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 .

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.

Happy Republic Day

 

Greetings on 77th Republic Day

“Freedom, unity, and equality are the pillars of our Republic.”

26 January, celebrated as India’s Republic Day, marks the historic day when the Constitution of India came into effect in 1950. This proud occasion symbolises democracy, freedom, equality, and the unity of the nation. Republic Day is observed with grand parades, flag hoisting ceremonies, cultural programmes, and heartfelt tributes to the leaders and freedom fighters who shaped modern India.

Happy Republic Day !!

 to all Indians living in different corners of the world !

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 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

Greetings on Deepawali

  

Deepotsav - Ayodhya

Release of Special Cover and Cancellation on Deepotsav-Ayodhya   

The city of Ayodhya comes alive during the Divya Deepotsav when thousands of lamps lit on the banks of Saryu illuminate the entire environment with their radiance. The tableau of the characters of Lord Rama, Mata Sita and Laxman in the world famous Ramleela staged on this occasion fills the hearts of common people with reverence. The banks of the Saryu river, illuminated with thousands of lamps of faith and belief, once again become witnesses to the historic and cultural celebration of the return of their idol to Ayodhya. 

A special cover and cancellation was released on the auspicious occasion of Divya Deepotsav-Ayodhya on 30.10.2024 at Ayodhya Head Post Office. The cover was released by the chief guest Col Vinod Kumar, Postmaster General, Varanasi Region alongwith Shri. H. S. Yadav, Supdt. of Post Offices, Ayodhya Division and Shri. Pramod Kumar Bansal, President of Prayag Philatelic Society. Shri. Satyendra Pratap Singh, Chief Marketing Officer, Shri. Ashok Mital member of the society and Rahul Ganguli, Secretary of the society were also present with the dignitaries. 

The cover and cancellation was proposed by Prayag Philatelic Society which was considered  by the Department of Posts. The cover and cancellation was designed by a member of the society, Shri. Sumanto Kumar.  

- Rahul Ganguli : Prayag Philatelic Society : Prayagraj

New Special Covers on Ram Navmi

Ram Navmi : 16 April 2024 : Prayagraj

Source : PPS, SIPA

Happy Ram Navmi : 17 April 2024 : BALIPHILEX 2024 :  Denpasar, Bali

Source : EIPA

 

Christmas Time !

 

Merry Christmas

Date of Issue : 22 November 2023

Date of Issue : 22 November 2023

Date of Issue : 8 November 2023

Date of Issue :10 November 2023

Date of Issue : 21 November 2023

Greetings on Deepawali

 

Happy Deepawali

New Special Covers 

Divya Deepotsav at Ram Ki Paidi, Ayodhya

Construction Work, Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir, Ayodhya

- M. Gulrez, Allahabad

Greetings on Dussehra

 

Happy Dussehra

Dussehra, also known as Vijayadashmi, is a big Indian festival celebrated on the tenth day of Ashvin month according to the Hindu calendar. This day falls in the month of September or October. The day culminates a 9 day fasting period of Navratri in the Hindu culture. The day also coincides with immersion of the idol of Goddess Durga. The day is celebrated to commemorate the killing of Ravana by Lord Rama. The day also celebrates the killing of demon Mahishasur by Goddess Durga. Dussehra celebration spreads the message of the victory of good over sin.

Eid Mubarak

 

Eid Mubarak

Eid Mubarak! Eid al-Fitr marks the end of Ramadan, the month of daylight fasting in the Islamic religious calendar. The annual celebration is the most popular Muslim festival in the world and has been observed in New Zealand for over a hundred years.

Calligraphy artists Sameera and Muhammad Waqas created the artwork for the Eid Mubarak stamp issue.