Shimla September 2009 Issue # 21

Monthly e-Stamp Bulletin Edited by Jeevan Jyoti for free circulation among philatelists

Readers are requested to send reports of philatelic activities in their area for publication. Short write ups by the readers about their journals, societies, publications and philatelic requirements can be sent for inclusion in this bulletin to j.jyoti9@gmail.com or rainbowstamp2008@gmail.com and by post to –

Mrs. Jeevan Jyoti, c / o Mr. Ajay Srivastav, Director, Great Himalayan National Park, Shamshi, Distt. Kullu. PIN 175126. (H.P.) India

Note- This bulletin is only for circulation among a limited group of philatelists without any commercial purpose. The bulletin will be sent to the readers only on request. Those who wish to receive it regularly please reply giving the name of your city/country with the subject SUBSCRIBE RAINBOW

 

Dear Readers,

The philatelic activities in India are in full swing as philatelists have the opportunity to attend stamp fairs, being organized in different parts of the country. Many collectors are busy in preparing their exhibits for the recent One Frame National Philatelic Exhibition, Stampmania 2009 to be held in Vadodara in December this year. Recently a Stamp Fair was successfully organized at Bilaspur. It is the festive season too in India. Let’s all celebrate this year with more joy and fun having lot of philatelic activities. In this issue, here is a special article on Maxim Card by Dr Avinash B. Jagtap. It explains all aspects of Maxim Cards with the latest FIP guidelines. Hope this article will clear several doubts of the collectors about a Maximum Card. It’s a great pleasure to write here that Shri Dipok Dey has been honored with Life Time Achievement Award for his great services to Philately by Chhattisgarh Philatelic Association. If Department of Posts make a provision during philatelic exhibition to honor the deserving veteran philatelists for their services to the promotion of philately, it will be highly appreciated by the whole philatelic community…This issue is for the month of September which is going to be very special for philatelists all over the world as on 9^th September 3.. 9s will come in a row which is a beautiful number for cancellation…… Malta Post has been issuing special Cards since 1.1.1….and will continue till 12.12.12….Wonderful idea used on cards by a Postal Administration. You may also get ready to obtain a fine cancellation on this day…..This is all for this issue…..Till Next month…..Happy Collecting !!

                                                                                                                                                                  ….Jeevan Jyoti

Contents

Recent Indian Issues

In The News

Beginners’ Section

Specialized Section

New Issues from Other Countries

The Lighter Side

Blogs & Websites on Philately

Promotional Section

Current Philatelic Magazines – Newsletters

Editor’s Mail Box

Recent Indian Issues

4 July 2009 LBS Academy Dehradun – Rs 5

25 July: Ram Charan Agarwal – Rs 5

27 July: Jayadeva, 12th Century author of epic Gita Govinda, Set of 11 Stamps + Miniature Sheet

1 August 2009 St Joseph College, Bangalore

4 August 2009 Maharshi Patanjali

12 August 2009 Pingali Venkaiah – Rs 5

Aug 16: Indian Railway Stations, 4 Stamps

India New Issue Program in September 2009
Sep 03 Uttam Kumar
Sep 09 Sacred Heart Matriculation Senior Secondary School, Chennai
Sep 14 Holy Cross Church
Sep 25 Rajabhau Khobragade
Sep 27 Dushyant Kumar

Special Cover – Postmark

July 9 2009 KUMARIPEX 2009 Nagercoil (T.N.)

Aug 15 2009 63^rd Ind Day Sp Cover, Vadodara

Aug 15: Kolkata, 155 Years of Railways in Eastern India
Aug 21-22: Bilaspur, Dak Tikat Milaan, 3 covers

New Postal Stationery

May 30: Consumer Awareness, English, ISP, M

New Stamp Booklet
Aug 15: 63rd Independence Day of India, Rs 50
Content: 8 x Re 1 definitive stamps of Mahatma Gandhi, and 8 x 25 paise definitive stamps of Jawaharlal Nehru
Aug 21: Mahatma Gandhi, Rs 80
Content: 6 x Rs 5
Aug 21: Mother Teresa, Rs 100
Content: 6 x Rs 5
Aug 21: Rudra Shiva, Rs 80
Content: 6 x Rs 5
Aug 21: Digambar Jain Temple, Rs 80
Content: 6 x Rs 5

In The News

Dipok Dey honored with Lifetime achievement award …

Dipok Dey the great artist and veteran philatelist of India needs no introduction as he is a well known personality in philatelic community and in the field of art for his finest designs and great contribution to philately. Recently he was felicitated by Philatelic Association of Chhattisgarh. Many readers may not know that Dipok Dey is the first Indian to design stamp for United Nations. I want to share here an old news clipping with the news and the photo of the stamp designed by Shri Dipok Dey..It was published in The Pioneer on 23 February 1986. It’s a great pleasure that his services to the field of philately has been recognized by a Philatelic Association.

Note from the editor – While writing this news I am a bit nostalgic and remember my meetings with Shri Dipok Dey in Kolkata. He has love and devotion for this wonderful hobby and has contributed a lot through his several designs for stamps, cancellations and cards and organizing different philatelic activities in the last decades. He has been working constantly for the promotion of philately in the true sense. His simplicity and humbleness always kept him away from the materialistic world so his whole work is dedicated to promotion without any financial gain rather he always spent money from his pocket for the stamp lovers by donating his designs and several philatelic items. It will be very nice if Department of Posts take necessary steps to honor some veteran philatelists of our country who worked throughout their life for the promotion of philately, during National Philatelic Exhibition. It will be a great honor for the senior citizen philatelists from Department of Posts.

Heartiest Congratulations to all winners at PHILAKOREA 2009

The 24th Asian International Stamp Exhibition, PHILAKOREA 2009, was
held from July 30 to August 4, 2009 at Seoul, Korea. Damyanti
Pittie was the national commissioner as well as a sole jury from India.
Following medals were won by exhibits from India:

Large Vermeil Medal
Kishor Chandak's Handstruck Postage Stamps of India upto 1852

Vermeil Medal
Sathi V Menon's Postmarks of Travancore State

Large Silver Medal
O K Prakash's Cochin State Postal History

Silver Bronze Medal
B M Modi's Gems & Jewelry
Rajesh Kumar Sinha's Fascinating World of Maps
Colonel Jayanta Dutta's Rare Stamps of the World (Literature Class)

Bronze Medal
Mrinal Mathur's Cars on Stamps (Youth Class)

Congartulations to an overseas Reader..….Sparkling at 70 !!

One of our Readers from Klang, Selangor D. E. Malaysia of Mr. Srini Thevarayan  got 79 marks at 'Philakorea 2009' for his exhibit entitled 'Malaya - Kedah, Reign of HRH Sultan Abdul Hamid Halim Shah (1882-1943)' ,Traditional class - One frame comprising of: Kedah Postage and revenue stamps (definitives) issues from 1912 – 1942 . He was awarded 80 points at 'Hong Kong 2009 23rd Asian International Stamp Exhibition'.

 

Mr. Malcolm Hammersley, The Chief Jury of HK-2009 awarding Mr Srini Thevarayan at HONG KONG 2009

Mr Srini Thevarayan  is a Malaysian of Indian origin. His interests include Malaya Kedah – M/U/Postal used covers,Gandhi/UPU/WRY/Jap occupation/Postage dues–M/U/Postal used Covers Postmarks/slogan cancellation - WWAustralia/Territories/New Zealand/Canada – U  collection of  British Commonwealth – issues up to 1960 – U. Mr. Thevarayan 70, has been collecting stamps and postal used coverrs since 1947 but as a general collector and never thought of exhibiting. Recently he participated at Hong Kong 2009 and Phila Korea 2009 when persuaded by his friends and grandson and was splendidly awarded. He also wrote an article which  was published in 'Washington2006' Write up. Mr Thevaryan is a great example and his achievement proves  that any work can be started at any age, time or any place but one should have a deep desire  to do and one can be successful starting at the age of 7o !! Now he is preparing for Bangkok 2010. Hats Off !! to Mr Srini Thevarayan !! He can be contacted at sthevarayan@gmail.com 

Honour for our member

Mr Praful Thakkar an eminent Numismatist, Autograph Collector and philatelist from Ahmadabad has entered Limca Book or Reords 2009 for having the largest number of metallic canteen tokens and autographs. Praful Thakkar, a 70-year-old retired IAS officer, has travelled to far-flung areas of India to collect more than 600 metallic canteen tokens , used at various government and private set-ups since 1939. Read full news published in Times of India.

India Post Joins Global Monitoring System
India Post has subscribed to the Global Monitoring System (GSM) of the Universal Postal Union (UPU). This is a quality monitoring system for International mails. India Post delivers about 2100 tonnes of International Letter Mail received from different countries. This translates into 31 million articles per year, which are deliverable in every corner of the country. India Post aims to achieve better service quality in delivery of International letter mail to its customers and has therefore made a substantial investment in this project. At present the Global Monitoring System (GMS) is being tested in ten countries including India. The testing will continue up to December, 2009.

The Global Monitoring System (GMS) uses RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technology for a precise diagnosis of the quality of service provided by the Postal operator. This involves testing of adherence to delivery standards by an independent Auditor selected by the Secretariat of the UPU. The independent Auditor has selected a panel consisting of a number of senders and recipients of letter mail in various countries. These panelists will send and receive letters which have RFID chips inside the envelope. The panelist and their location are not disclosed to the participating Postal organization. RFID readers (gates) have been installed at the postal facilities where mail is received from foreign countries at the Airports in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai and Kochi. These readers will detect letters, which have the RFID chip inside and record the time of arrival in the postal facility. At the time of delivery of the article, the recipients will record the exact date and time of delivery.

The data recorded will be automatically transmitted to the independent auditor, who will analyse this data and forward it to the UPU. The UPU will be compiling this data and providing India Post with details of time taken for delivery of an article from time of receipt in India. Since the exact time of receipt and exit from the postal facilities at the Airport and the time of delivery in different cities will be known, it will be possible for India Post to take corrective action to improve quality.

Moon landing Anniversary Postmark

This postmark was used July 20 in Kennedy Space Center, Fla., to honor the 40th anniversary of the day man landed on the moon. Kennedy Space Center, Fla., recently offered postmarks to celebrate the first men who walked on the moon. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the historic July 20, 1969, Apollo 11 moon landing. Two postmarks are being offered: one for the blast off date of July 16 and the other for the July 20 landing date. Both postmarks received 30-day extensions, so collectors have until Sept. 14 and Sept. 18 (60 days after the postmark date) to request the two postmarks. To request these postmarks, send your covers or Postcards of your choice with correct postage and address to self or else in a separate envelope indicating the cancellation you want to: First Man on the Moon Station, Postmaster, Box 9998, Merritt Island, FL 32953-9998

JOBURG 2010 INTERNATIONAL STAMP SHOW

The 26th Asian International Stamp Exhibition, 'JOBURG 2010 International Stamp Show' will be held on October 27 to 31, 2010 at Johannesburg, South Africa.Mr. Madhukar Jhingan mj@stampsofindia.com is the National Commissioner for India. The regulations for JOBURG 2010 and the Exhibit Application form are available online at http://www.joburg2010stampshow.co.za/irex.pdf and http://www.joburg2010stampshow.co.za/joburg2010 exhibit application form.pdf respectively.
JOBURG 2010 will have all exhibit classes -- Traditional, Postal History, Postal Stationery, Aerophilately, Astrophilately, Maximaphily, Revenue, and Thematic Philately subdivided as: A) Nature, B) Culture, C) Technology, and Youth Philately class subdivided by age as of January 01, 2010:

1) Collectors aged 13 to 15 years,
2) Collectors aged 16 -- 18 years,
3) Collectors aged 19 -- 21 years, and

Literature class subdivided into:

1) Philatelic books, pamphlets and studies (issued after January 01, 2005), 2) Philatelic journals, periodicals (issued after January 01, 2008), 3) Stamp catalogues (issued after January 01, 2008), and

One-Frame Exhibit Class subdivided into: A) Traditional, B) Postal History, C) Postal Stationery, D) Aerophilately, E) Astrophilately, F) Thematic, G) Maximaphily, H) Revenue.
JOBURG 2010 will also have 'Open Class' as an Experimental Class. Exhibits in this Class can include material from any other competition class plus non-philatelic material. The exhibit must contain at least 50% philatelic material. The non-philatelic material should not overwhelm the philatelic material. Awards will be made as per One-Frame Exhibits.
There is no participation fee for Youth Philately Class. The participation fee for other Competitive Classes (except Literature, and One-Frame Exhibit Classes) will be US$35 per frame. The fee for participation in Literature is US$35 per exhibit. The fee for participation in One-Frame Exhibit is US$70 per exhibit.
Those desirous of participating in JOBURG 2010 please go through the Regulations for JOBURG 2010 and send the duly filled Exhibit Application Form along with a copy of the introductory page describing the exhibit to the National Commissioner for India, Mr. Madhukar Jhingan, 49-D, BG-5, Paschim Vihar, New Delhi 110063 by November 14, 2009. For any assistance in this regard please email or call 0 9350537037.

Portugal 2010

World Philatelic Exhibition Portugal 2010 will be held from October 1 – 10, 2010 in Lisbon, Portugal. Mr. Dhirubhai Mehta is the National Commissioner for the exhibition. For details please contact –

Shri Dhirubhai Mehta
101 - 102, Dalamal Chambers,
Sir V.Thakersey Marg (New Marine Lines),
Mumbai 400 020
Phone off.: 22001460, Tele Fax 22007848.
e-mail dhirubhai_phil@yahoo.com
http://www.portugal2010.pt/fep10/wcmservlet/portugal2010/en/index.html
http://www.fpf-portugal.com/boletim01portugal2010e.htm

Last Date of Submission of Entry form is 30 September 2009

FIAP CONGRESS 2009

The 17th Congress of the Inter-Asian Philatelic Federation (FIAP) was held on August 02, 2009 at Seoul, Korea. Damayanti Pittie and Yogesh Kumar were delegates. Yogesh Kumar from India was elected to the Executive Committee (EXCO) of FIAP for next 4 years.

Stamp Mania 2009

The First National One Frame Philatelic Exhibition ”Stampmania 2009" is going to be organized by Baroda Philatelic Society from  18th to 20th December 2009 at Vadodara. It will be held at Shree Saurashtra Leuva Patel Seva Samaj, Alembic Road, Vadodara. Approximately 400 frames (200 x 2 )  will be displayed in the exhibition. The official website of the exhibition is www.stampmania2009.com . Collectors can get detailed information at the website or may write to Mr. Prashant Pandya or Mr. Timir R. Shah. E -Mail Prashant Pandya:  info@vadophil.org Timir R. Shah: admin@vadophil.org

Updates

-On 17^th December 2009, The organizers have decided to organize a ‘Heritage Walk through Stamps’ in Vadodara City. The Heritage Walk will conclude at the Venue of the Exhibition in the evening and the Exhibition will be inaugurated in the evening. School Children will join this This ‘Heritage Walk through Stamps’ holding blow ups and replica of Stamps depicting heritage of our country.

-List of titles of entries can be viewed at stampmania 2009 website www.stampmania2009.com

-For the convenience of Visitors to 'Stampmania 2009', Organizers have provided tourist information of Baroda and Surrounding of Baroda at their website. Please have a look at 'Tourist Information' link. Information about Connections to Baroda via Rail, Road and Air is also available at the site. List of Trains from Major cities can be found from the link 'Trains Passing through Vadodara' provided on website. This will help you to plan your travel to Vadodara and sight seeing at various places in the City and Surroundings of Vadodara.

-Stampmania 2009, Hospitality Partner Hotel Express Towers and Hotel Express Residency, Vadodara has offered 20% Discount on Hotel Tariff. Please visit http://www.expressworld.com/hotels/ for more information about the Rooms, Tariff and Facilities. Those who wish to make reservations at Hotel Express Towers or Hotel Express Residency are requested not to book through their Online Booking System. Please email at reservations@stampmania2009.com

Release of Special Cover & Flags Sticker Strip by Shri A. K. A. Joshi, Postmaster General, Vadodara Region L to R Mr Timir R Shah,Dr Alok Pandey, Mr Joshi & Mr Prashant Pandya

Grand Philatelic Celebration of Independence Day at Vadodara...

Baroda Philatelic Society, with the help and support of Department of Posts, released a Special Commemorative Cover and a Stamp Booklet on 15th August 2009, to celebrate 63rd Independence Day of India. This philatelic celebration is  also a part of  As a part of ‘STAMPMANIA 2009’ the First National One Frame Philatelic Exhibition being organized by Baroda Philatelic Society, Vadodara from 17th to 20th December 2009 .

The Special Cover, a Stamp Booklet and a strip of Flag Stickers were released by Shri A. K. A. Joshi, Postmaster General of Vadodara Region. The 'Treasure of Knowledge' booklet was released by Dr. Alok Pande, Director Postal Services, Vadodara Region. Shri A. K. A. Joshi, Postmaster General, Vadodara Region and Dr. Alok Pande Director Postal Services, Vadodara Region appreciated the efforts of Baroda Philatelic Society for the promotion of philately and organizing the First National One Frame Philatelic Exhibition – Stampmania 2009 at Vadodara.

    

Special Cover
Special Commemorative Cover depicts the Red Fort of Delhi and 9 different flags used during the freedom movement of India.

Stamp Booklet

Cover Page of Stamp Booklet depicts Red Fort of Delhi and the inner cover page has been left blank. First page has a photograph of Mahatma Gandhi, Subhash Chandra Bose and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel with Tri Colour Flag and Jai Hind in Hindi and English. Next four pages of the booklet has been contributed to 8 different flags used during the freedom movement of India with information about those flags. Next page again depcits present Tricolour Flag and Red Fort - the Landmark of India's Freedom with description and next pages shows design of Special Cancellation used for Special Cover. One more blank page has been provided in the booklet and the last inner cover page pays tribute to Shri Venkayya who designed the Indian National Flag. During 1916 to 1921 he researched flags of 30 countries and finally came up with the present tricolor flag. Those who wish to get sp cover & Booklet may contact Mr. Prashant Pandya email - edesk@prashantpandya.com

New Max Cards and Private FDCs on Jaidev & Geetgovind

Mr Hemant Jain of Mandla Pradesh has prepared new Max cards and FDCs on Jaideva & Geetgovinda in limited number. Nr Jain has prepared FDCs in followinf two sizes –

1.White Envelope size 24cm.x 21.8cm.

       one for stamps cancellation & another for Se-Tenant block from M.S.

2.Yellow Envelope size 25.7cm.x 19.8cm.

      one for M.S. cancellation & another for Se-Tenant block from M.S.

To see full album of FDCs and Max cards Click Here

Those interested who wish to get these items may contact him at - hemantkumar.jn@gmail.com

Recent Stamp Fairs & Exhibitions

 

 DAK TICKET MILAAN 2009 BILASPUR

A philatelic and numismatic fair Dak Ticket Milaan 2009,Bilaspur, organized by Chhattisgarh Philatelic Association, was held in Bilaspur from 21^st to 23^rd August 2009 .During the fair, four booklets and three special covers were released. The booklets on Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Teresa, Rudra Shiva, Talagaon; Digamber Jain Temple, Bilaspur & special cover on Mahatma Gandhi were released by Sri Dipok Dey, a renowned philatelist and stamp designer on 21^st August 2009.

From left to right- Mr. Atul Jain Chairman DAK TIKAT MILAAN 2009, Mr. Mukesh Bansal Chief Guest, Mr. C.R.Andhare President Chhattisgarh Philatelic Association,Mr. Pratap Thakur Coordinator,Mr. Dipok Dey.

The Lifetime Achievement Award by CPA was conferred on Sri Dipok Dey for the tremendous and continuous contribution and service to Indian philately during the last five decades. Eminent philatelists like Sri Madhukar Jhingan (New Delhi) Madhukar Deogaonkar (Kolkata), Mr.Dhanajay Desai (Ahmadabad), Mr. Ashwani Dubey (Gorakhpur) and dealers, Sri P.C.Jaiswal (Kolkata ), Mr. Arun Bhattacharya (Kolkata), Mr. Ramteke (Nagpur) had been honored for the work done by them in promotion and development of philately. Mr.C.R. Andhare, President Chhattisgarh Philatelic Association had also been honored by Dealers Association from South India for the dedicated services given by him to promote philately in Chhattisgarh  State.

A solo stamp Exhibition on 99^th birth anniversary of Mother Teresa

Mr. Kamal Chakraborty from Balangir, Orissa displayed his collection entitled “Mother Teresa"Apostle of Love" highlighting different facets of her life in Bilaspur on 99^th Birth Anniversary celebration of Mother Teresa by an NGO actively working for education of poor children, running Mother Teresa English Medium School & Sri Ram Krishna Vivekananda Vidyapeeth, at Bilaspur. This collection had won silver Medal in ORPEX 2006 and has been displayed at many such functions. Mr. Sonmani Bora, Collector, Bilaspur and other dignitaries highly applauded the collection. Comprising of stamps, covers, colour trials,Miniature sheets, cover carried through different mails were on display. Some related coins too had been displayed.

Stamp Exhibition in Pune

International Collectors' Society of Rare Items, Pune has organized STAMPEX PUNE 2009, a National Stamps Fair on 30th, 31st October & 1st November 2009. It will be a 100 frame exhibition and 25 leading dealers will have sales booths. Highlights of the exhibition A Platform for Philatelists, Dealers & Investors. Visit www.collectorssocietypune.com for more details.

Venue: Sonal Hall, Karve Road, Near Aurved Rasa Shala, Pune 411 004

Contact Details: Mr. Pratisad Neurgaonkar, 884, Bhandarkar Road, 14, Patil Terraces, Pune 411 004, Mobile: +919766310553 Email: pratisad@hotmail.com

Oct 2-4: Coimbatore, All India Super Mega Coinstampex 2009
Venue: Kamalam Duraisamy Hall, Coimbatore-9

Nov 20-22: Palakkad, Annual Stamp & Coin Exhibition
Venue: Town Hall Annex

STANLEY GIBBONS INDIA CATALOGUE 2010
Stanley Gibbons will release the 3rd edition of its India catalog in September 2009. The 240 page catalog is priced at £22.50 equivalent approximately to Indian Rupees 1800.

As the first edition of the title since 2004, there has been considerable revision of pricing and content, including a greater number of color illustrations, particularly in the Feudatory States.

The catalogue lists and prices the stamps of India from the earliest issues of Sind Province (1852) and the East India Company (1854-64) up to the end of 2008, to the level of detail familiar to users of the Part 1 British Commonwealth listings. In addition to price revisions, there have been numerous additions to the content, including helpful notes and new varieties, including several watermark varieties which are listed for the first time.

Contents:

India 1852-2008:  Booklets, Official Stamps

India used Abroad: Detailed notes for: Aden, French Indian Settlements, Kuwait, Muscat, Nepal, Portuguese India, Somaliland, Tibet, Trucial States.

Fully Priced listings for: Bahrain, British East Africa, Iran, Iraq, Malaya (Straits Settlements) and Zanzibar

Indian Expeditionary and Custodian Forces issues

India Convention States (including Official stamps):Chamba, Faridkot, Gwalior, Jind, Nabha and Patiala

India Feudatory States (including, where issued, Official stamps and Booklets): Alwar, Bamra, Barwani, Bhopal, Bhor, Bijawar, Bundi, Bussahir, Charkhari, Cochin, Dhar, Dungarpur, Duttia, Faridkot, Hyderabad, Idar, Indore (Holkar), Jaipur, Jammu and Kashmir, Jasdan, Jhalawar, Jind, Kishangarh, Las Bela, Morvi, Nandgaon, Nawanagar, Orchha, Poonch, Rajasthan, Rajpipla, Shahpura, Sirmoor,  Soruth, Travancore, Travancore-Cochin and Wadhwan

For details of Stanley Gibbons India Catalogue 2010 please visit  -

http://www.stampsofindia.com/SG-IN-CAT-2010.htm

OR Overseas Readers may also contact to customer services team on 0800 611622 (free phone UK only) or +44 (0)1425 472 363, quoting reference IND0809

SG product code: R2873-09; ISBN 10: 0-08529-728-8 ; ISBN 13: 978-0-85259-728-6

Stanley Gibbons Ltd,Unit 7 Parkside,Christchurch Road,Ringwood,Hampshire,BH24 3SH

United Kingdom Visit : www.stanleygibbons.com

Specialized Section

ANGKOR WAT : The Biggest Hindu Temple in the World

© Dr.Satyendra Kumar Agrawal

Returning from 1^st World Stamp Championship-2004 in Singapore, I used the opportunity of my long stay in Bangkok to visit Cambodia and see the world’s largest Hindu temple- Angkor wat.

The first civilizations in Cambodia were of Indian origin that flourished between the 1st and 15th centuries. The last of these was Khmer kingdom, whose king Jayavarman VII espoused Buddhism.

From Angkor the Khmer kings ruled over a vast domain that reached from Vietnam to China to the Bay of Bengal. The structures one sees at Angkor today, more than 100 stone temples in all, are the surviving remains of a grand religious, social and administrative metropolis. Angkor Wat is the only temple that survived the ravages of nature, time and the Khmer Rouge nearly intact.

The Angkor Wat, the largest monument of the Angkor group, built by the Khmer civilization between 802 and 1220 AD, is an architectural masterpiece. Its perfection in composition, balance, proportions, reliefs and sculptures make it one of the finest monument in the world.

Angkor Wat, built during the early years of the 12th century by Suryavaram II, honors the Hindu god Vishnu and is a symbolic representation of Hindu cosmology. According to Coedes, it is a replica of the universe in stone and represents an earthly model of the cosmic world.

The original name of the temple was believed to be Vrah Vishnolok. Later it was known as Preah Pisnulok after the title of Suryavarman II. Its present name, Angkor Wat, derives from the 16th century. Angkor is believed to be a corruption of the Sanskrit word ‘nagar’ meaning town and Wat is the Khmer word for temple. This is appropriate because Angkor Wat is a temple town.

 

Some believe Angkor Wat was designed by Divakarpandita, the chief advisor and minister of the king, who was a Brahmin with divine honour and the Khamers attribute to the divine architect Vishwakarma. The estimated time for construction of the temple is about 30 years.

From a distance, Angkor Wat appears to be colossal mass of stones on one level with a long causeway leading to the centre decorated on each side with carvings depicting the divine serpents, known as nagas, but close up it is a series of elevated towers, covered galleries, chambers, porches and courtyards on different levels linked by stairways.

At the center of the complex stands a temple with five lotus-shaped towers, a larger central tower rising as high as Notre Dame, and four smaller surrounding towers. These represent the five peaks of Mount Meru—according to Hindu belief, the mountain where the gods reside and from which all creation comes. It served as his state temple, though the temple’s uncommon westward orientation has led some to suggest that it was constructed as Suryavarman II’s funerary temple.

The symbolism of Mount Meru appears in both Hindu and Buddhist mythology and although the legends differ somewhat, the general theme remains the same. The world is a central continent divided into regions with heavens above and hells below. Mount Meru separates earth from the heaven and is situated at the exact centre of the continent. It is ruled by Indra and is the mythical dwelling place of Brahma and other gods.

Both the layout of the Angkor temples and iconographic nature of much its sculpture, particularly the asuras (‘demons’) and devas (‘deities’) are also intended to indicate the celestial phenomenon of the precession of the equinoxes and the slow transition from one astrological age to another.

During half-millennia of Khmer occupation, the city of Angkor became a pilgrimage destination of importance throughout Southeastern Asia. Sacked by the Thais in 1431 and abandoned in 1432, Angkor was forgotten for a few centuries. Wandering Buddhist monks, passing through the dense jungles, occasionally came upon the awesome ruins. Recognizing the sacred nature of the temples but ignorant of their origins, they invented fables about the mysterious sanctuaries, saying they had been built by the gods in a far ancient time.

The French explorer, Henri Mouhot, brought the temple to the western world’s notice in the 19th century. He compared it to the temple of Solomon and said that it was the grandest surviving building of any bygone civilization. The temple was restored in the 20th century and is a source of pride to all Cambodians.

Unlike other temples at Angkor, Ta Prohm has been left as it was found, preserved as an example of what a tropical forest will do to an architectural monument when the protective hands of humans are withdrawn. Ta Prohm's walls, roofs, chambers and courtyards have been sufficiently repaired to stop further deterioration, and the inner sanctuary has been cleared of bushes and thick undergrowth, but the temple has been left in the stranglehold of trees. Having planted themselves centuries ago, the tree's serpentine roots pry apart the ancient stones and their immense trunks straddle the once bustling Buddhist temple.

Angkor Wat is surrounded by a moat and an exterior wall measuring 1300 meters x 1500 meters. The temple itself is 1 km square and consists of three levels surmounted by a central tower. The walls of the temple are covered inside and out with bas-reliefs and carvings. Many of the pillars in the galleries of this courtyard have inscriptions written in Sanskrit and Khamer.

Nearly 2000 distinctively rendered apsara carvings adorn the walls throughout the temple and represent some of the finest examples of apsara carvings in Angkorian era art. They were born from the Churning of the Ocean of Milk. From their ethereal origins to their realistic appearance on the walls of Angkor Wat they offer timeless joy. When we walk into the courtyard the multitude of these female figures on the walls and in the niches may seem repetitive, but as you move closer and look carefully you become aware of the variations and quickly see that each one of these celestial nymphs is different. The elaborate coiffures, head-dresses and jewellery befit, yet never overpower, these ‘ethereal inhabitants of the heavens’.

The Angkor Wat, besides being the biggest religious structure, also contains the biggest bas relief in the world, totally about 800 m in continuous length.

Beautifully crafted, many of the carvings were once painted and gilded. They decorate the 2-m high, galleried walls having roofed walkways that run along the inside of the protective moat, just outside of the temple complex itself.

But it is the exterior walls of the lower level that display the most extraordinary bas-reliefs, depicting stories and characters from Hindu mythology and the historical wars of Suryavarman II. Columns along the outer wall of the gallery create an intriguing interplay of light and shadow on the reliefs. The effect is like ‘the work of painter rather than sculptors’.

The scenes on the bas-reliefs run horizontally, from left to right, in a massive expanse along the walls. Each section tells a specific story inspired by historical episodes in the life of King Suryavarman II; scenes from the Hindu epics and sacred books.

Battle of Kurukshetra; Lifting of Mount Goverdhan by Krisna; Victory of Krishna over Bana, the demon king; Rama and Golden deer; Fight between Sugrive and Bali; Battle of Lanka, Emergence of golden lotus from the navel of Vishnu and appearance of Brahma, Battle between Gods and Demons are some of the interesting scenes depicted in these bas-reliefs along with scenes from the daily life of the Khmer people at the time the complex was built.

But the most famous panel of bas-reliefs at Angkor Wat and one of the greatest scenes ever sculpted in stone is “Churning of the Ocean of Milk” on east gallery.

The myth derives from the Hindu epic Bhagavat Puran and centers on gods and demons who have been churning the ocean of milk for 1000 years in an effort to produce an elixir that will render them immortal and incorruptible.

The scene is divided into three tiers. The main tier, in the middle, is bordered along its base by various real and mythical aquatic animals in a churning ocean which is framed by a serpent’s body (Vasuki); whilst above these are flying apsaras. At each end of the panel, soldiers and charioteers stand by waiting to carry the participants away after the churning. In a scene that climaxes in the centre of the panel, Lord Vishnu comes to the rescue in his incarnation as a tortoise and offers the back of his shell as support for the pivot, mount Mandara.

The Cambodian national flag also depicts this ancient Hindu temple of Angkor Wat and “Temple Apsara Dancing “(Famous Royal Ballet) is an everlasting memory for any visitor to Angkor Wat.

 

Angkor wat is a wonder on earth showing the caliber of supremacy of Hindu knowledge in terms of architectural science combining together with cosmology, astrology, numerology and historical events of Indian religion.

What is a Maximum Card ?

© Dr. Avinash B. Jagtap 

Collecting Maxim Cards has become a craze among stamp collectors these days . Maximaphily has also become a favorite class in exhibitions. But sometimes many Maxim Cards do not exhibit almost 100% concordance of the three elements with one another, The Picture Postcard, The Stamp and The Cancellation (or Postmark). Here is a very comprehensive article by Dr Avinash B. Jagtap with the latest rules and guidelines on Maximaphily  given by FIP. I hope the article will be an eye opener for those collecting and creating maxim cards on different themes. - Editor

A Maximum Card (“MC”) could be defined as a philatelic entirety comprised of three basic elements, such as a picture postcard, a postage stamp and a cancellation tied to the postage stamp and the picture postcard. These three components are chosen in such a way that they offer a maximum concordance with one another. They are complimentary to one another in every philatelic aspect and they together represent an entirety.

1948, Baden- French.Sector / Post-War Germany, Theme: Costumes, Headgears

Stamp issued on May 1, 1948, Pictorial cancellation from Unteruhldingen, on Lake Constance, where this costume is worn. Date of cancellation: June 20, 1948

1. Picture Postcard:

The picture postcard is normally printed privately and is available on the market or could have been issued by the postal authority of a country prior to the issue of the postage stamp. The rear side of the picture postcard could be blank with adequate space to write an address. The back side of the picture postcard may carry a stamp-imprint. Neither a private photographic reproduction nor a “Collage” is allowed on the view side. Photomontages, drawings, documents specially devised for the stamp issue to be printed privately on photo-paper with due thanks to computer are not used for creating maximum cards. It is strictly prohibited to reduce the size of a postcard by cutting it.

2000, Uster, Switzerland Theme: Sports, Cycling, Racing “Tour de Suisse”

Stamp was issued on February 29, 2000 Pictorial Cancellation date: June 13, 2000, shows a cyclist participating in Tour de Suisse.

Countries like Sweden, Australia have been issuing their own maximum cards. In Switzerland special picture post cards are offered to the philatelists prior to the official date of issue of new stamps. Thus the enthusiasts are given an opportunity to create their own maximum cards. No differentiation is made by the Jury at philatelic exhibition between officially or privately made maximum card.

Official Maximum Card issued by Australia

A picture postcard used to create a maximum card has a normal, internationally (as per Universal Postal Union Convention) well defined size (i.e. 9 x 14 or 10.5 x 14.8 cm). In case of old cards (prior to 1940), cards with smaller sizes are accepted. According to special regulations approved by the 68^th FIP Congress in Singapore, on 1^st & 2^nd September 2004, postcards of square size or 12 x17 cm that are becoming more attractive and popular may be tolerated. Only square and rectangular formats of picture postcards are allowed, all others are excluded. These picture postcards may be black & white or coloured. From the aesthetic point of view, they may offer a faint coloured or white space in order to affix a postage stamp, so that the cancellation could be viewed in a better way. Many official maximum cards are furnished with a narrow margin on one side of the card, which offers a suitable place for affixing a stamp. The picture postcard, should as a rule, offer not less than 75% space of the total area for an illustration (in ideal case even 100 %!). However, according to the latest requirements, agreed upon by the FIP Maximaphily Commission Conference held in Malaga on October 12, 2006, this space limitation (min. 75%) has not been specifically mentioned. But the emphasis is laid on the size of the picture. It is said “The larger the picture is, the better the quality of the maximum card is considered to be.” In view of this very vague requirement, I shall advise all philatelists to stick to the old requirement of more than 75% space for the illustration on the postcard. In case of older maximum cards this restriction could be overlooked.

A picture postcard must offer the best possible direct VISUAL and NOT an imaginary concordance with the motif on the stamp and with at least one of these, in case the stamp shows several motifs. It should not show a sketch or a draft of the stamp design. Postcards with multiple pictures as well as those with holograms are not allowed. All picture post cards with full reproduction of the stamps with their perforations, face values and country-names are forbidden.

1999, Madunice, Slovakia, Theme: Costume, Headgear, Embroidery

Stamp issued on March 18, 1999, First Day Pictorial Cancellation showing the costume worn by women in Madunice Province of Slovakia

2. Postage Stamp:

The postage stamp must have a conspicuous theme or a motif depicted on it and should have a direct relationship with the illustration on the picture postcard. The stamp is affixed to the postcard on the front (on picture side). Care should be taken that it is valid at the time of cancellation. Its colours and the perforations should be in optimal condition. The stamp on the card may preferably be used on the day of issue or within a tolerable time limit (such maximum card could be called as a maximum card of 1^st Quality). Only ONE postage stamp valid for postage is affixed to the picture postcard. (The guidelines for judging Maximaphily, accepted by the FIP Maximaphily Commission Conference held at Malaga on October 12, 2006 and approved by FIP Board in Luxemburg on March 3, 2007, allows the whole set of se-tenant stamps, devoted to a single subject to appear on a single postcard. (This is rather very strange recommendation which I personally can not understand. I would better advise Indian philatelists to abide by the golden rule “Only One Stamp for One Picture Postcard” in order to avoid any conflict with the Jury!). So-called “official” stamps which are used for governmental mail (excepting UNO, UNESCO and European Council Stamps) or parcel stamps (as they are common in some European countries, like Belgium) should not be affixed to the postcard. A maximum card should not bear a block of four or two stamps with identical designs issued by two countries (the so-called “bilateral-” or “sympathy-issues”). Depending up on the individual themes on the postage stamp, there is a possibility of creating multiples of maximum cards. The use of an illustrated postal prepayment impression dispensed by automatic vending machines affixed on the view side of the postcard can be used. A postage stamp which is cut out from postal stationery is allowed only if the issuing postal service permits its use. In general, abstract or symbolic subjects do not suit Maximaphily and are excluded from its field.

2004, Wald (ZH), Switzerland Theme: Forest, Wood, Environment

The stamp and the Cancellation both were issued on May 7, 2004, here even the name of the Post-office “WALD” means “Forest” in German language! This is more than a 100% Maximum Card! This was the first-ever wooden stamp of the world !!

3. Cancellation:

The postmark or the cancellation must be clearly visible and legible. It must be applied to the stamp (leaving the major part of the motif on the stamp clear) and to the picture postcard." Care must be taken that the ink used for the postmark does not smear and impart an untidy look to the maximum card. The cancellation essentially contains the date and the name of the post office.(this requirement is there in the “Guidelines for Judging Maximaphily Exhibits”, but there is no mention about the requirement of “Date” in the cancellation (Art. 3.3. )in “Special Regulations for the Evaluation of Maximaphily Exhibits at F.I.P. Exhibitions (SERV)”. This is certainly a grave anomaly, which I have brought to the notice of the F.I.P. Commissioner for Maximaphily, Mr. Nicos Rangos. He writes in his reply, that it does imply, although not specifically mentioned, that the cancellation should show the name of the post-office and also the date of cancellation.). It could be ordinary simple date stamp without any illustration, but it should respect the concordance of place. For example if a card depicts a personality then the cancellation may incorporate the birth place, or the region where the deceased person had worked during his / her life-time, or where he / she died. If it is a monument, building or a famous painting, then the name of the place where these are situated or could be found. The cancellation in such cases may show the nearest possible post-office. In case of pictorial cancellation, the illustration must have some direct bearing with the illustration on the stamp and/or on the picture post card, but it is not a “Must”. In any case the name of the post office is important. The cancellation must have been applied by an official post office and not by a “private” or “semi-official” post-office. The cancellation on the stamp must be applied by the post office of the stamp-issuing country. Nowadays the postal authority booths participating countries at international philatelic exhibitions not only sell their products, but also obliterate their stamps with pictorial or normal cancellations with the logo of the exhibition! This “maximum card” with the card and stamp issued in a distant country and defaced by a pictorial or normal cancellation of the host country (i.e. the country where the exhibition is held) can not be regarded as a maximum card.

The cancellation is considered to be “most appropriate” when it is applied on the commemoration day of an event or a person concerned. It is “very good” if the cancellation is applied on the first day of issue of the stamp, provided it contains the data in concordance with the picture post card and the stamp affixed to it. It is regarded as “satisfactory” if the cancellation is applied on some other day, but not too apart from the day of issue of the stamp. It is “tolerable” if the validity of the stamp affixed has expired within a few days it had been affixed to the picture post card and was cancelled. There are several types of cancellations applied by the post-offices. Of these red meter marks, which are employed by eminent firms for application on their out-going mail, should not be used on a maximum card, since such meter marks are not intended for defacing postage stamps.

P.S. Any inquiry or comments on my article are welcome by letter or by e-mail on this address:

Dr. Avinash B. Jagtap, Weihermattstrasse 2, CH-4102 Binningen, Switzerland

e-mail : abjagtap@hotmail.com

Beginners’ Section

What are joint stamp Issues ?

Joint stamp issues are stamps released by two or more postal administrations at the occasion of a common event or anniversary and that are characterized either by a common design or the same date of issue or both. To know more about Joint issues Visit Joint stamp Issues at http://www.jointstampissues.net/

What are SEPAC stamps??

SEPAC stamps are issued by Small European Postal Administrations Cooperation. This is a group of twelve “small” postal administrations. The list of the twelve members is : Aland, Faroes Islands, Gibraltar, Greenland, Guernsey, Iceland, Isle of Man, Jersey, Liechtenstein, Malta, Monaco and San Marino. They announced that they will issue the 1st of October 2007 a joint issue in a similar way like that of Europa series.

For SEPAC series visit http://europa-stamps.blogspot.com/search/label/sepac

How to find rare stamps – some tips

Finding rare stamps which are valuable is the dream of many stamp collector enthusiasts. While most stamp collectors begin the hobby because of the simple pleasure associated with it, there is no denying the fact that we all secretly hope we will one day run across a rare stamp that will have a large market value. The good news is that it may not actually be as hard as you might think to locate rare stamps When looking for rare stamps it is extremely important to know what to look for. If you are not sure what constitutes a rare stamp, one could easily slide right past you and you would never know it. Taking the time to educate yourself about known rare stamps can greatly increase your chances of locating rare stamps.

.Ask your friends and neighbors for their old stamps. Keep in mind that while not all old stamps are necessarily rare stamps, you just never know what you might find. There could very easily be a rare stamp attached to an envelope sitting in your next door neighbor’s basement or attic; just gathering dust.

It is also important to be on the lookout for errors on stamps when searching for rare stamps. Some of the most valuable and rare stamps in the world have resulted due to errors. Two of the most famous, and rare stamps, in the world were created as a direct result of errors. The Inverted Jenny; for example, reflect a bi-plane flying upside down. This particular stamp has been known to sell for tens of thousands of dollars at auction. The Three Skilling Banco yellow, another very rare stamp, was also created as a result of error. This stamp is so rare simply because it is the only known example to be printed in yellow; while all other examples have been shown in a blue-green color.

Of course, you may also be able to find rare stamps at stamp shows and stamp auctions but you should be prepared to either pay top price for the real thing or become the victim of fraud. Only in rare circumstances will you find a rare stamp that is truly authentic in an auction that is selling cheap.

Don’t forget to be on the lookout for entire collections that are for sale. When an avid stamp collector dies, his or her heirs may not know what else to do with the collection and sell it as a whole. You may be able to pick up the entire collection for very little and be surprised to find out there are actually some rare stamps present.

Finally, keep an eye out on your own mail. While many people today use either metered mail or the plain generic stamp you just never know when you might receive a piece of correspondence with a rare stamp on it.

Know more about stamp collecting visit  http://www.stamp-collecting-guide.com/

 

Prides of Karnataka thru’ Philately

- K. Sridhar, Mangalore

BELUR – Darpana Sundari

BELUR in Hassan District of Karnataka, India was the capital of Hoysala Empire. The main attraction in Belur is the Chennakesava Temple, dedicated to Chennakeshava – a Vishnu God. The temple is surrounded by the Kappe Chennigraya temple built by Shantaladevi, the Queen of King Vishnuvardhana. The Vijayanagar kings built the entrance in the Dravida style. The deity in the temple was considered by them as one of their Kuladevata (family god).

The temple is one of the finest example of Hoysala architecture. The temple was built to commemorate the King Vishnuvardhana’s victory over the Cholas at Talakad. The façade of the temple is filled with intricate sculptures and friezes with no portion being left blank. The workmanship includes elephants, lions, horses and sensuous dancers. There are a number of ornate pillars inside the temple.

DARPANA SUNDARI (a Lady with Mirror) carved on the walls of Belur temple is one of the major attraction in complex.This temple along with the temple in Halebidu and the Jain monument at Shravanabelagola are being proposed as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. The workmanship of BELUR was commemorated by the India Post thru’:Releasing a pictorial cancellation of the DARPANA SUNDARI on 2^nd Jan 1978.

Unique item from Israel for Bird Stamp Collectors

 

Special Souvenir Leaf from Israel

Israel Post is issuing a very special Souvenir Leaf on 8 September to commemorate 30 Years of the Israel Ornithology Center and to mark the end of the ATM labels Birds of Prey series. The Souvenir Leaf consists of two pages. The front bears the first Birds of Prey general label and the whole ATM series is affixed to the inside pages. The Souvenir Leaf includes informative text about each bird.

 

For Cricket lovers - Ashes win stamp issue

A special stamp sheet is being issued to commemorate England regaining the Ashes.  The sheet of 20 Royal Mail "England Lion" stamps featuring the Ashes urn has been designed by Chapman and Mitchell Covers. It is being issued in association with the MCC museum, guardians of the famous little urn. The urn itself is set on a St George's Cross background. The stamps and others issued for the series can be previewed at www.bletchleycovers.com

New Issues from other countries

Australia

4 August 2009 Species At Risk - Joint Territories Issue

This stamp issue is a joint issue between the Australian and Norfolk Island postal administrations, and includes stamps from Australia, Norfolk Island, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands and the Australian Antarctic Territory.

The theme is animals and birds under threat of extinction in Australia and its territories. The animals and birds featured on the stamps are: Bridled Nailtail Wallaby, Norfolk Island Green Parrot, Subantarctic Fur-seal, Christmas Island Blue-tailed Skink, Green Turtle

25 August 2009 Int. Year of Astronomy – 3 v

Bangladesh

12 August National Mourning Day

Great Britain

8 August 2009 Europa – Astronomy –Sir Martin Ryle

Professor Martin Ryle. Sir Martin Ryle.  was an English radio astronomer who developed revolutionary radio telescope systems. Martin Ryle was undoubtedly one of the great astronomers of the 20th Century.He led  the Radio Astronomy Group at the University of Cambridge  and published Third Cambridge Catalogue of Radio Sources (3C). Ryle’s work led to confirmation of the Big Bang Theory. Ryle was knighted in 1966 and awarded the Nobel Prize for his work in 1974.Ryle also authored a couple of short books on Nuclear Proliferation ('Politics of Nuclear Disarmament') where he argues that the only way to save the planet Earth from complete nuclear annihilation is to ban the use of any nuclear devices indefinitely.

2012 London Olympics & Paralympic Games.

The Royal Mail has unveiled a series of stamps to celebrate the 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic Games. Each stamp will champion an Olympic or Paralympic sport and the series will be issued in three sets in 2009, 2010 and 2011. A total of 30 first-class stamps will be issued in the series, on 22 October. The first set features an image of a diver by artist Julian Opie, and an illustration portraying the Paralympic sport of boccia by David Doyle. As the 30 stamps are official products of the 2012 Olympics, each will feature either the London 2012 Olympics or Paralympics logo.

Ireland

14 August 2009 Classical Composers – 2 x 55c & 2 x 82c

The world has been enriched with classical music for centuries and to celebrate this An Post has chosen some of the most celebrated names to honor in four new commemorating Handel, Mozart, Chopin and Haydn. Each stamp features a portrait of each composer over a score of one of their great pieces of music. It is also available in a Prestige Booklet which contains information on each composer.

28 August 2009 Arthur Guinness – 1v

On 28th August, 2009, An Post issued a stamp to commemorate the 250th Anniversary of the Guinness Brewery. The stamp features a portrait of the brewery founder Arthur Guinness and is sure to be a collectors item from this special anniversary year.

Jersey

16 September 2009 Jersey Scenery – 6 val.

The six stamps to be issued on 16 September will feature six photographs of some of the Island's beautiful landscapes and landmarks. One stamp within the set, that bearing the first weight step to European destinations, will also be included in the Small European Postal Administrations Cooperation (SEPAC) joint stamp issue and will feature the SEPAC logo. This joint country stamp collection will be available in a special Folder entitled 'Beautiful Corners of Europe' and will also be available on 16th September 2009.

Pakistan

1 August SWAT Refugees – Rs 5

11 August Celebration of Minorities – Rs 5

14 August Independence Day – Rs 5

15 August – Urs of Abul Hassan – Rs 5

16 August United for Peace – Rs 5

San Marino

25 August 2009 30th Meeting for Friendship among peoples - €1.80

A summer festival of meetings, culture, music and performances. The Rimini Meeting takes its name from the city where it was founded; the lower half of the stamp depicts some of the city’s architectural symbols, the most significant and well-known around the world. In the centre, at the forefront, the official “logo” of this important event. The stamp is made up of multicolour blocks which create the scenery and which highlight the beauty of the locations; the colours also symbolise the thousands of people of every age and social background who, every year, via the gratuitousness of their actions, meet to create this communion of “positive” interests, aimed towards the truth and understanding of man’s life. Finally, in the background, under the clear-blue sky, Mount Titan is present, for years a silent spectator of this event.

Singapore

14 August 2009 -Countdown To 2010 SYOG

To commemorate the countdown to the first Youth Olympic Games, Singapore post issues a set of four philately stamps on 14 August 2009.Singapore will be hosting the inaugural Youth Olympic Games (YOG) from 14 to 26 August 2010. The Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games aims to inspire youth around the world to embrace, embody and express the Olympic values of Excellence, Friendship and Respect. It will create a lasting sports, culture and education legacy for Singapore and youths from around the world, as well as enhance and elevate the sporting culture locally and regionally.

UNPA

6 August 2009 Ecosoc – 6 val.

The United Nations Postal Administration (UNPA) will issue a set of six commemorative stamps and a souvenir card on the theme "ECOSOC" (Economic and Social Council). The Economic and Social Council was established under the Charter of the United Nations as the principal organization to coordinate the economic, social and related work of the 14 UN specialized agencies, the nine functional commissions and the five regional commissions. The Council also receives reports from 11 United Nations funds and programmes.

USA

11 August 2009 Early TV Memories’ – 20 x 44c

‘Early TV Memories’ Stamps issued by US Postal Service Commemorate Golden Age of Television. available in sheets of 20, commemorate Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet; Alfred Hitchcock Presents; The Dinah Shore Show; Dragnet; The Ed Sullivan Show; The George Burns & Gracie Allen Show; Hopalong Cassidy; The Honeymooners; Howdy Doody; I Love Lucy; Kukla, Fran and Ollie; Lassie; The Lone Ranger; Perry Mason; The Phil Silvers Show; The Red Skelton Show; Texaco Star Theater; The Tonight Show; The Twilight Zone; and, You Bet Your Life.

Reader’s Right

Editor’s note- The aim of this stamp newsletter is to provide instant information and facts on philately to the readers and not to hurt anyone’s feelings. Readers may express their views, anguish and resentment through this column on philately. The platform is not used for any vested interest to cause derogatory to philately. When writing your views be sure that it should be related to philately only. It should not be used to express personal feelings between persons or groups in any manner.

WHO IS RESPONSIBLE ?. . . . . WHAT TO DO ?

- Dr. Avinash B. Jagtap, Switzerland

In the August issue of “Rainbow Stamp News, Mr. Naresh Agarwal of Bilaspur (Chhattisgarh) has put before the readers the problem he had to face on account of a registered letter which was sent by him to Mr. William C.Y. Kwan, (The Commissioner General for the 23^rd Asian International Stamp Exhibition) G.P.O. Box N0 446 Hong Kong, which was returned to him by Bilaspur Post Office (office of the origin) with the remark “Addressee Unknown”.

On close inspection of the image provided, it appears that the envelope and most probably also the contents were damaged by water. The address (written in ink on or printed on a slip pasted on the envelope) is not in its place. As the letter was sent in February, most probably it was not because of rains that the letter was damaged. Even then the post office at which it was posted bears the responsibility for the safe transport of the letter.

It was surely transported to Hong Kong, since the envelope bears the arrival stamp of Hong Kong, dated 13.02.2009.

It is not clear however, if the letter had reached Hong Kong in damaged state, such that the address written by the sender was already washed out on its way to Hong Kong and hence it could not be handed over to the right person there.

In case the address was there, then there should have been the remark of the addressee (i.e. Mr. William C.Y.Kwan) that he had refused to accept the letter in such damaged condition and he was not willing to accept the letter, because he had no idea about its contents. Mr. Kwan might have also thought that it would be safe (for him and also for Mr. Naresh Agarwal) that he refuses to accept the letter and if it had contained some valuable documents Mr. Agarwal on the return of the letter will be able to claim proper refund from Bilaspur Post Office, from which the letter originated.

But in that case there should have been an appropriate remark on the letter by Hong Kong Post Office. When it is not there, the question arises, if that remark in form of an official stamp or a label have also been washed away by water? I personally feel that the damaged to the letter could have been caused after the letter had left India, otherwise there could have been the remark of Hong Kong Post that the letter had reached in damaged condition.

I do not know, if in India a letter sent by speed post and that too by registered post is also insured against any damage caused to the letter during the transport.

We must realize that in India none of our post offices bear responsibility for the transport of the letters, sent by either by registered or unregistered mail. I have never heard of any case that the post office has ever tendered a refund for the late delivery or non-delivery of any letter! In such case where the actual cause, place and time of damage done to the letter (in India or on its way to Hong Kong) is not known and the value of its contents is unknown, one can not do much. Perhaps Mr. Naresh Agarwal must be thankful to Bilaspur Post Office that the letter was at all returned to him, even when his name and address were not legible (So the officers at Bilaspur Post Office might be thinking!).

I shall advise all philatelists to use a water-proof and sturdy envelope to send any letter enclosing important contents and never write the address in ink, but paste a printed label, which can not be removed from the envelope, even when it is moistened by water.

Blogs & Websites on Philately

www.stampsofindia.com – This is the website of India with complete information on Indian stamps.

http://setenantsofindia.blogspot.com – This is a new blog on se-tenants stamps of India by Mr. Shrikant Parikh of Ahmedabad.

http://prashantpandya.blogspot.com - A new Blog in Hindi by Mr. Prashant Pandya of Vadodara. It is the only blog for philately in Hindi and created to have awareness about philately amongst philatelists as well as non philatelists.

http://letstalkstamps.blogspot.com – A new Blog created by our member Commodore Vijay Kapre of New Delhi.

www.fishstamplover.blogspot.com This is a new blog on Fishes created by our member Dr. Bibhudatta Mishra of Bhubaneshwar.

http://ganesh-worldheritage.blogspot.com/ This is anew blog on World Heritage Sites by our member Mr. Ganesh Potphode.

http://stampcollectingroundup.blogspot.com - Interesting news, resources and links about stamps, stamp collecting and postal operations.

http://www.stampcollectingblog.com/ - Amazing true stories from the life of casual collector….. A nice blog by Mr. Keijo of Romania

www.rainbowstampclub.blogspot.com – This is the e – Stamp Club Blog to bring philatelists together on blogosphere and share views with each other.

http://www.myfavouritestamps.blogspot.com - A blog on my favorite stamps.

On-line Exhibit on International Virtual Philatelic Exhibition EXPONET –
Kingdom of Laos album by Eli Moallem, Israel - http://www.japhila.cz/hof/0545/index0545a.htm
Pages about the stamps of International Control Commission issued by India for use in Laos
http://www.japhila.cz/hof/0545/index0545_110.htm
http://www.japhila.cz/hof/0545/index0545_111.htm

Read some interesting News on following Links ……

Walking back through 400 years of postal history…

Stamps Help Britain's Blind

Colour trials lead to a plum investment

APS Launches Young Philatelic Leaders Fellowship

The Lighter Side

Do You Know ?

Where Europa Stamp are printerd ???

Did you ever ask yourself where your stamps were printed ?
We all saw in the under edge of each stamps the issue year or the name of the artist who designed the stamp but sometimes also the name of the printing house : Courvoisier - La Loupe - Joh. Enschedé - Matzoukis - the House of Questa - Printex - etc.
But do you know in which country they are ?
Some postal authorities have their own printing house : Belgium, Germany, Austria, Spain, Italy, etc. But most of the others must print their stamps with the help of privat printers and they are not always located in the same country !
For example the 2009 Europa stamps of Greenland, Guernsey and Norway are printed by Joh. Esnschedé in the Netherlands and the ones of Switzrland and Liechtenstein by the State printer of Austria. Azerbaijan stamps are printed in France by Cartor so did Portugal and Jersey.
But some Europa stamps aren't even printed in Europe ! So the Faroe Islands and the Isle of Man decided to let their Europa stamps being printed in Canada by the Lowe Martin Group and Slovenia have their Europa stamps being printed in ... Bahrain ! We are in the middle of globalization and liberalized markets !

Know more about Europa Stamps  - http://europa-stamps.blogspot.com/

Forty years ago today the General Post Office released the first British stamp to commemorate an overseas leader and the first to be designed by an overseas artist. The stamp in question celebrated the birth centenary of Indian independence leader Mahatma Gandhi, although it was released to coincide with Indian Independence Day (15th August), rather than Gandhi’s birthday (2nd October).

The designer of the stamp was Biman Mullick an Indian-born graphic designer and illustrator then teaching at the Folk stone School of Arts and Crafts. Mullick’s design was simple but effective, showing Gandhi in front of the Indian flag. “The design brief gave complete freedom to the designers,” Mullick said. “Mahatma Gandhi maintained an extremely simple life style. This was a lead for me. I set out to achieve stark simplicity in this design.” Read more details….

http://postalheritage.wordpress.com/2009/08/14/mahatma-gandhi%E2%80%99s-centenary/

http://www.geocities.com/bimanmullick/BimanWeb/GandhiStamp-1969.htm

Promotional section

New Stamp Packs by India Post

Spices of India - Content: Miniature Sheet, FDC, Price: Rs 150
Indian Oil - Content: Block of 4 Stamps, FDC, Price: Rs 100

Mobile Philately………What it is?

Mobile Philately is mobile technology based philatelic community with short messaging service (SMS) that allows the community members to get latest updates related to Indian Philately directly into mobile message box.Type your Name, Mobile Number, City, Pin Code, Email ID & Collecting interest and send a SMS to 09890373344 or you can also email this information to modi.philatelist@gmail.com For More Details Contact: Deepak Narendraji Modi , 1-09-123, Dr.Rajendra Prasad Road, Badi Sadak, JALNA – 431203 (M.S.) OR Log on to www.mobilephilately.webs.com

A kind help from our member to the Stamp Lovers....

Those who wish to get the most recent US Lighthouse commemorative stamps  may contact Dr.Hemant V Kulkarni. He can assist  them to provide these US stamps at Face Value as a service to the Indian Philatelic community and Blog Readers. Dr Kulkarni may be contacted at : lsr_kulkarni@msn.com  or by Airmail at: Dr. Hemant V Kulkarni, 6642 W Pierner Place, Milwaukee, WI 53223, USA.

A request from our reader in Philippines

I am please to inform you that in Melbourne Stamp show my 3-frames Her Majesty QUEEN ELIZABETH II exhibit won a large silver, I intend to further expand my exhibit to 4 frames, hence I would like to solicit for some stamps or covers depicting Queen Elizabeth II from British Empire and Overseas Territories. for more details kindly visit : http://www.freewebs.com/alvier/melbournestampshow.htm

ALYSSAH XENIAH C. ALCALA ,St. John Street, Reymar Compound,4301 Lucena City,Philippines. E mail - maeca_mvcc@yahoo.com

Exchange

-I would like to  exchange w/w mint stamps, FDC & max cards . Pl write - Asher Carmi, P.O.Box 5105,

ASHDOD 77150, Israel . contact@aacollectors.com www.aacollectors.com

-I’d like exchange stamps I’m looking for mint(topic) 2000-2009 stamps of N. Korea ,China, Vietnam, India, Japan and other  countries of South-East  Asia .I can offer: mint stamps of Uzbekistan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Estonia and other  countries of the former USSR and Europe. Pl write - Mirzairov Abdufarruh,Poligraphic tupic-8,U.Yusupov str.,100128 Tashkent,Uzbekistan e-mail: farruh2@rambler.ru

- I have a comprehensive Commonwealth collection which I have begun to 
dismantle n and would like to sell it. The collection includes Indian as well as some Madras Postal history item. Pl write - John Michael Cardosa email -cardosajd@gmail.com

-I'm Hossein from Iran. I am interested in Exchange pf Stamps and other philatelic items. Email : tambrhk@yahoo.com

Current Philatelic Magazines – Newsletters

-Stamp of India Collectors’ Companion - India’s first and most updated weekly e-newsletter edited by Madhukar and Savita Jhingan from Stamps of India, New Delhi. E-mail: mjhingan@yahoo.com

Website: www.stampsofindia.com

VADOPHIL Issue #119, Jul 2009, Quarterly Editors: Prashant H Pandya vadophil@indianphilately.net and Timir R Shah trs_shah@rediffmail.net Published by : Baroda Philatelic Society, Vadodara

PHILA POST, Issue #3, Vol 1 # 2, Apr Jun 2009, Quarterly
Executive Editor: Manju Kumar Published by : India Post

Editor’s Mail Box

Dr Avinash B.Jagtap Switzerland

I was wonder struck to see and read the interesting contribution by a Non-Indian philatelist Dr. Eli Maollem of Israel "Hanuman- the Monkey Hero of Ramayana". I thank Dr. Moallem for his article.

Prashant Pandya, Vadodara

I saw your news letter and found very informative. I liked article on Hanuman by Dr. Eli Moallem very much. it's pride for us that a non Indian person shows so much interest in Indian Culture.

Dr Eli Moallem, Jersalem - Israel

It is honor to me to see my article on your online magazine. I think that an Indian philatelic magazine is the appropriate home for this kind of article. I glad to hear that Indian philatelists like it. Indeed, I received an email from Mr. Avinash Jagtap from Switzerland.

RAINBOW STAMP CLUB

This is a blog of e-stamp Club www.rainbowstampclub.blogspot.com . The idea of this blog is to extend philatelic fraternity in all corners of the world. Readers may write about themselves with their collecting interests and share new ideas with other philatelists. Those who are interested may send following details for publication on blog. If they wish they may also send their photo for publication. New Post on recent issues, news on stamp activities and Contribution by members are published everyday on this blog.

Name…………………………………………

City/Country………………………………..

E-Mail………………………………………..

Postal Address…………………………….

Collecting Interests……………………….

Brief write up about yourself……………

Readers may also express their views on any philatelic matter which will be published under Club News at Rainbow Stamp Cub Blog. Philatelic Clubs and Societies may also send brief write ups. News about new issues of India and abroad and other information related with Philately are regularly posted on this blog. Readers may send reports on new issues, special covers, cancellations & philatelic activities of their area for inclusion in this Blog. - Editor

Courtesy- News and Image Resource to this issue - Stamps of India, International Stamp News, Linn’s Stamp News; ; Shrikant Parikh- Ahmadabad, Prashant Pandya-Vadodara, Mobile Philately – Deepak Modi, Pradip Jain – Patna; Hemant Kumar Jain –Mandla (M.P.) Naresh Agarwal & Atul Jain – Bilaspur; Terry Mtchelle - UK ; Europa Stamps ( Euroswiss); The British Postal Museum & Archive

All the images of this issue have not been included here. For detailed images related to this issue Please Visit: http://www.rainbowstampnews.blogspot.com/

For PDF Version of Rainbow Stamp News reply with the subject Subscribe Rainbow PDF

Address for communication:

Mrs. Jeevan Jyoti, c / o Mr. Ajay Srivastav, Director, Great Himalayan National Park, Shamshi, Kullu (H.P.) PIN 175126 India

E-mail – j.jyoti9@gmail.com & rainbowstamp2008@gmail.com

Last date for receiving write ups – 25th of every month. Kindly send images in jpg compressed format & text in MS Word only.

If you liked this issue please forward it to your friends and help in promoting philately.

A Request to Readers & Contributors-

Please do not send the text in scan form. Send your write ups in MS Word only.

Please do not send forwarded messages for promotional section if you want to give any information for promotion please write personally with brief write up. As this newsletter is not used for any commercial purpose in any manner.

Attention -
Please send limited number of images in compressed jpg format only with your article.Please send text and images separately. Please do not send text or image for publication in PDF.

"But, remember, I wish to have the best collection, not just one of the best collections in England" - King George V to Honorary Secretary, Philatelic Society, on appointing him as Philatelist to the King.

Till Next Month …..Happy Collecting……………………………………………………………………..

Rainbow Stamp News is edited and published monthly by Jeevan Jyoti, from Kullu (Himachal Pradesh) India.