Thai Traditional Festivals …

 

Date of Issue : 10 November 2011

Thai post will issue a set of four stamps on 10 November 2011 featuring traditional festivals of Thailand.

Reflection of Thai way of life

Design 1: Loy Krathong and Candle Festival (Sukhothai Province)

This festival has been held as far back as Sukhothai period. In the reign of King Ramkhamhaeng, it was known as "Jong Parien ceremony" or "Loi Phra Prateep". There was a mention in the Stone Inscription No.1 that this was largest festival in Sukhothai city, which led to a belief that this must be the same festival as Loi Krathong.

Design 2: The Festival of Illuminated Boat Procession (Nakhon Phanom Province)

The Festival of illuminated Boat Procession or locally known as Lai Rua Fai is an important festival held by the northeasterners to celebrate the end of Buddhist lent on the 15^th vexing moon night or the 1^st waning moon night of the 11^th lunar month of each year. "Rua Fai" is a boat made from banana trunks or bamboos of 5-6 wah tied together. Sweets and any items people want to donate are placed in the boat. The boat exterior is decorated with the flowers, incense sticks, candles, lamps and torches to be lighted before the boat is released into a canal or river. This is the origin of the name "Lai Rua Fai".

Design 3: Yi-Peng Festival (Chiang Mai Province)

This stamp depicts the 12^th Lunar Month Full Moon Festival of Lanna Thai (the northern region) which is known as Yi-Peng. On the day of Yi-Peng, people decorated Buddhist temples and their houses with banana trees, sugar cane, coconut fronds, Tung flowers, and Chor Prateep. Various style of paper lamps called Khom Yi-Peng are hoisted high as offerrings to the Lord Buddha. Small bowl lamps are lighted as offerings to the Three Gems of Buddhism while floating paper lamps are lighted and released into the sky as offerings to Phra Ketkaew Chulamanee in heaven.

Design 4: Loi Krathong Sai (Tak Province)

Tak Province organizes Loi Krathong Sai festival on the full moon of the 12^th lunar month of each year. Latex of Yang trees is mixed with wood chips, formed into small balls and placed at the bottom of halved coconut shells. On the nights of the festival the latex balls are lighted and floated in the Ping River at regular interval, forming long rows of flickering lights above the water. These coconut shells (krathong) will eventually flow out of the audiences' sight. It is believed that participants and spectators of this festival will be blessed with what they wished for during the festival.

Source : Siamstamp

From Our Readers….

Army Postal Service Covers – Part- 8

- P. Ramakrishnan

601	313 FIIELD REGIMENT	07/01/2010
602	314 FIELD REGIMENT	07/01/2010
603	CORPS OF ELECTICAL & MECHANICAL	08/01/2010
604	1 MEDIUM REGIMENT	15/01/2010
605	17 ENGINEER REGIMENT	31/01/2010
606	ARTY CENTRE NASIK	04/02/2010
607	126 INF BN (TA) J & K RIF	05/02/2010
608	23 MECH INFAN	06/02/2010
609	21 GRENAADIERS	11/02/2010
610	12 ASSAM RIF	11/02/2010
611	18 GUARDS	11/02/2010
612	19 J&K RIF	11/02/2010
613	21 PARA	11/02/2010
614	20 JAT	11/02/2010
615	18 GARH RIF	11/02/2010
616	13 SIKH REGT	11/02/2010
617	19 DOGRA	18/02/2010
618	142 AD REGT	20/02/2010
619	511 AD MSL REGT	20/02/2010
620	11 CORPS	03/03/2010
621	75 (I) BDE	05/03/2010
622	49 SQN	09/03/2010
623	107 HU	09/03/2010
624	5 MAHAR	23/03/2010
625	19 ARMED REGT	25/03/2010
626	323 AD REGT	27/03/2010
627	436 ADMSL REGT (SP)	27/03/2010
628	322 AD REGT	27/03/2010
629	15 ARMD REGT	03/04/2010
630	19 GUARD	03/04/2010
631	76 ARMD REGT	03/04/2010
632	147 LT AD REGT	03/04/2010
633	513 AD REGT	03/04/2010
634	3 ASSAM REGT	08/04/2010
635	16 ASSAM RIFLES	09/04/2010
636	117 ENGR REGIMENT	09/04/2010
637	2/8 GR	13/04/2010
638	BORDER ROAD ORGANISATION	07/05/2010
639	22 ASSAM RIFLES	15/05/2010
640	HQ CE BEACON	19/05/2010
641	ARMY CADET COLLEGE WING, INDIAN MILITARY ACADEMY	04/06/2010
642	100 ENGINEER OFFICERS DEGREE COURSE COLLEGE OF MILITARY ENGIN	23/06/2010
643	BRIGADE OF THE GUARDS 5	25/08/2010
644	1/11 GORKHA RIFLES	01/09/2010
645	MADRAS SAPPERS	30/09/2010
646	108 INF BN (TA) MAHAR	01/10/2010
647	107 INF BN (TA) 11 GORKHA	01/10/2010
648	117 INF BN (TA) THE GUARDS	01/10/2010
649	106 INF BN (TA) PARA	01/10/2010
650	14TH BN THE ASSAM REGIMENT	15/10/2010
651	31 ARMOURED DIVISION	19/10/2010
652	5TH BN THE GRENADIERS	23/10/2010
653	415 (I) ENGINEER SQUADRON	30/10/2010
654	115 INF BN (TA) MAHAR	01/11/2010
655	CORPS OF MILITARY POLICE	01/11/2010
656	RAJPUT REGIMENT	20/11/2010
657	JAMMU AND KASHMIR RIFLES	20/11/2010
658	ARMY ORDNACE CORPS	08/12/2010
659	ARMY SERVICE CORPS	08/12/2010
660	IMA ACADEMY	11/12/2010
661	9 BASE REPAIR DEPOT INDIAN AIR FORCE	08/01/2011
662	31 SQUADRON AIR FORCE	08/01/2011
663	6 MARATHA LIGHT INFANTRY	01/02/2011
664	ARMY DENTAL CORPS	12/02/2011
665	2 BN FIRST GORKHA RIFLES	19/02/2011
666	JAMMU AND KASHMIR RIFLES 5	25/02/2011
667	51 MEDIUM REGIMENT	01/03/2011
668	81 FIELD REGIMENT	01/03/2011
669	GORKHA RECRUITING DEPOT, KUNRAGHAT	03/03/2011
670	110 HELICOPTER UNIT	09/03/2011
671	44 SQUADRON AIR FORCE	09/03/2011
672	128 AIR DEFENCE REGIMENT	01/04/2011
673	127 AIR DEFENCE REGIMENT	02/04/2011
674	PROJECT DANTAK	23/04/2011
675	PROJECT DEEPAK	04/05/2011
676	28 ASSAM RIFLES	15/09/2011
	New and to be issued…
676	85 ARMOURED REGIMENT	30/09/2011
677	4/9 GORKHA RIFLES	14/10/2011
678	1 PARA	17/10/2011
679	4 PARA	22/10/2011
680	MARATHA LIGHT INFANTRY	29/10/2011
681	GORKHA RIFLES 01	20/11/2011
682	ARMY AVIATION CORPS	26/11/2011
683	129 AIR DEFENCE REGIMENT	26/11/2011
684	04 GORKHA RIFLES	27/11/2011
685	PROJECT HIMANK	05/12/2011

This is the complete list of Army Postal Covers upto 2011, compiled by P. Ramkrishnan of Chennai. P. Ramkrishnan may be contacted at email : pramakrishnan1@royalenfield.com Postal address :  42 varalakshmi Nagar Extn, Kolathur, Chennai 99

Maxim Cards : Rashtrapati Bhawan

 

  

J E Boben of Trivandrum has designed maxim cards for Rashtrapati Bhawan stamos issued on 5 August 2011. Email : annakutty.03@gmail.com  Blog : http://www.philalover.blogspot.com/

 

Cover from Germany and Poland

 

 

 

Pictorial cancellation featuring the bird RED START

I recently received these nice covers from Wolfgang Beyer of Germany and Andrzej Bek of Poland.Many thanks to both of you for these nice covers.

 

 

Wolfgang Beyer, Germany

Andrzej Bek, Poland

 

Club News

Pictorial cancellation on ARCHEOPTERYX

   

A  pictorial cancellation will be available on November 18^th at Solnhofen,  GERMANY,   featuring  the ARCHEOPTERYX. Cancellations will be available from Wolfgang Beyer, member of Staff from the Collector Group ARGE ZOOLOGIE e.V.  ,Germany.

Contact Wolfgang Beyer - email   : Wolfgang.Beyer1@polizei.sachsen.de .

Club News

 

Rainbow Stamp News : Issue No. 47 -  November 2011

Hi ! I have just published November 2011 issue on Blog with news and articles from the world of stamps . Enjoy the issue and have a nice time !!

It can be viewed at :  http://rainbowstampnews.blogspot.com/ 

From our Readers….

New Philatelic Website

A new website on Indian Philately  Stamp Sathi  has been created by Chintan and Ronit Parikh of Gujarat. It is a very useful website for all stamp lovers.The site  provides complete details of all the postage stamps of Republic India including services like virtual online album creation, valuation of  collection, downloading  virtual album in PDF format etc . All philatelists would find this site very interesting and informative.

It can be viewed at : http://stampsathi.in/

Special Covers for 1.11.11…

 

 

Vijay Modi of Himmatnagar, Gujarat has prepared special covers for special memorable date 1.11.11.The cancellation on the cover is a permanent pictorial cancellation of Gandhi Ashram, Ahmedabad. Mr Modi also shares here  a pictorial cancellation of Karamsad, the birthplace of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel which is given every year on 31st October, the birthday of Vallabhbhai.

 

 

 

Pictorial Cancellation

This pictorial cancellation is of birth place of Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel, Karamsad. It is given once in a year on the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel on 31st October.

 

 

Vijay Modi, Himmatnagar Gujarat - email : vijay_idom@rediffmail.com

Today is 1.11.11…

 

From our Readers…

Cover with date 1-11-11

SK Jain, Dehradun

Press Clippings

Festivals of India – Chhath

Nepal’s postage stamps on Chhath: leave Indian philately far behind!

 

Date of Issue : December 31^st, 2009

What the Chhath devotee may find heartwarming is that neighbouring Nepal has stamps for Chhath already beating India by several years by issuing postage stamps in the name of Chhath festival in 2009 itself. Nepal did this as part of their ‘culture’ series giving the terai [plains] people of Nepal their due. Chhath is however not confined to the plains region anymore but celebrated widely in Kathmandu as well due to the large presence of the plains population in the Nepal capital.  According to a report in the Nepal press, during this festival, devotes gather at the water bodies of Kathmandu – Rani Pokhari, Gauri Ghat, Manohara River and Bagmati River are some of the popular areas where the people gather to mark this amazing festival. According to Bijaya Kumar Karna, Spokesperson of Tarai Sanskriti Pratisthan, that will be organising this year’s festival in Rani Pokhari, around 40,000 people residing in Kathmandu celebrate this festival here.

According to a report, years ago Pradip Jain, a member of the Indian Philately Advisory Society had suggested issuing of stamps on Chhath to the Postal Department of the Indian government. But no action has been taken so far on this.

Read More

Chhath on Nepal Stamps – Hindustan Times 31 Oct. 2011

: Pradip Jain,Patna

New Stamps on Christmas

 

Date of Issue : 31 October 2011

Australia Post and Christmas Island  issued new stamps on 31st October 2011 for this year’s Christmas celebration.

This year's Christmas issue from Australia Post includes two stamps with a religious theme and three that focus on the more secular elements of Christmas.

The beautiful religious stamps show two episodes from the Biblical story. In the 55c stamp the Virgin Mary, dressed in her traditional deep blue robe, gazes tenderly at the newborn baby Jesus. In the $1.50 stamp, the three Kings or Wise Men, Caspar, Melchior and Balthazar, are shown journeying from the east to Bethlehem in order to worship the Christ Child. They are dressed in rich robes as befits their royal station. The guiding star can be seen in the night sky.

Stamp and Coin Cover

The three secular stamps offer an alternative to those who celebrate the festive season but who would prefer not to focus on the religious aspect of Christmas. Many people identify Christmas with the Christmas tree and the excitement of opening elaborately wrapped presents early on Christmas morning. The decorative Christmas star is a reference to the bright star that the Wise Men followed from the east. 

 

 

Date of Issue : 31 October 2011

Festive designs appear on new Christmas Island stamps to celebrate  this year’s Christmas.  The stamp issue takes a light-hearted approach to Christmas, integrating symbols of Christmas with the island’s natural environment in a humorous graphic manner.

55c Pulling crackers.
In a classic Christmas Island setting and surrounded by a number of delighted birds and a green sea turtle, Father Christmas and a Red Crab pull a Christmas cracker. A lovely Ridley’s Orchid hangs among the Christmas lights while a Christmas Island Frigatebird, a Golden Bosunbird, an Abbott’s Booby and a Green Sea Turtle look on.

$1.50 Father Christmas arrives on Christmas Island.
Christmas Island is known for its snorkelling sites. Father Christmas has taken time out to do some snorkelling before arriving on the island to be met by a number of excited crabs, birds and fish, including an Eastern Reef Egret, a Red-footed Booby, a Moorish Idol and a Whitelined Cod.

 

: Australia Post