INDIA – Cover from Madurai, India to Braga, Portugal.

Cover with souvenir sheet from the ‘2^nd Africa – India Forum Summit’ stamp issue, posted on September, 4 2011.

(Special thanks to my friend K. G. Saravanan)

2nd Africa-India Forum Summit

India Post issued a set of 2 stamps to commemorate 2nd Africa-India Forum Summit. The stamps depict the African and Asian Elephants on last 25 of May 2011.

The second India-Africa summit was aimed at consolidating trade ties between the two regions, which together account for a third of the world’s population. The two sides signed a cooperation framework to further bolster the economic relations that got a boost after the first India-Africa summit in 2008 in New Delhi.

They also signed a political statement — the so-called Addis Ababa Declaration — calling for comprehensive reform of the United Nations system including an expanded UN Security Council in which the partners have pledged each other’s support for a permanent seat. Both India and China have turned to Africa to seek energy resources to power their fast-paced economies, but while China prefers government-to-government deals, Indian investment is mainly in the private sector.

Rashtrapati Bhavan

The Rashtrapati Bhavan is the official residence of the President of India,located at Raisina hill in New Delhi,India. Until 1950 it was known as “Viceroy’s House” and served as the residence of the Viceroy and Governor-General of India. It is amidst an area known as Lutyens’ Delhi. At present,it is the largest residence of any Chief of the State in the world. The construction of the building was planned for 4 years, but World War I intervened and construction required 19 years to complete.Its first occupant,Lord Irwin,began occupation on January 23, 1931.

Stamps and souvenir sheet was issued by Indian Post on 5 August 2011.

Brihadeeswara temple

First Day Cover

India post today issued a postage stamp featuring The Brihadeeswara temple of Thanjavur.

An Indian monument listed in UNESCO’s World Heritage list of historical sites and monuments.

The Brihadeeswara temple is the major center of tourist attraction at Thanjavur. This temple is one of India’s most prized architectural sites.The ‘Vimana’ – or the temple tower – is 216 ft (66 m) high and is among the tallest of its kind in the world.

Thanjavur is the ancient capital of the Chola kings. King Rajaraja Chola constructed the Brihadeeswara Temple in 10th century AD and the architect Sama Varma designed it. Thanjavur was the center of learning during 10th to 14th century AD. The Brihadeeswara temple is one of the few great Indian monuments listed in UNESCO’s World Heritage list of historical sites and monuments.

Stamp was issued by Indian Post on 27 August 2010.

Rath Yatra Puri

First Day Cover

India post issued a postage stamp featuring the Rath Yatra wihich takes place at puri (Orissa) every year. This years Rath Yatra will take place on 13 July 2010.

The biggest and the grandest of all festivals, the highlight is the sacred journey of the statues of the Lord Jagannath of Puri with brother Balabhadra and sister Subhadra from main temple to Gundicha Temple, where they remain for nine days. The mammoth wooden chariots carrying the three deities pulled by thousands of devotees, present a spectacular scene. The yatra (journey) begins on the second day of the lunar month (asadha).

The Rath Yatra is also known as Car Festival. An annual festival commemorates the journey of Krishna from Gokul to Mathura.It also symbolizes a journey to light from the dark, which commences on the 2nd day of the bright fortnight in the month of Asadha (June/July).

Lakhs of devotees converge to the city to join festivities lasting for nine days. In this journey, thousands haul the three huge rathas (chariots) carrying statues of Jagannath, his brother Balabhadra and sister Subhadra, down Grand road to the Gundicha Temple–just 2 km away in Puri, Orissa.

Usually the deities – Jagannath (Krishna), Balarama and Subhadra are worshipped within the temple, but on the day of the Rath festival they are taken through the streets so that everyone can have the fortune of seeing them.

Puri Rathy Yatra–The chariot festival of Puri in Orissa, India. In the first phase of the rituals, the Chandan Yatra, the Chalanti Pratimas (moving statues) of the deities take a ceremonial ride in a boat in Narendra Tank for 21 consecutive days, after a refreshing bath in fragrant sandal wood (chandan) scented water.

This is followed by Snana Yatra, literally the festival of bath, in which the three are taken to Snana Badi, a bathing platform where the deities are ceremonially bathed with 108 pitchers of water. After which the gods are believed to convalesce inside the sanctum sanctorum and undergo treatment in which special ayurvedic medicine and some special liquid diet (sarapana) is offered to them. Closed to public view, during this period of 15 days, the pilgrims have to be satisfied with a darshan of images on the Pattachitra paintings hanged there.