Festivals of India – Janmaashtami

 

 

Janmashatami is an important festival of India, celebrated as the birthday of Lord Krishna. Just wish to share a nice stamp issued by India Post in 1978 on famous verse from Geeta. This stamp was also selected for Pride of India Collection which includes Gold replica of  best 25 stamps  issued by India Post.

In English translation: You have a right to perform your prescribed duty, but you are not entitled to the fruits of action। Never consider yourself the cause of the results of your activities, and never be attached to not doing your duty.

The content of the Gita is the conversation between Lord Krishna and Arjuna taking place on the battlefield before the start of the Kurukshetra war.

Greetings on Janmaashtami

Janmashtami is celebrated with fervor in India. Euphoria for the festival is not just restricted to Mathura - the birth city Mathura but pervades in rest of India too. The birth of Lord Krishna is one of the most popular festival of Hindus and they celebrate the occasion to the hilt.

The festivities include various rituals being followed religiously. Temples all over India engage in various ceremonies and prayers in honour of Lord Krishna. Chanting of shlokas, readings from religious texts, singing devotional songs and dance performances are part of festival.

The Janmashtami of Mathura and Vrindavan, the places where Lord Krishna had spent his childhood, are famous all over the world. Devotees from across the world come to these pious places to celebrate Janmasthami.The temples especially in Vrindavan witness an extravagant and colourful celebration on this occasion. Raslila is performed to recreate incidents from the life of Krishna and to commemorate his love for Radha.

Special Cancellations

Cancellations issued  by Lucknow GPO

Clean Cities Week 

 

World Telecommunication Day

 

National Solidarity Day

 

: Ashawani Dubey - Gorakhpur

Greetings on Raksha Bandhan…

 

Raksha Bandhan - The festival symbolizing  love between a brother and sister and care for each other.

 

Greetings to all Indians on this festive occasion. Have great celebration with your family !

 

'”To the outside world we all grow old. But not to brothers and sisters. We know each other as we always were. We know each other's hearts.  We share  family griefs and joys. We live outside the touch of time.”

It’s time to send Rakhi….

 

India is a land of  many  colorful festivals and the famous festival of Raksha Bandhan is very near.  Indian community all over the world  is ready to celebrate the sacred festival of Raksha Bandhan on 13th August.

The day which has become the symbol of brotherhood, is celebrated around the world, with the rays of love and affection blooming in it. Rakhi festival is not only a ceremony of tying rakhi but it has moreover transited into the trust and love which a girl ties on her brother's wrist and hope that this hand will always hold her in every ups and downs of life.

 

As per the Hindu calendar rakhi festival falls on the shravan purnima (full moon day), which corresponds to the month of July-August as per the English calendar. The day is being celebrated as per the Indian calendar, which changes every year, hence the festival also falls on the different dates of the English calendar. The festival bears social significance, because it symbolizes the importance of relationship between siblings.

India Post has issued a variety of  Rakhi envelopes  which are tear and Water Resistant . The envelopes are in beautiful designs and colors.

 

Envelopes issued in 2010

 

 

Envelopes issued in 2009

 

View all  Rakhi Envelopes  issued by India Post

Special Rakhi Envelopes by India Post..

 

The festival of Rakhi has taken a broader significance worldwide as it spreads harmony and bring together the family members under one roof. Rakhi stands for the love between brothers and sisters, the bond of love that they have shared since their childhood. This festival holds immense significance in India. The custom of celebrating raksha bandhan started in ancestral period and even today people consider it must to express their affection in traditional manner. Rakhi has strengthen the bond of love between brothers and sisters.

 

 

: Ashwani Dubey - Gorakhpur

India Post issued a variety of   special Rakhi Envelopes to send Rakhis on the special occasion of Raksha Bandhan. These envelopes are available in a different designs at  post offices all over the country. The envelopes are strong enough, made of special  kind of thick paper to hold Rakhis safe and take them to their destination.

Festivals of India - Buddha Purnima

 

 

Greetings on Buddha Jayanti

The festival of Buddha Purnima or Buddha Jayanti celebrates the birth of Gautam Buddha in 563 BC. The most important of all the Buddhist festivals, Buddha Purnima is considered the most auspicious of all the days in the year. Although there are minor regional variations in the way Buddha Purnima is observed, the festival is generally observed by lighting oil lamps before the image of the Buddha, by reciting prayers or reading from the scriptures. Meditation and offerings of flowers, silk scarves, incense and fruit are also part of the worship rituals.Sarnath (Uttar Pradesh) and Bodhgaya (Bihar) are, in particular, known for the Buddha Purnima celebrations which are held in these two cities.

Buddha Purnima or Buddha Jayanti is known as Visakhapuja in Thailand, Makha Bousa Festival in Laos and Vesak in Sri Lanka. Here are some exhibt pages from our distinguished reader Dr Eli Moallem of Israel that feature stamps on Great Buddha Festival from Thailand, Laos and Sri Lanka.

Visakha Puja - Thailand

Makha Bousa Festival - Laos

Vesak – Sri Lanka

Vesak Day - Philippinies

Permanent Pictorial Cancellations

Gujarat

Chamrdharini, Vadodara

Sasangir

: Vijay Modi – Himmat Nagar, Gujarat e mail : vijay_idom@rediffmail.com

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 - Mahavir Jayanti

Greetings on Mahavir Jayanti

Today is Mahavir Jayanti, It is the most important festival of Jain community. It celebrates the birth of Mahavira, the last Tirthankara.Lord Mahavir was a great teacher who taught humanity the true path of happiness. His teachings on complete non-violence and the importance of austerity showed the path to achieving salvation and spirituality.

Mahavir Jayanti is observed on the 13th day of the month of Chaitra as per the Hindu calendar. This day is commemorated, not with pomp and festivities, but with silent prayers and worship, in accordance with Saint Mahavir's teachings of austerity and renunciation.On Mahavir Jayanthi, Jain temples are decorated with flags. In the morning the statue of Mahavira is given a ceremonial bath called the 'abhishek'. Lord Mahavira is an ideal in Jainism who taught the world the essence of life. He taught all of us the right way of living the life.The day of his birth is celebrated in a massive procession around the cities. The Jains make offerings of milk, rice, fruit, incense, lamps and water to the poor people that day. All sections of the community participate in a grand procession. Lectures are held to preach the path of virtue. People meditate and offer prayers. Donations are collected to save the cows from slaughter and to help poor people by providing them food. Pilgrims from all parts of the country visit the ancient Jain Temples at Pawapuri, Kundalpur and Parsvanath on this day.

Special Coin on Bhagwan Mahavir

Slogans on Postal receipts

Live and Let Live !!

: Ashwani Dubey, Gorakhpur

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.

Greetings on Holi !!

Holi is the time to develop understanding and love for each other. The festival , is a platform for all to renew friendship and to express heartiest love !

Wishing you all a very Happy Holi !!

Greetings to all Indians living in different parts of the world on this joyous occasion.

Slogans on Postal receipts

Happy Holi !

: Ashwani Dubey, Gorakhpur

Festivals of India - Holi

Wishing you all a very Happy Holi !!

Festivals of India - Mahashivratri

 

Greetings on Mahashivratri !!

Today is Mahashivratri, an important festival of Hindus. The festival of Mahashivratri (literally means the 'Grand Night dedicated for the worship of Lord Shiva'). is looked upon with greatest reverence & respect by the devotees of Lord Shiva. This festival is celebrated every year on the 13/14^th day in the Krishna Paksha (waning moon fortnight, just before the new moon) of the month of Phalgun. As per the English calendar this is celebrated around Feb or March.

This day and more so the night is dedicated by the devotees of Lord Shiva for his worship, practice of various austerities & meditation. All the Shiva Temples are fully decorated and there are hordes of devotees queuing up to get darshan of Lord Lord Shiva on this special day.

Club News

New stamp from India

Date of Issue – March 1, 2011

India Post issued a new stamp on 1st March on La, Martinere schools.

INDIPEX Issues from other countries…

: Mansoor B - Mangalore; Ashwani Dubey - Gorakhpur