New Special Covers

1. KTK-08-2018 Hornbill Festival: 

Great Hornbill (Buceros bicornis) is large beautiful, extravagant, awe-inspiring bird with a distinctive projecting casque mounted on the large curved beak. It is significant part of several tribal cultures. They aid in dispersal of seeds through droppings and help in regeneration of important forest species and thereby earning the apt c1epe "Farmers of the forest" or "Feathered foresters". 

In 2011, Government of Karnataka has constituted "Hornbill Conservation Reserve" in Dandeli and Virnoli ranges. Haliyal Division is putting an indefatigable efforts to conserve the species. 

2. KTK-11-2018 Shree Bahubaliswamy Mahamasthakabisheka Mahotsav 2018: 

This special cover has been released on 17th February 2018 to commemorate Shree 8ahubali Swamy Mahamasthakabhisheka Mahotsava 2018, Shravanabelagola. 

3. KTK-13-2018-Amrita Sangama : 

This Special Cover has been released to commemorate Amrita Sangama 2018 at Mangaluru.

4. KTK-15-2018 - T Upendra Anatha Pai (Co -Founder Syndicate Bank): 

Tonse Upendra Ananth Pai (26 Nov 1895 - 13 Dec 1956) co-founded Syndicate Bank to promote the financial inclusion of the weaving and farming communities. The Bank prompted the formation of Manipal Power Press known as Manipal Technologies Limited to day. He initiated several infrastructure projects and was committed to the betterment of society which earned him the title - "a one-man public works department." This special cover has been released on 24.2.2018 at Manipal in memory of Shri T. Upendra A. Pai.

: Suresh R - Bangalore

Club News

National JPG Meet and Gommatpex-2018 on 7th April

Jainism Philately Group is organizing it's 3rd National Meet on 7th April 2018 at famous Jain religious place Sravanabelgola (Karnaraka). About 150 persons will participate in this meet from all over India.

Jainism Philately Group (JPG) is a national organisation of the stamps Collectors collecting Jainism and allied themes. It has more then 250 members across the country as well as USA & Canada.  It was founded in the year 2011 at New Delhi during International Philatelic Exhibition INDIPEX 2011 . It's first National Meet was organized at Khajuraho (M. P.) In the year 2014 and second was organized at Udaipur (Raj.) In the year 2015. Third JPG National Meet is being organized at Sravababelgola (Karnataka) on 7th April 2018. 

JPG was instrumental in release of many stamps, special covers, special cancellations, pictorial cancellations and stamp booklets related to Jainism theme. Also organized some exhibitions.

According to Mr. Sudhir Jain, National Chairman of JPG, Sravanabelgola will be inaugurated by Pujya Bhattarak Charukirti Swamiji. 

On this occasion a philaletic exhibition GOMMATPEX-2018 will  also be organized at Sravanabelgola on 7th & 8th April 2018 under the patronage of India Post Department jointly by Jainism Philately Group and Karnataka Philatelic Society. Postal Department is providing 100 frames for the same. Only Jainism and allied themes will be exhibited in this exhibition. No competition. All the participants will get medals and certificates. Minimum 3 and maximum 5 frames can be exhibited. Ex Prime Minister Shri H. D. Devegoda and CPMG Karnataka Circle will be the guests of the exhibition. A special cover is also proposed to be released on this occasion.

: Sudhir Jain -  Satna (MP)

New Stamps from India

Central Industrial Security Force

Date of Issue : 8 March 2018

India Post issued two commemorative postage stamps on Central Industrial Security Force on 8th March 2018.

Image Source : Stamps of India

New Special cover on Jainism theme

A Special cover was released on 10th March 2018 on Jainism theme at Humcha (Karnataka). On the occasion of Historical 1400 year old Shree Kshetra Hombuja, Bhagwan Shree Parshwanath Tirthankar & Varapradhayini Mahayakshi Shree Padmavati Matha, Mula Nakshatra Maharathotsav, a special Cover and special cancellation released on 10th March 2018 at Humcha. Parampujya Shree Devendrakeerthi  Bhatharak Swamiji of Humcha Jain Math and Shimoga SSP Mr. Naveen chandra released this beautiful cover on the persuasion of Jainism Philately Group.

- Sudhir Jain, Satna (MP)

For Bird Lovers...

New stamps and postmark on birds from Luxembourg

Two stamps (personalized) and one pictorial postmark will be available on 19th May 2018 in L- 5600 MONDORF-LES-BAINES, GRAND DUCHY OF LUXEMBOURG . 

The stamps and the pictorial postmark are featuring the Barn swallow(Hirundo rustica).
Both philatelic items (stamps/postmark) honors the international philatelic exhibition BIRDPEX 8 which will be held in Mondorf-les-Baines from  19th to 21st May 2018.


New pictorial postmark on wolf from Germany 

On April 7th 2018   a new pictorial postmark will be available in 21391 REPPENSTEDT.
The postmark is featuring the head  of  wolf (Canis lupus).


- Wolfgang Beyer, BDPh (German Philatelic Federation) & AIJP

Indian Lotus on new Canadian Stamp

Here are two new beautiful stamps on Lotus issued by Canada Post. The   Canada Post has marked spring’s return with its annual flower stamp issue, which was  released on 1^st March 2018.This year, the focus is on aquatic blooms with two domestic-rate Permanent stamps featuring two varieties of lotus, Indian Lotus ( Nelumbo nucifera) and Amreican Lotus ( Nelumbo lutea).

TWO LOTUS FLOWERS

The only lotus indigenous to American Continent, the American lotus (Nelumbo lutea) has a creamy yellow flower and needs warmth and sunshine. The rare and threatened species grows at its northern limit along the shores of Lake Erie and Lake St. Clair in southern Ontario. It is also found in wetlands across most of the eastern U.S. and as far south as Honduras.

The sacred lotus (Nelumbo nucifera), which bears delicate pink and white petals, is the national flower of India and has deep religious significance for Buddhists and Hindus. Native to the tropical and warm-temperate regions of Asia and Australia, this lotus is cultivated in North America and can become wild.

Stamp designers Gary Beelik and Kristine Do, of Toronto’s Parcel Design, used water colour portraits by Eunike Nugroho to depict different bloom phases in a pair of se-tenant stamps. The blue background evokes a watery habitat while a spot gloss varnish reveals a Chinese Bulbul bird, a koi fish and a dragonfly, all of which share their environment with lotuses.

Bioluminescent stamps from USPS

Date of Issue : 22 February 2018

The United States Postal Service issued  10 extraordinary stamps on 22 February 2018..This pane of 20 stamps showcases 10 examples of Bioluminescent Life.   Although these stamps do not glow in the dark, they do incorporate a special effect. The stamp pane was produced using a proprietary rainbow holographic material that is highly reflective in white light. The stamps were produced using special techniques to enhance the reflective qualities of the material while maintaining the depth of color and detail of the individual images. The rainbow pattern imparts a sense of movement and light to the stamp pane.

Bioluminescence — the ability of some living things to generate their own light — occurs on many branches of the tree of life. 

At center top, the selvage — or area outside the stamps — features a transparent deep-sea comb jelly (Gregory G. Dimijian photo), surrounded by images of the firefly squid (Danté Fenolio). The title “BIOLUMINESCENT LIFE” appears on the selvage above the pane of stamps.

Eight stamp images represent the work of some of the top explorers of the bioluminescent ocean realm, and two portray land-based species. The stamps feature: deep-ocean octopus (Widder); midwater jellyfish (Widder); deep-sea comb jelly (Widder); mushroom (Taylor F. Lockwood); firefly (Gail Shumway); bamboo coral (Widder); marine worm (Widder); crown jellyfish (Widder); a second type of marine worm (Steve Haddock); and sea pen (Widder).

Bioluminescence performs a variety of functions 

Fairly rare among species on land, bioluminescence reigns supreme in the darkness of the deep ocean. Fishes, squids, jellyfish, worms and many other ocean organisms make varied use of their ability to glow. Their light can lure food, attract a mate or fend off a predator. For many species, bioluminescence is security lighting. For example, the midwater jellyfish — featured on one of the stamps — sets off flashing swirling rings of light when threatened. The display alerts other predators more likely to eat the attacker than the jellyfish itself.

Some species are born with bioluminescence, while others, like certain fishes and squids, have receptacles for displaying bioluminescent bacteria that they capture.

Since the late 19th century, many breakthrough discoveries regarding bioluminescence have come through the study of fireflies and flickering beetles. Because these beetles exist on every continent except Antarctica, they provide scientists with the most convenient means by which to investigate the phenomenon.

Fighting cancer and other diseases

Medical science has benefited tremendously from the study of luminous life-forms. Using genes that enable bioluminescence, scientists can make a cancer cell glow, enabling observation of how the disease behaves and spreads. Similar research is also vital in the fights against Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, anemia, malaria, dengue fever, HIV and many other illnesses.

Through improved deep-sea exploration and advances in photography, scientists have identified thousands of bioluminescent species. Yet many mysteries of bioluminescence remain unsolved, and many benefits of research await discovery.

From left, the first row of stamps features a deep-ocean octopus (Stauroteuthis syrtensis) and a midwater jellyfish (Atolla vanhoeffeni), both photographed by Edith Widder of Ft. Pierce, FL. The octopus was photographed under external lighting. On each row of stamps, the third and fourth stamps repeat the first two designs.

The second row of stamps begins with a deep-sea comb jelly (Bathocyroe fosteri), also by Widder and lit externally, then a cluster of mushrooms (Mycena lucentipes) by Taylor F. Lockwood of Mount Dora, FL.

The third row features a firefly (Lampyridae) by Gail Shumway of Sarasota, FL, followed by a bamboo coral (Keratoisis flexibilis) by Widder.

Widder also photographed both fourth-row images: a marine worm (Flota) and a crown jellyfish (Atolla wyvillei). Both are shown under external lighting.

The fifth and final row of stamps offers another type of marine worm (Tomopteris), by Steve Haddock of Moss Landing, CA, and a sea pen (Umbellula) by Widder. Both marine species are shown under external lighting.

Source : USPS