30 March 2017

Cover from Finland...




Summer Flowers




Thanks Kristina  !!!




Received this beautiful First Day Cover, lovely Post card and a Wonderful Book "Treë People"  from Finland so kindly sent by a Blog Reader,  Kristina. But I could not get the address of the sender on the envelope. Kristina If you are reading this post please send me your mail address. I am always looking forward to your mail.....Please contact me at : j.jyoti9@gmail.com 









Thank you very much Kristina. I have no words to express  my gratitude for your lovely gift and the beautiful covers you always send to me. But will be very happy to  to get your address and email id to communicate with you.

28 March 2017

New Special Cover on World Theater Day



27 March - World Theater Day





CPMG Charles Lobo,  Smt Jay Shree  and Smt Uma Shree  Releasing the  special  covers






A photo exhibition was also organized at the venue and a book  on Karnataka Theatre family  " Hakki  Nota" (Kannada)  by  Jagannath  Prakash  ji was also released .



- Jagannath Mani & Vineeth J ,  Bangalore


Melbourne 2017, the 34th Asian International Stamp Exhibition







The Melbourne 2017 International Exhibition will be held from  March 30 2017 to April 2 2017. The venue is Caulfield Racecourse, Gate 23 Station St, Caulfield East, Victoria.

The exhibition will have 1000 frames. There are 15 exhibits participating from India .

Aerophilately Class
Khaitan, Piyush The Karachi-Madras route extension Flight of Tata Sons Ltd. (October 1932)

Astrophilately Class
Jhingan, Savita: From India to Space

Thematic Philately Class
Kakad, Anand: Birds of the Pheasant Family

Revenue Philately Class
Suri, Angeet: Fiscals of Jodhpur

Youth Philately Class
Mahurkar, Ramprasad: Butterflies-An Enigma; An Exlixir in Peril
Malhotra, Muskan: The Elephant World
Sharma, Prachi: British India King George VI Postal Stationery
Biswal, Avipsa: Pigeons and Doves
Prasad, Rhea: The First Stamp Issue of Independent India

Philatelic Literature Class
Prasad, Rohit: India 1929 Air Mail Stamps: A Study of Constant Varieties
Ramachandiran N, Dr. K: Indian Postal History-Focus on Tamil Nadu
Baroda Philatelic Society: VADOPHIL

1-Frame Class
Chandak, Kishor: The Black & White Seals Romance of Pre-Stamp Era

Modern Philately Class
Basu, Subhabrata: Indiapost in 21st Century
Reddy, G. Anil Kumar: Holograms in Philately






Madhukar Jhingan is the National Commissioner from India. 


ROYALPEX 125


A Special feature of MELBOURNE 2017, is a non-competitive exhibition involving at least 200 frames for members of the Royal Philatelic Society of Victoria. The occasion marks the Society’s 125th Anniversary and continues a traditional of non-competitive exhibits for the RPSV’s centenary (1992) and 75th anniversary (1967).



List of Exhibits, Commissioners and Jury

Commissioners

Exhibits Listing

Jury Details

27 March 2017

New stamps for Flower Lovers....




Flowers, National Symbol





Flora, a beloved theme for those passionate by philately, is once again taken up this year by Romfilatelia within the postage stamp issue “Flowers, National Symbol”. Together with the symbol flower of each state, the national flag completes the stamp illustration.

Romania is bordered by Bulgaria to the south, Serbia to the southwest, Hungary to the northwest, Ukraine in the north and east and Moldova to the east and the Black Sea to the southeast.



The peony whose image is reproduced on the stamp with the face value Lei 1.50 is a flower species unique to Europe. In the country there are five nature reserves for Paeonia peregrina in Teleorman, Mures, Olt, Dolj and Giurgiu.

Romania’s national symbol flower, the peony, is also known under the name of the Palm of the Lord’s Mother (verbatim). All its other names are popular, archaic and describe the Romanian peony. In popular culture, the peony is often associated with longing, with physical beauty or love.




The symbol flower of the Republic of Moldova is the basil, whose image is reproduced on the stamp with the face value of Lei 4.50.

To the left of the Prut it’s one of the most beloved and sung plants. Because of its special aromatic oils and its preservative properties, basil is used in the Orthodox Church rituals to produce holy water, having the role of chasing away evil spirits. At the same time, in local tradition this plant is considered the flower of love and luck; it is also present in most magical practices for marital purposes. In popular medicine, basil is used as a plant with talismanic properties for memory improvement and as an anti-stress remedy.




The Republic of Croatia’s national flower, illustrated on the stamp with the face value of Lei 8, is Iris croatica. The Croatian name for this flower is Perunika and comes from the name of Perun, who was the greatest god of thunder and lightning in Slavic mythology. Legend has it that Perunika will only grow in the place where the god Perun’s lightning struck.In 2000, the Croatian Academy of Arts and Sciences proclaimed the Perunika as Croatia’s national flower.

Iris croatica is distinguished primarily from many other subspecies by the greatness of all its plant parts, the flowers being oval and richer. We can admire the beauty of the iris flowers in summer and autumn. About the gorgeous purple flower, herbalists claim that it is a simple remedy to keep a variety of diseases under control. The gorgeous flower that we find in gardens, parks and even in pots on terraces is a less known cure.

Bulgaria, a beautiful country in the Southeast European continent, has the rose as a national symbol. Rosa damascena whose image is reproduced on the stamp with the face value of Lei 15 is a symbol of this country, considered a worldwide brand, and the wide range of cosmetics that have rose aromas are called “Bulgarian gold” or “liquid gold”.

Rosa damascena or Kazanlak Rose is a highly fragrant flowering plant from which essential oil, confiture and syrup are extracted. From this variety of rose one can extract 30% more oil than of any other rose. The pink flowers have about 30 petals, hence the name of Trigintipetala.


26 March 2017

New stamps from India - Means of Transport





Means of Transport Through the Ages




Date of Issue : 25 March 2017



India Post issued a set of 20 stamps on 25th March 2017 with 6 Miniature sheets one  Booklet .and 5 Sheetlets.









Source : Stamps of India 

24 March 2017

Special Cover on International Day of Forests..





21 March - International Day of Forests

Malleshwaram - 21 March 2017




International Day of Forests is celebrated worldwide on 21st March in order to increase the public awareness among communities about the values, significance and contributions of the forests to balance the life cycle on the earth. 


- Suresh.R

Bengaluru


23 March 2017

Otto Waalkes: Colorful greeting from the Ottifant





Date of Issue : 1 March 2017

Otto Gerhard Waalkes is a Frisian comedian and actor. He became famous in the 1970s and 1980s in Germany with his shows, books and movies. His perhaps most famous trademark are the 'Ottifanten', elephant-like comic characters of his own design.



Otto Waalkes: Colorful greeting from the Ottifant

Otto Waalkes - Gray Ottifant brings color to the post No matter how gray a day is - Ottifanten make it even more gray! The trademark of Otto Waalkes encourages fans of the cult comedian and now also the customers of the German Post. From the new special mark, the smuggler laughs and addressees under a colorful rainbow and blue sky. Thus the Ottifant conquered Germany and brought a piece of his creator Otto to your post. Otto has been on the stage for more than 50 years and makes people laugh. His comic figure, the Ottifant, is as famous as himself - and looks almost the same.
For the Ottifant actually started as a self-portrait. Even before Otto studied at the Hochschule für bildende Künste in Hamburg, he painted almost every day. As a young man he invented the Ottifanten when he wanted to draw himself: "I always tried to draw myself in the profile myself. But the nose was too long for me, and everyone thought of being an elephant. Then I continued to try them out, the whole thing was extended to the trunk, pointed toe and stub legs drawn and the figure named after me: Ottifant! "The Ottifant has meanwhile made an efficient career. Not only did he become the hero of various comic strips, in 1993 the private RTL also broadcast the series "Ottis Ottifanten". On average, 2.1 million viewers watched. In 2001 the series came as a "commando Störtebecker" even on the cinema. The only one who still has more Ottifanten at home than the fans is Otto himself: "Nothing is more free from Ottifanten. They are just everywhere! On my floor-mats, in my wardrobe, on my windowsill, in my paintings, on my t-shirts, even in my signature. "The Ottifant is now even in the mailbox after newspapers, television and cinema Stamp.
Source : Deutsche Post

21 March 2017

Happy Nowruz




Nowruz is the name of the Iranian New Year also known as the Persian New Year,which is celebrated worldwide by the Iranians, along with some other ethno-linguistic groups, as the beginning of the New Year.

It has been celebrated for over 3,000 years in Western AsiaCentral Asia, the Caucasus, the Black Sea Basin and the Balkans.It marks the first day of the first month (Farvardin) in the Iranian calendar.


Nowruz is the day of the vernal equinox, and marks the beginning of spring in the Northern Hemisphere. It usually occurs on 21 March or the previous or following day, depending on where it is observed. The moment the sun crosses the celestial equator and equalizes night and day is calculated exactly every year, and families gather together to observe the rituals.

Club News
Ananthapuri Philatelic Exhibition - APEX 2017


Ananthapuri Philatelic Association will organise its 2nd Philatelic Exhibition named APEX-2017 on 26th, 27th and 28th May, 2017 at YMCA Hall, Near Statue Jn, Thiruvananthapuram. 25 dealers booths are available at the rate of Rs.6000/- for three days.  The booths will be allotted on first come first serve basis. For more details contact  Balakrishnan Nair Mobile:9446028188 or Mohanachandran Nair Mobile: 9387801948. Email: apa.tvpm@gmail.com



19 March 2017

Easter 2017






Date of Issue : 6 March 2017

Here is a new stamp from Hungary. In line with its tradition, Magyar Posta is celebrating Easter, the largest feast of Christianity, by issuing a postage stamp. The stamp and the special envelope reveal the artwork - and a detail of the artwork - entitled Christ's sepulchral shroud, created by artist and textile artist Erzsébet Szekeres. 

Easter is the feast of celebrating Jesus' death and resurrection, mankind's redemption. According to the Bible, Jesus Christ was crucified on a Friday, and his resurrection happened on the third day, a Sunday. With his death on the cross, he redeemed the sins of every man, and his resurrection was a victory over death. In 2017, both the Eastern and the Western churches will celebrate Easter on the same day, April 16.   






17 March 2017

Intelligent Birds....






Date of issue : 16 February 2017


Here is  a beautiful set of stamps and Maxim Cards from Romania featuring Intelligent Birds.The study of bird intelligence led to results that brought under question the pre-conceived ideas about how they can understand and how quickly they can adapt. A common test of intelligence is the bypass test, where a glass barrier sits between the bird and a desired object, such as a piece of food. Most mammals can discover that the objective is achieved only if you first walk away from the target. While poultry fail to pass this test, many birds from the Corvidae family are able to easily solve the problem.




The Eurasian jackdaw or European jackdaw (Corvus monedula), illustrated on the stamp with the face value of Lei 2.50, is one of the smallest birds belonging to this family, being widespread in Western Europe, but can be found less often in south, in Northern Africa and Western Asia.

The pair is formed for life and is very loyal in the relationship. They raise a single brood of chicks every year, which they take great care of. They have strong emotional ties between them, which come from their above-average intelligence, and these ties can be manifested if they are hand-raised by humans. 

The jackdaw’s voice is considerably more modulated and more varied compared to that of other Corvidae. They are glib birds, giving the feeling that they chatter a lot among themselves, always making much noise. Without much effort the jackdaw learns to copy words and other sounds.



The Eurasian jay (Garrulus glandarius), illustrated on the stamp with the face value of Lei 4.50, is widespread in Europe, Africa and Western Asia and is a sedentary species. This means that it can be seen in Romania throughout the year. 

It was first described by the botanist Carl von Linné in 1758. It is about 35 cm long, has beautifully coloured feathers and its wingspan measures 55-60 cm. The Eurasian Jay is not as easy to spot as its Corvidae cousins, given that it is extremely cautious when approaching human settlements. In winter, due to a lack of food, it can be seen more often in villages and city parks. 

The Rook (Corvus frugilegus), illustrated on the stamp with the face value of Lei 8 is a great consumer of nuts which it drops onto the ground to break them and then nibbles the core. They are also sociable birds that inhabit and nest in large groups, called colonies, being impressive in number. They can be sedentary or migratory (in disparate groups and different directions), depending on the low temperatures in region where they live and th favorable conditions for food. 

The Eurasian magpie or common magpie (Pica Pica), illustrated on the stamp with the face value of Lei 15, can be seen in the lowlands, as well as in mountain areas up to altitudes of 2,500 m. Compared to other members of the Corvidae family, magpies are not strong flyers and therefore spend a lot of time sitting on tree branches or on the ground. While foraging, the magpie utters loud sounds, but despite that and despite its size it is often chased away by smaller birds.

Due to its characteristic black and white plumage, it’s easily recognized even by those with little knowledge of birds. The magpie is a diurnal bird which starts being active shortly before sunrise and finishes its activities at sunset. 

The Raven (Corvus corax), illustrated on the "first day cover”, has proven tactical skills from a study in which researchers put under observation a population of captive ravens. They had two methods of survival: either they created their own hideouts with food or they would raid other ravens’ hideouts. „Gatherers” drastically changed behavior when they noticed "raiders” placing themselves in order to follow them to their hideouts. A "gatherer” raven will choose another location for his hiding place, where it will take small amounts of food, which it will leave unguarded to convince the “raider” raven that he has found the initial hideout. The latter is itself able to hide its intentions, trying to imitate a „gatherer” but seeking to discover its hiding place.

These results suggest that all ravens, whether they act as "gatherers” or "raiders” are able to retain information on their intentions and therefore manipulate the attention of other birds, either to prevent or to acquire advantages.


16 March 2017

Wine from Austria...






Date of Issue : 16 March 2017

Austria Post issued today a beautiful stamp featuring famous wine of Vienna,  Wiener Gemischte Satz .The stamp with an awesome design shows the light white wine in a wine glass and a view of Vienna's inner city with St. Stephen's Cathedral.

Austrian Wine Regions - Vienna

It is not the city itself, but the wine produced there that is the focus of this commemorative stamp from the "Austrian wine regions" series: the Gemischte Satz - or, to be more precise, the Wiener Gemischte Satz DAC - is the typical wine from the wine region of Vienna. 

Vienna is the only major city in the world in which an economically relevant level of viticulture is practised within the city?s limits. There are around 600 hectares of arable land within the city, with up to 80 per cent being used to cultivate grapes for white wine and 20 per cent for red wine. The annual yield amounts to over 20,000 hectolitres. The growing regions are distributed across several districts: wine is produced in Floridsdorf, Favoriten, Liesing, Ottakring, Hernals and Döbling, with Döbling being the best known wine producing region of Vienna. Grinzing, Kahlenbergerdorf, Nussdorf, Neustift am Walde - these are the homes of the best known "Heurigen" (this year?s wine), visited by just about every tourist.



A typical young vintage wine is the Wiener Gemischte Satz, which, with the right vineyard management and vinification, can even make its way into the ranks of the truly great white wines. What is special about it is that it is produced from a mixture of grape varieties, as indicated by the word "gemischte". However, these are not blended at production (as in the case of a cuvée), but between three and twenty different varieties of good quality white wine grapes are planted together in the vineyard and subsequently harvested and processed together. Since the Wiener Gemischte Satz was accorded DAC status (Districtus Austriae Controllatus) in 2013, its composition has been strictly regulated. The proportion of the main grape variety must not exceed 50 per cent, and the third largest contingent must constitute at least 10 per cent. The Gemischte Satz can be given a more precise geographic designation than simply "Vienna", but in this case it must have an alcohol content of at least 12.5 per cent and can only be sold from March of the year following the harvest. This single site wine does not have to be "dry".

The Gemischte Satz has a long-standing tradition. For centuries different grape varieties have been planted together in Vienna in order to ensure the quality and the yield: even in the event of adverse weather conditions, different flowering periods and varying degrees of ripeness ensure that they never lose the entire harvest. At the same time, this results in multi-faceted wines, which, thanks to enthusiastic young Viennese vintners, are today enjoying a renaissance. The typical Wiener Gemischte Satz without a more precise designation is dry, fresh and fruity, the flavour naturally depending upon the grape varieties which were used. It is versatile and is the perfect accompaniment for traditional Austrian cuisine.

As a high-quality, regional, sustainable and traditionally manufactured product, the Wiener Gemischte Satz has been included in the Slow Food Foundation for Biodiversity?s "Ark of Taste" and has, furthermore, been designated a "Presidium product".

New stamps on animals and birds






Date of Issue : 15 March 2017



Czech Republic issued a sheetlet  on March 15, 2017 featuring animals. . The sheetlet is issued to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Zoological garden Jihlava in the Czech Republic.The stamps are featuring Hyacinth Macaw, Red Panda, Harbor Seal, Red Kangaroo and Somali Giraffe.


Crested Lark from Belarus





On March 22, 2017 the Ministry of Communications and Informatization of the Republic of Belarus will issue the stamp “Crested lark” of the series “Bird of the year”. The crested lark is one of the four species of larks that are found in Belarus. Apart from it skylarks and woodlarks nest in Belarus, and the horned lark also arrives here in winter from the north.Crested larks nest in separate pairs. 




Their nests are located on the ground among rare vegetation in a small depression in the soil, on a level surface or on the slope of a ditch or a pit.The crested lark is a sedentary species: it doesn't fly to the south in winter. A strong beak allows it to grind seeds and insects that have frozen into the soil and into the ice. During severe frosts it stays in the snow.Over the past 30 years the number of crested larks in Europe has decreased by 95%. The species became rare in Belarus and it is included in the national Red Data Book.


10 March 2017

New Stamp from India - Yogoda Satsanga Society of India


 Yogoda Satsanga Society of India



Date of Issue : 7 March 2017

India Post issued a commemorative postage stamp on 7th March 2017 on  Yogoda Satsanga Society of India.




09 March 2017

UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Israel



Date of Issue : 7 February 2017

Israel Post issued a set of 3 stamps featuring World Heritage Sites in Israel. 




UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Israel

In 1972, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) approved an agreement to protect world heritage sites. The program included rules to assess natural and cultural sites and determine their significance to mankind's common cultural heritage. Every country prepares a list of its sites and once a year the UNESCO World Heritage Center conducts a special meeting to choose which of the nominated sites shall be included in the list of United Nations World Heritage Sites.



.Nahal Me'arot Caves

Four caves are carved into the mountain on the southern slope of Mount Carmel, at the entrance to the Nahal Me'arot Caves. Archeological excavations conducted at the site from 1928 to the present have discovered evidence of human existence near and inside the caves over hundreds of thousands of years. Among the many findings were remnants of houses, various stone tools, jewelry, bones of animals used for food and graves.

Bet She'arim Necropolis

Rabbi Yehudah Hanasi, leader of the Jewish people in the late 2nd century CE, was buried at his behest in the cemetery in the town of Bet She'arim in the western Jezreel Valley. Many others subsequently asked to be buried near the final resting place of the admired leader. Dozens of burial caves were carved into the hillsides and on the outskirts of the town. Jews were brought from all over Eretz Israel and even from faraway lands to be buried there. The hundreds of epitaphs found in the caves provide information about the Jewish lifestyle in the 3rd and 4th centuries CE.

Maresha and Bet-Guvrin Caves

Residents of the city of Maresha, in the southern Judean plain, carved many spaces beneath their homes into the soft chalk bedrock upon which the city was built. These spaces served as water reservoirs, agricultural production facilities, storage rooms, pigeon raising, burial caves and more. After Maresha was destroyed in the 1st century BCE a new city called Bet-Guvrin was constructed nearby. In the Byzantine period, the townspeople carved bricks out of the chalk in deep, bell-shaped caves. 

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07 March 2017

New Special Cover



Sri Kanakagiri Athishaya Mahothsava - 2017 : 2 Feb 2017



Sri Kshetra Kanakagiri, surrounded by a fort, is a holy Jain Centre and Stone edicts and basadis (Jain shrines) dating back to 11th Century AD are found here. It has the Nishadi Caves, Sarnadhi Mantapas, inscriptions and footprints from ancient times. Sri Kshetra Kanakagiri is also known as Nakopama Shaila, meaning heaven's crest. The ancient name for this piligrim center was 'Suvarnagiri'. Located near Maleyur in Chamarajanagar District in Karnataka, the area is home to dense forests with sandalwood trees.

Suresh.R . Bengaluru


04 March 2017

New Special Cover from Dehradun


Spring Festival 2017 , Dehradun
Badri Tulsi, Ban Tulsi



A Special cover on Badri Tulsi was released today by Governor of , Uttarakhand Dr. KK Paul, , during Spring Festival being held , at Raj Bhawan , Dehradun from 4-5 March 2017. India Post also organized a small stamp exhibition in this festival.