Krishna and Arjuna in Battle Chariot

Date of Issue – 25 August 1978

For more details log on to http://www.prideofindiacollection.com/

In Devnagari:
कर्मण्ये वाधिकारस्ते म फलेषु कदाचना
कर्मफलेह्तुर भुरमा ते संगोस्त्वकर्मानी॥

This is the most famous verse (2.47) of the Bhagavad Gita. Many people have not read the Gita, but they are familiar with this shloka.

In English transliteration:
Karmanye vadhikaraste ma phaleshu kadachna
Karmaphalehtur bhurma te sangostvakarmani.
Ch. 2, 47

In English translation:
You have a right to perform your prescribed duty, but you are not entitled to the fruits of action। Never consider yourself the cause of the results of your activities, and never be attached to not doing your duty.

Philosophy

The shloka (and the philosophy of Karma Yoga) tells us to renounce the fruits, or results, of our actions. Exactly what are these "fruits"? In a narrow sense they could be tangible gains – like a salary hike or a promotion. In a broader sense they could be the achievement of one's life's ambitions – like wealth, fame or power. These are the things people usually mean when they talk about "fruits" or "results".

There is another, more fundamental, "fruit" of action that is seldom talked about in this context: the happiness, the satisfaction and the peace of mind that one gets from work. Does "fruits of action" include these as well? Is Krishna telling us that we should renounce these also?

Imagine doing a work and saying no even to the joy that we get from it. It is one thing to do good work letting go of money, power and fame. It is another thing to do it letting go of even the happiness that it gives us. Doesn't this sound heartless? Yes, it does. Some would argue that the satisfaction and peace of mind we get from good work are an intrinsic part of that work, and should not be seen as "fruits" of work. But if we really think about it, we realise that these are also "fruits" of work, and hence should be renounced.

Which brings us to perhaps the most fundamental, the most primordial, "fruit" of work – the sense of meaning and purpose that one derives from it. Are we to renounce this as well? Yes, that is what the Bhagavad Gita is telling us. This is Karma Yoga at its most severe level: working purely for the sake of work, and not for any other reason. The work itself is its own justification, and nothing else.

http://indiantake.blogspot.com/2009/04/karmanyevadhikaraste.html

Krishna & Arjuna at Kurukshetra

The Bhagwad Gita

The Bhagavad Gita ("Song of God"), also more simply known as Gita, is a sacred Hindu scripture, considered among the most important texts in the history of literature and philosophy. The Bhagavad Gita comprises roughly 700 verses, and is a part of the Mahabharata. The teacher of the Bhagavad Gita is Krishna, who is revered by Hindus as a manifestation of God himself, and is referred to within as Bhagavan, the Divine One.

The content of the Gita is the conversation between Krishna and Arjuna taking place on the battlefield before the start of the Kurukshetra war. Responding to Arjuna's confusion and moral dilemma about fighting his own cousins, Krishna explains to Arjuna his duties as a warrior and prince and elaborates on different Yogic and Vedantic philosophies, with examples and analogies. This has led to the Gita often being described as a concise guide to Hindu theology and also as a practical, self-contained guide to life. During the discourse, Krishna reveals His identity as the Supreme Being Himself (Svayam Bhagavan), blessing Arjuna with an awe-inspiring vision of His divine universal form.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhagavad_Gita

New Speical Cover from Mangalore

Hi ! I just received nice covers from Mangalore, Karnataka sent by my Blogger friend Mansoor B. The special cover shown here, has been issued by Karnataka Postal Circle. The cancellation of the special cover is very fine & beautiful. In fact such fine cancellations should be created for special covers. But sometimes we see Cancellations given on special covers are not fine. The outer cover also bears a special permanent cancellation on HPO Mangalore Building. Thanks Mansoor for these beautiful covers. I am very pleased to get them !..This is all for Today….Till next Post…….Have a Nice Time !

To commemorate “One day Mangalore Taluk Kannada Literary Convention” at Mangalore Town Hall, a special cover was released on 30th April 2010 by Karnataka Postal Circle. The cachet shows the photograph of Mangalore Town Hall and the cancellation depicts the Yakshagana artist. ( local folk art / dance drama).

Philatelic Bureau HPO, Mangalore

Mansoor !

A letter that moved me….

I have been writing almost everyday for Rainbow for the last more than two years to share various information about stamps with the readers and sometimes I try to make it special by the blend of some non philatelic writing… with a hope that some visitors who are not philatelists might also like it…. I often receive mails from the readers of my Blog. But yesterday I received a mail that touched my heart regarding my Post on Mother’s Day……I just felt there are some readers who read my Posts with the heart…..I am overwhelmed to go through this letter. How a Reader remembers his mother & expresses his deep feelings for his mother whom he lost at the age of five and could not recall her face….while reading the poem of Tagore ..…..I could not help myself and just thought to share with all of you…..What I feel now Tagore was the greatest poet of all times ……The way he expressed his feelings ….touched the heart of one and all….no one could write it better as he had written and expressed his wonderful thoughts into his poems……I am very proud that he was an Indian…..It would have been very nice if India Post had issued a special postage stamp on 7th May 2010 commemorating his 150th Birth Anniversary. Before I conclude this Post I mustappreciate Mr Naresh Agarwal who shared his feelings about his mother with all and paid tribute to her through this blog. ….…. This is all for Today…..Till Next Post…..Have a Nice Time !

On Mother’s Day…..

A letter from a Reader….

As a matter of my must things to do I keep seeing your new posts on the Rainbow stamp Club everyday, and see the new stamps issued by various countries and enjoy seeing them.I also feel happy whenever I see your new posts on important events happening .

Today I felt very happy and thrilled to see your posts on the Mother's Day, Poems of Rabindranath Tagore and Naresh Aggarwal of Bilaspur about the greatness of 'Mother' and also some lovely stamps on the mother and child My eyes moistened when I read both the poems of Tagore as well as of Naresh Aggarwal. The poems touched me more as I also lost my mother when I was only 5 years old and don't remember her and there is no photograph of her taken those days.When I look at every old lady,in my day today life, who is very old the thought comes to my mind that probably my mother would have been like her, if she were to be alive today, and express my reverence to them..

You are doing a a wonderful work, sharing the news of the new and wonderful stamps' , winning the heart of all Philatelists young and old alike,with your posts . God bless you and your family and give you more energy to continue this wonderful work.

Sorry for being emotional about it. But I couldn't help sharing my thoughts with a friend.