New Special Covers from Jammu and Kashmir

  

20 September 2026 : Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan, Katra : Katra

Lieutenant Governor J&K Shri Manoj Sinha,released a Special Cover on 20 September 2026, titled “Global Symbol of Faith” issued by the Department of Posts in honour of the revered Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Ji Shrine to further promote and showcase its rich heritage and universal appeal. The special cover was released in the presence of Shri Sagar Hanuman Singh, Chief Postmaster General, J&K Circle, Sachin Kumar Vaishya Chief Executive Officer CEO Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board and other dignitaries.

18 September 2026 : Ladakh Seabuckthorn : Leh

The Department of Posts, Jammu & Kashmir Circle released a Special Cover on Seabuckthorn, a GI-tagged product of the Union Territory of Ladakh, to commemorate the International Seabuckthorn Conclave 2026, organised under the Raising and Accelerating MSME Performance (RAMP) Programme.

The Special Cover was released by Shri Vinai Kumar Saxena, Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh. The ceremony was attended by Shri Shurb Singh, IAS, Divisional Commissioner; Shri Keshvendra Kumar, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises; Ms. Bhanu Prabha, IAS, Administrative Secretary, Higher Education, Technical Education and Skill Development; Shri Himanshu Gupta, IAS, Administrative Secretary, PDD, PD&MD, Industries and Commerce, and Managing Director, SIDCO; Shri Sonam Nurba, Director, Industries and Commerce, Union Territory of Ladakh; and Shri Arvind Kher, Superintendent of Post Offices, Ladakh Postal Division.

15 September 2026 :Gonbo Rangjon : Zanskar

The Department of Posts, Jammu & Kashmir Circle — Ladakh Postal Division today released a Special Cover featuring “Gonbo Rangjon” meaning “Throne of Gonbo”, is a sacred, standalone mountain peak in Zanaskar, to commemorate the 11th edition of the Zanskar Festival 2026. The Special Cover was formally released by Shri Vinai Kumar Saxena, Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh in the presence of Shri Haniefa Jan, Member of Parliament, Ladakh; Dr. Jafeer Akhoon, Chief Executive Councilor, LAHDC Kargil; Shri Sanjit Rodrigues, IAS, Administrative Secretary for Tourism and Culture, Union Territory of Ladakh; Shri Arvind Kher, Superintendent of Post Offices, Ladakh Postal Division.

- Neelam Chandel. Shimla

New Special Cover and Cancellation

 

13 February 2026 : Magh Mela : Prayagraj

Release of Special Cover and Cancellation on Magh Mela 2026, Prayagraj A special cover with a cancellation (postmark) was released from Prayagraj HO on Magh Mela 2026, Prayagraj on 13.2.2026 to commemorate the ongoing Magh Mela at Prayagraj. The cover was proposed by Prayag Philatelic Society.

It was released by Smt. Preeti Agrawal DPS Prayagraj Region along with Shri. J. N. Pandey, Assistant Director(Philately), Shri. Ashok Kumar Tripathi Sr.Postmaster, Prayagraj HPO and Shri Pramod Kumar Bansal, President, Prayag Philatelic Society. In her speech, Smt. Agarwal appreciated the efforts of the society to get a special cover released with a meaningful design of the cover and its postmark. She was happy to have contributed this creative and beautifully designed cover and postmark for philatelic community.  

Prayagraj is known for hosting the annual mega event called as Magh Mela where millions of pilgrims visit the city to take a holy dip and spend time in kalpvas. Millions of pilgrims come to the city to take a holy dip in the sangam and stay in tents for kalpvas with the objective to purify their souls. Poush Purnima marks the beginning of the event and it ends on Mahashivratri. During this period many rituals take place and these pilgrims participate in them which form a part of their spiritual life. Kalpvas being one of them. It is only during the Magh Mela that pilgrims stay in Kalpvas. Many aspects of these rituals are visualized in the cover. The postmark depicts a sadhu praying and a Sanskrit shloka. 

The programme was conducted by Shri Pradeep Pathak, Incharge Philatelic Bureau Prayagraj HO. Various staff members from the Post Office, parents, philatelists and visitors were present at the event.The event concluded with a vote of thanks by the Secretary of the philatelic society.

During the Magh Mela in this year, the Department of Posts, through the Prayagraj Region has issued a special postmark, called cancellation and a set of 4 picture postcards on Magh Mela.

The special cover and the set of 4 picture postcards are available for purchase at the Philatelic Bureau, Prayagraj Head Post Office and through our website www.prayagphilatelicsociety.org

-Rahul Ganguli

Secretary,Prayag Philatelic Society

13 February 2026 : World Radio Day : Bangalore

Karnataka Postal Circle released a special cancellation on World Radio Day with radio tower motif, highlighting radio's impact. It is available at Bengaluru General Post Office .

New Picture Postcards

 Flora of Uttar Pradesh

Two sets of Picture Postcards on Flora of Uttar Pradesh  were released by Governor of Uttar Pradesh on 6 February 2026 at Jan Bhawan, UP. These postcards were sponsored by the Postcrossing Welfare Society of India.

Special Cover and cancellation to be released om Magh Mela : 13 February 2026 : Prayagraj

-Col Akhil Kumatr ( Retd.) & Rahul Ganguli , Prayagraj Philatelic Society

My Recent Cover

 

Magh Mela 2026 - Basant Panchami : 23 January 2026 : Prayagraj

Basanta Panchami and Saraswati Puja in honour of the Hindu goddess Saraswati, is a festival that marks the preparation for the arrival of spring. The festival is celebrated in Indian religions in different ways depending on the region. Vasant Panchami also marks the start of preparation for Holi, which take place forty days later. The Vasant Utsava (festival) on Panchami is celebrated forty days before spring, because any season's transition period is 40 days, and after that, the season comes into full bloom.

Magh Mela is one of the most sacred annual religious gatherings in India, held on the holy banks of the Sangam in Prayagraj, where the Ganga, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati rivers meet. Rooted deeply in Hindu tradition, Magh Mela draws millions of devotees, saints, and pilgrims who gather to take ritual dips and perform spiritual practices during the auspicious month of Magh.

Thanks to Mr Rahul Ganguli, Prayagraj Philatelic Society for this special cover and desk calendar of the society.

Rath Yatra , Puri

 

27 June 2025 : Rath Yatra Puri

Image courtesy : Kalinga TV

Ratha Jatra, the Festival of Chariots of Lord Jagannatha is celebrated every year at Puri,  Odisha. The presiding deities of the main temple, Lord Jagannatha, Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra, with the celestial wheel Sudarshana are taken out from the temple precincts in an elaborate ritual procession to  their respective chariots. The huge, colourfully decorated chariots, are drawn by hundreds and thousands of devotees on the bada danda, the grand avenue to the Gundicha temple,  After a stay for seven days, the deities return to their abode in Srimandira.

The Ratha Yatra of Puri,  is considered the oldest and largest Hindu chariot festival celebrated annually, on the bright half of the lunar month of Ashadh. India Post issued a commemorative stamp and a Miniature sheet to commemorate Puri Rath Yatra on 12 July 2010.

My recent cover

 

2 June 2025 : Ram Van Gaman : Ayodhya

Many Thanks to Mr. Rahul Ganguli, Prayag Philatelic Society

My Recent Covers

   

12 February 2025 : Maghi Purnima : Prayagraj

26 February 2025 : Nagvasuki Temple : Mahashivratri : Prayagraj

28 February 2025 : Celebrating 114 Years of First Air Mail Service : Prayagraj

Thanks  to Mr. Rahul Ganguli, Prayag Philatelic Society, Prayagraj

New Stamps on Maha Kumbh 2025

 

Maha Kumbh 2025

Date of Issue : 13 February 2025

India Post issued a set of 3 Stamps with a Miniature sheet on Maha Kumbh 2025. The commemorative postage stamps, designed by Shri Sankha Samanta, beautifully depict three prominent aspects of Triveni tirtha- Maharshi Bharadwaj Ashram, Snan and Akshayvat.

Release of Commemorative Postage Stamps on “Maha Kumbh 2025’ by Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, Hon’ble Union Minister for Communications and Development of the North Eastern Region

My Recent Covers

 

Cover from Finland

Many thanks to the unknown sender from Finland. I always receive covers from Finland but never get the address of the sender. So plz send me your address so that I can personally express my gratitude for the beautiful covers from Finland by sending some covers from India. 

Fingerpori is Finland’s most popular comic. The stamps feature the Fingerpori character Heimo Vesa in several roles, and Rivo-Riitta makes a comment in one stamp in her straightforward manner.

Special / Commemorative Covers from Pratg Philatelic Society, Prayagraj

30 October 2024: Deepotsav - Ayodhya

PPC 13 .1.25 : Prayagraj HPO

Special Covers : Mahakumbh- Prayagraj

13 January 2025 :  Paush Purnima : Prayagraj

14 January 2025 : Makar Sankranti : Prayagraj

15 January 2025: Allahabad Fort: Prayagraj

27 January 2025 : Importance of Snan-Kumbh Mela : Prayagraj

29 January 2025: Divya, Bhavya and Digital Mahakumbh

Commemorative Cover: 15 January 2025: Allahabad Surkh Guava; Prayagraj

Commemorative Cover: 15 January 2025: First  Airmail: Prayagraj 

Many Thanks to Sh. Rahul Ganguli, Prayag Philatelic Society for the covers.

New special cover picture postcards and cancellations

  Mahakumbh Mela 2025, Prayagraj

Special Cancellation

Special Cancellation , Makar Sankranti

14 January 2025, Prayagraj

Source : Prayag Philatelic Society

Picture postcard & PP/special cancellation issued by India post Karnataka circle on 16-01-2025

Inaugural Day PPC

MATHERAN LIGHT RAILWAY LOCOMOTIVE

MATHERAN SO

Pin Code – 410 102

Date of Issue: 17.01.2025

National Start Up Day

 Integrated Quality service plan

Source : Pan India Postal Pictorial Cancellations

Mahakumbh Mela -2025

15 January 2025 : special Cover and special cancellation

Special Cover : 15 January 2025 :Allahabad Fort, Prayagraj

PP Cancellation :  15 January 2025 : Allahabad Surkha Guava 

15 January 2025 :PPC : First Aerial Mail

Picture Postcard :16 January 2025 : National Start Up Day

Picture Postcard : Integrated Quality service plan UPU workshop at Bengaluru 

Special Cancellation : 16 January 2025 : Integrated Quality service plan,  Bengaluru 

The entire set of picture postcards designed and released by PSOI under the aegis of India Post.

Source : Prayag Philatelic Society