New Festival stamps from USA…

 

 

In the month of October USPS will issue 3 Forever stamps on festivals of Jews , Africans and Christians. The stamps feature Hanukkah. Kwanza and Christmas festivals.

Hanukkah — October 14, 2011 

Hanukkah is a joyous yearly festival spanning eight days and nights that is celebrated by Jewish people. It commemorates the successful Jewish revolt led by Judah Maccabee against the oppressive government of Antiochus IV in 165 B.C. Hanukkah is the Hebrew word for "dedication." Tradition relates how a miracle took place during the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem, which had been desecrated: The remaining supply of sacramental oil, thought to be enough for only one day, burned for eight. Today, family members gather each night during the festival to light candles on a menorah. Other traditions include singing, the exchange of gifts and the spinning of the dreidel.

Kwanza - October 14, 2011

With this stamp, the U.S. Postal Service cel­ebrates Kwanzaa, a nonreligious holiday that takes place over seven days from December 26 to January 1. Kwanzaa draws on African traditions and takes its name from the phrase for “first fruits” in Swahili, a widely spoken African language. This is the fourth stamp design issued by the USPS in celebration of Kwanzaa. The first Kwanzaa com­memorative stamp was issued in 1997.

 

Holiday Baubles – October 13, 2011

Christmas trees were at first trimmed with fruit—apples were a popular choice—and nuts, candies, or paper. Glass ornaments first appeared in the late 19th century, in Germany, and their use quickly spread to other countries. Styles from the 1950s inspired the ornaments depicted in the stamp art.

Special Covers

Maharashtra

 

 

: Ashwani Dubey - Gorakhpur

Māori New Year stamps from New Zealand

Date of Issue : 1 June 2011

New Zealand Post will issue a set of six stamps to mark the start of the Māori New Year with its Matariki 2011 - Hei Matau stamp issue on June 1, 2011.

Once a year, twinkling in the winter sky just before dawn, Matariki (the Pleiades) signals the Māori New Year. Traditionally, it was a time for remembering the dead, and celebrating new life. In the 21st century, observing Matariki has become popular again. Heaven-bound kites, hot-air balloons and fireworks help mark the occasion.Various Māori tribes celebrated Matariki at different times. Some held festivities when Matariki was first seen in the dawn sky; others celebrated after the full moon rose or at the beginning of the next new moon.

Matariki - Māori New Year Celebration

In the final days of May each year, a cluster of tiny stars intermittently twinkles as it rises on the north east horizon. To astronomers this constellation is known as Pleiades but to the Māori people of New Zealand, it is Matariki - a celestial signal of an ending and a beginning.

Matariki has two common English translations:

• mata riki or 'tiny eyes'
• mata ariki or 'eyes of god'.

But while there are two translations, for the Māori there is only one universal theme of Matariki. This is the beginning of a new life cycle, and the celebration of traditional Māori new year. The new year is marked by the next new moon after the appearance Matariki.

Preparation and ceremony
In days gone by, Matariki was a time to prepare for the year ahead, a time to learn and a time to celebrate the future. Matariki was also a time of ceremonial offering to the land gods Rongo and Uenuku in the hope of a good harvest in the year to come.

As Matariki appears in the middle of the winter, at a time when all crops have been harvested, it was an important signal to the Māori people that they needed to be prepared with sufficient preserved food stocks to last them through to the next harvest. Once this important task was completed, the people were free to focus their attentions on other winter-time occupations such as learning, sharing, family and celebration.

End of harvest
The end of harvest was a plentiful time for all, and with village food stocks replenished to the brim, it was time for Māori to feast on and to share what was left of the harvest. During Matariki, guests and visitors were showered with gifts and great hākari (banquets) were held in celebration of the New Year and the future.

Matariki tradition
The tradition of Matariki continues and is very much alive in modern day Aotearoa.

Exhibitions, lively festivals, concerts and cultural performances are among a growing myriad of entertaining events that take place throughout the country during the celebration of Matariki. Matariki celebrations vary in style and timing from region to region but the underlying principle of sharing, learning, feasting and festivity is constant throughout.

Matariki is a celebration unique to Aotearoa, and a chance for everyone to forget the winter blues by embracing the warm spirit of Matariki ahunga nui - Matariki provider of plentiful food.

The appearance of the star cluster known as Matariki is a time to celebrate New Zealand's unique history and place in the world. Meaning 'fish hook', matau are traditionally an important aspect of Māori life, providing Māori with the means to catch their kai moana or 'food from the sea'. Many fishermen had their own 'lucky' fish hook, which they would wear around their necks (hei matau) for safekeeping.

Today hei matau are used less for catching fish and more for catching someone's eye when worn as pendants. They remain a cultural treasure (taonga), and have an important link to the origins of Aotearoa, New Zealand. According to Māori legend, New Zealand's North Island was once a giant fish that was caught by the half-god and seafarer Māui, using a woven line and his magic bone matau.

Hei matau have a strong connection to Tangaroa, god of the sea, and as such the stamp products in this collection feature the common stylised element of the sea. Meaning 'the fish hook of Māui', the phrase 'Te matau o Māui-tikitiki-a-Taranga' has also been incorporated in the design.

60c Pounamu stamp

This modern hei matau has been handcrafted by Lewis Gardiner . Made from pounamu, it is representative of strength, abundance and provision. Commissioned specifically for this stamp issue, it is now a part of the New Zealand Post Collection.

60c Manaia stamp

This hei matau dates from 1500 to 1800, is housed in The Museum of New Zealand - Te Papa Tongarewa, and is an example of a functional fish hook that might have hung around a fisherman's neck. Made from whalebone, it's elaborately carved with manaia (Māori spiritual guardian) faces at the apex of the shank and also at the bait-knob. The traditional hook shape is designed to cut into the fish's mouth.

$1.20 Inanga stamp

This hei matau dates from around 1800, and is also housed in Te Papa Tongarewa. Sourced from Westland in the South Island, it is made from inanga (milky white) pounamu. The elaboratively carved crown is entirely decorative, and the barb point has also been decorated with delicate notching.

$1.90 Te Puia stamp

This hei matau was crafted for this stamp issue by Te Puia, the New Zealand Māori Arts and Crafts Institute. It is based on the traditional pā kahawai, i.e. made from multiple materials and lashed together. Pounamu, whalebone, feathers and muka (flax fibre) are used for the hook, while the eye inserts are made with paua.

$2.40 Pukengaki stamp

Housed in the Auckland War Memorial Museum (Tamaki Paenga Hira), this hei matau is made from wood and dates from around 1800. The wood was trained to grow into the shape of a fish hook, then carved and combined with an unusually large bone barb designed to hook the fish’s mouth securely. The top of the hook features an intricately carved manaia face.

$2.90 Tohorā stamp

Also housed in Te Papa Tongarewa, this hei matau dates from 1750 to 1850. It is a classic symbolic representation of the fish hook used by the Polynesian cultural hero Māui. Made from whalebone, some say its shape is designed to wedge in the fish’s mouth rather than hook it.

: New Zealand Post

Buddhist Religion Day (Visakhapuja Day)

 

 Date of Issue : 17 May 2011

Thailand Post will issue a postage stamp and a souvenir sheet to commemorate Vishakhapuja Day on 17 May . It is a very important festival of Buddhists and also celebrated in India as Buddha Purnima. The design of the stamp is based on traditional Thai-style mural paintings .

Vishakha Puja Day

Visakha Puja day goes on to celebrate three important incidents in the life of Lord Buddha on the same day that is the full moon day of the sixth lunar month. The three events are as follows:

The Buddha's birth -This is important as he was born into the royal family and was later named as Siddhartha.
The Enlightenment of Buddha
The Nibbana- This is actually meant to commemorate the death of the Lord Buddha.

Visakha Puja Day is recognized as most important memorial day in Buddhism for the Lord Buddha who wandered from place to place teaching his discoveries to people who are accessible to the instruction, helping large a number of people achieving various levels of spiritual attainment. He sent his followers to spread Buddhism in capitals, cities and upcountry, until Buddhism was firmly established and widely spread. Visakha Puja day is also recognized by the UNESCO in 1999 as "World Heritage Day". Thailand where is the permanent location of the World Fellowship of Buddhists, is chosen to host celebrating event for the day.

Every year when this important day comes around again, all Buddhists throughout the world gather together to perform the worship to recollect the wisdom, purity and compassion of the Buddha.

Winning the Devil, Winning All in the World ( Stamp Design)

These are traditional Thai-style mural paintings created during the reign of King Rama I, which have become well-known as artistic masterpieces. The paintings are taken from mural paintings--"Subduing the Mara" on the walls of the ordination hall of Khongkharam Temple in Potharam District, Ratburi Province. The background of the paintings is deep red colour and the whole background is strewn with fallen flowers. Mother Earth, wringing her locks, is moving with grace. An image of the Lord Buddha, covered with gold leaf, depicted in the posture of Subduing the Mara, is clad in red robes. Phraya Waswadee Mara is seated on the green elephant's back and his entourage consists of demons riding on mythical lions and horses. These paintings are representation of the anecdote about the Floods overcoming the troops of the Mara. Among these troops, there a number of figures depicting Dutch and French soldiers wearing leather helmets.

Greetings on Easter…

Easter is the day when Jesus Christ was crucified and the Christians offer prayers and services in the Churches. Easter is another important festival for Christians. On this day Jesus Christ rose from the dead and ascended into heaven. Easter eggs and Easter bunnies are a major attraction during Easter, the festival of rejuvenation of life and living.

New Stamps on Easter

The Serbian Post has issued two stamps dedicated to the Easter Feast. For Orthodox Christians, Easter is the holiest day of the year. It marks Christ's resurrection from the dead and the end of 46 days of fasting with a sumptuous feast.

In Serbian Easter is called Vaskrs, a liturgical form inherited from the Serbian recension of Church Slavonic. The Easter service in the orthodox church starts at 11 on Saturday night and ends at midnight with the priest chanting "Hristos Vaskrse" (he is risen) three times.

Croatian Post has released fourteen new commemorative postage stamps with the theme "Easter - Stations of the Cross". Each stamp depicts one of the fourteen Stations of the Cross,the depiction of the final hours in the life of Jesus Christ. and has a face value of HRK 3.10.

The tradition of the Stations of the Cross originated in pilgrimages to Jerusalem, where pilgrims followed the footsteps of Christ to the cross.

Club News

Philatelic & Numismatic exhibition in Trichur

Shrine Bassilica of our Lady of Dolours and Trichur Philatelic Club is jointly organising a three day Philatelic cum Numismatic display on "Pope John Paul II and Christianity" from 29th April 2011 to 01st May 2011 on the occasion of Beatification of Pope John Paul II at Vatican which coincides with 25th Anniversary of John Paul II visit to Trichur, Kerala.

Venue: Bassilica Jubilee Hall, Trichur.

A Special cover on Pope John Paul II will also be released on this occasion

: Sreejesh Krishnan, Trivandrum

Festivals of India – Ram Navmi

Greetings on Ram Navami

Ram Navami - The birth of a hero

Today is Ram Navami, the birthday of Lord Rama, the celebrated hero of the famous epic, 'Ramayana', is enthusiastically celebrated all over India. Lord Rama is an avatar of Lord Vishnu who came down to earth to battle the invincible Ravana in human form.

Lord Vishnu is worshipped in his human incarnation as Rama, the divine ruler of Ayodhya. Celebrations begin with a prayer to the Sun early in the morning. At midday, when Lord Rama is supposed to have been born, a special prayer is performed. People sing devotional songs in praise of Rama and rock, images of him in a cradle to celebrate his birth. Rathyatras or chariot processions of Ram, his wife Sita, brother Lakshman and devotee Hanuman are held from many temples.

Birth of Rama

Lord Brahma had been receiving complaints from all the gods about the havoc that Ravana was wreaking on earth, but because Lord Brahma had granted Ravana so many boons, he could not be killed by a god. But Ravana had become so overconfident that he would never expect an attack from a human being. So Lord Vishnu agreed to go to earth in the guise of Prince Ram, the son of King Dasharath and Queen Kaushalya.

The story of Lord Rama as told in the great epic Ramayana is one that most Indians know irrespective of caste, creed and religion. Lord Rama is a legendary figure, the epitome of all that is good and true, the man who vanquished the demon king Ravana. Lord Rama is not just a hero, but has been given the status of a god by the Hindus. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that his birth is celebrated year after year with great pomp and enjoyment on the ninth day after the new moon in Sukul Paksh (the waxing moon), which falls sometime in the month of April.

New Stamps on Easter

 

Date of Issue – 1 March  2011

Magyar Posta ( Hungary) issued stamp to commemorate Easter on 1st March 2011.The stamp design uses a reproduction of a work by the textile artist Erzsébet Szekeres entitled Hungarian Golgotha. The stamp’s first day cover is adorned by a detail from another work by the same artist, Lamb of God. The graphic design of the special postmark employs a stylised version of the lamb on the cover.

The word golgotha is derived from the Hebrew gulgoleth, and the Aramaic transcription of this (gulgalta) has been adopted and adapted in modern use. In Greek this is kranion, while the Latin translation calvaria provides the deriva-tion of our word calvary. The word means skull or place of skulls. Originally, it was the name of a hill in a quarry north north-west of Jerusalem, which was a place of execution in ancient times. The name probably refers to the skulls remaining from the executions. According to the Gospels this is the place where Jesus was crucified and buried.

: Magyar Posta

Easter stamp from Vatican City

Date of Issue – 21 March 2011

 

The stamp features the central moment of the salvific mission of  Lord ??? the Resurrection ??? as seen in a detail of a wall mural located at the main entrance to the Sistine Chapel. The fresco is perhaps one of the least known of the Sistine Chapel and is a work by Flemish painter Hendrick van den Broeck. It is a copy of an original by Ghirlandaio which was destroyed when the door frame collapsed in 1522. The painting is one the masterpieces of the 1400s alongside the frescoed walls and great paintings by Michelangelo.

Stamp Festival and Exhibition in Europe….

 

Nordia 2011 – A big show

This year, Nordia 2011, the Nordic stamp exhibition, will be organized in Jyvaskyla, Finland, on April 1-3. The exceptionally large-scale exhibition has one of the greatest collections among all stamp exhibitions organized in Europe this year.

Itella Posti (Finland) will publish new stationeries and stamp the first day postmark on them at the exhibition. In addition to Posti, the event will be participated by all other Nordic postal services, as well as those from Estonia and Germany.

 

Stamp Festival in France

The French Post has issued a stamp dedicated to the Stamp Festival 2011.

In France, the Stamp Festival is held every year since 1938. Since December 1944 the French Post has been issuing a postage stamp on this occasion. Until 1999 this stamp was focused on the postal history, after on comic books or literature characters to attract the young audience.

In 2010-2011 the Stamp Festival supports artistic creation and is committed to sustainable development. In 2010, the theme chosen for the traditional Stamp Festival was water; the theme of this year is devoted to the Earth. The first stamp issued at this occasion is a stamp repeating the design of French definitive stamps, the very famous Marianne. On the left side of the stamp is written "Let's protect the Earth" and shows a hand planting a plant.

 

From our Readers……

Doot Magazine old and new cancelled with Doot stamp and First Day cancellation

Prepared by Vijay Modi, Himmat Nagar ( Gujarat)

email : vijay_idom@rediffmail.com

 

 

Rainbow at INDIPEX 2011 -

- Jagannath Mani, Bangalore

The Violet reminds me the fire works of "Exhibitors"

The Indigo reminds me the shadows of "New Philatelist"

The Blue reminds me the rain of "Khadi stamp"

The Green reminds me the the Pickles of "My stamps"

The Yellow reminds Me the Bumble bee daily Indipex 2011 news "show daily"

The Orange reminds me the sour taste of the orange of "INDIPEX 2011" when some officials found sitting on the mat and collecting the exhibits at "INDIPEX 2011

The Red reminds me the lady bug of the Indian Post "The Organizing committee"

At last after I saw walking India post box unable to receive any letter and few kids were enjoying and smile on their faces I have seen the rainbow  in word INDIPEX .

- Jagannath Mani
www.olympicgamesphilately.blogspot.com

Cover from Singapore..

 

 

Hi ! Here is a cover from Singapore with nice stamps of Singapore trees sent by my blogger friend Edmund. Thank you very much Edmund for the cover and lovely festive stamps. The stamps are sparkling &   beautiful with awesome designs featuring a variety of festivals celebrated in Singapore.!! Many Many thanks !!  Now INDIPEX 2011, the World Philatelic Exhibition is coming closer ….Best wishes to all….Have a Wonderful Time !!

Visit INDIPEX 2011

Pragati Maidan, New Delhi

 

Festive stamps from Singapore 2010

 

 

Today’s stamp

It is a new section on my blog.  I will randomly select one stamp everyday on a particular theme that appeals me most !!

Great personalities : Writers

The stamp is just beautiful featuring Mark Twain  and scenes from his famous books ( Tom Sawyer & Huckleberyfinn) shown in the background !!

New Special Covers

 

 

SARPEX 2011 – Rajendra College,  Chhapra - 15 January 2011

Two special covers were released during SARPEX-2011

 

SARPEX – 2011 – Gajagrah Sonepur Fair – 16 January 2011

:Sunil Mishra, Gorakhpur

Special Covers to be numbered

Various Postal Circles were issuing a huge number of special covers. One does not have any track on special covers.  Now Department of Post has issued instructions to its Postal Circles that all the special covers should be serially numbered.

KTK/01/2011

Karnataka postal circle, Bangalore, Tharalu BO issued a Special Cover on 06-01-2011 on the occasion of 26th Scout-Guide Jamborette of Karnataka  - with the slogan of " Scouting & Guiding for a Better Tomorrow"

6 January 2011

AP/01/2010

Andhra Pradesh postal Circle, Hyderabad, Jama-I-Osmana PO issued a Special Cover on 31-12-2010 on the occasion of Golden Jubilee Year of National Geophysical Research Institute.

31 December 2010

AP/03/2011

Andhra Pradesh postal Circle, Hyderabad, Shankarpally PO issued a Special Cover on 04-01-2011 on the occasion of 16th National Jamboree and Centenary year of Guiding in India.

4 January 2011

: Sreejesh Krishnan, Trivandrum

From our Readers….

The Pongal Festival

                       - Jagannath Mani, Bangalore

Pongal is the only festival of Hindu that follows a solar calendar and is celebrated on the fourteenth of January every year. Pongal has astronomical significance: it marks the beginning of Uttarayana, the Sun's movement northward for a six month period. In Hinduism, Uttarayana is considered auspicious, as opposed to Dakshinaayana, or the southern movement of the sun. All important events are scheduled during this period. Makara Sankranthi refers to the event of the Sun entering the zodiac sign of Makara or Capricorn. In Hindu temples bells, drums, clarinets and conch shells herald the joyous occasion of Pongal.

To symbolize a bountiful harvest, rice is cooked in new pots until they boil over. Some of the rituals performed in the temple include the preparation of rice, the chanting of prayers and the offering of vegetables, sugar cane and spices to the gods. Devotees then consume the offerings to exonerate themselves of past sins. Pongal signals the end of the traditional farming season, giving farmers a break from their monotonous routine. Farmers also perform pooja to some crops, signaling the end of the traditional farming season. It also sets the pace for a series of festivals to follow in a calendar year. In fact, four festivals are celebrated in Tamilnadu for four consecutive days in that week.

The Pongal festival is celebrated for four days. The first day, Bhogi, the old clothes and materials are thrown away and fired, marking the beginning of a new life. 'Bhogi' is celebrated on January 13,

The second day, the Pongal day, is celebrated by boiling fresh milk early in the morning and allowing it to boil over the vessel - a tradition that is the literal translation for Pongal. People also prepare savories and sweets, visit each other's homes, and exchange greetings. 'Pongal' on Jan 14,

The third day, Mattu Pongal, is meant to offer thanks to the cows and buffaloes, as they are used to plough the lands. 'Mattu Pongal' on Jan 15.

On the last day, Kanum Pongal on Jan 16 people go out to picnic. A festival called Jalli kathu is held in Madurai, Tiruchirapalli and Tanjavur,all in Tamil Nadu, on this day. Bundles of money are tied to the horns of Pongal ferocious bulls which the villagers try to retrieve. Everyone joins in the community meal, at which the food is made of the freshly harvested grain. This day is named and celebrated as Tamilian Tirunal / 'Thiruvalluvar Day in a fitting manner through out Tamil Nadu. Thus, the harvest festival of Pongal symbolizes the veneration of the first fruit. The crop is harvested only after a certain time of the year, and cutting the crop before that time is strictly prohibited. Even though Pongal was originally a festival for the farming community, today it is celebrated by all. However, Coinciding with Pongal Makara Sankranti , Lohri and Bihu in Assam is very much the same tradition as Pongal. It just shows the unity in diversity of our country.

People are different.
Festivals are different.
But Celebration is one.

We all are one. So I wish you all a Happy Pongal !

Special Speed Post cover prepared by Vijay Modi of Himmat Nagar Gujarat for Makar Sankranti. Flying Kites on Makar Sankranti is a special feature of this festival.  Thanks to Mr Modi for this very special cover with special date 11.1.11