New stamp on medical theme

 

 

Date of Issue : 4 February 2015

World Cancer Day  - 4th February

Here is a new stamp on medical theme. Algerian Post marked World Cancer Day with a new stamp issue. The stamp with an original design was released on the 4^th of February.

World Cancer Day is marked on February 4 to raise awareness of cancer and to encourage its prevention, detection, and treatment. World Cancer Day was founded by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) to support the goals of the World Cancer Declaration, written in 2008. The primary goal of the World Cancer Day is to significantly reduce illness and death caused by cancer by 2020.

World Cancer Day is a unique opportunity to raise awareness that there is much that can be done at an individual, community and governmental level, to harness and mobilize these solutions and catalyze positive change. By moving forward together we have the potential to show: Cancer. It is not beyond us.

European Capital of Culture

Date of Issue : 18 February 2015

Czech Post  introduced its special stamp honoring “European Capital of Culture” ‒ a city designated by the European Union for a period of one year during which the city has the chance to present its cultural life and development to Europe. The 2015 European Capitals of Culture will be Plzeň, West Bohemia, and Mons, Belgium. The appointment is considered as an initiative to boost cultural development and changes in the appointed city.

The stamp features festive fireworks as an actual and symbolic expression of a display of ideas and events. St. Bartholomew’s Cathedral depicted on the stamp is the main landmark of Plzeň commemorating the hundreds of years of its cultural tradition. The fountain in the background embodies the present-day city. The stamp was released on the 18^th of February.

The Plzeň ‒ European Capital of Culture 2015 is a major cultural project of one year during which the city will present to Europe its rich and diverse cultural life and development. At the same time, the project is intended to help develop the entire region. The programme includes over 650 cultural events of many different genres, such as theatre, music, exhibitions, architecture, dance, public-space installations, community events, education projects, meetings.

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Ukraine-Pakistan Joint Issue

 

Date of Issue : 25 December 2014

Here is a joint issue of Ukraine and Pakistan dedicated to their ancient cultures, in particular: the Cucuteni -Trypillian culture and Mohenjo-daro. The issue was released on the 25^th of December 2014 .

The Cucuteni-Trypillian culture is a Neolithic–Eneolithic archaeological culture (ca. 4800 to 3000 BC) in Eastern Europe. It extends from the Carpathian Mountains to the Dniester and Dnieper regions, centered on modern-day Moldova and covering substantial parts of western Ukraine and northeastern Romania.

During the Middle Trypillia phase (ca. 4000 to 3500 BC), populations belonging to the Cucuteni-Trypillian culture built the largest settlements in Neolithic Europe, some of which contained as many as 1,600 structures.

One of the most notable aspects of this culture was the periodic destruction of settlements, with each single-habitation site having a roughly 60 to 80 year lifetime. The purpose of burning these settlements is a subject of debate among scholars; some of the settlements were reconstructed several times on top of earlier habitational levels, preserving the shape and the orientation of the older buildings.

Mohenjo-daro is an archeological site in the province of Sindh, Pakistan. Built around 2600 BCE, it was one of the largest settlements of the ancient Indus Valley Civilization, and one of the world’s earliest major urban settlements, contemporaneous with the civilizations of ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Crete.

Mohenjo-daro was abandoned in the 19th century BCE, and was not rediscovered until 1922. Significant excavation has since been conducted at the site of the city, which was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1980. The site is currently threatened by erosion and improper restoration.

Numerous objects found in excavation include seated and standing figures, copper and stone tools, carved seals, balance-scales and weights, gold and jasper jewellery, and children’s toys.

Club News

New Special Covers

Silverpex-2015 at Kannur and release of Special Cover on Arakkal Palace - 9th January 2015

As a part of Silver Jubilee celebration The Cannanore Philatelic Club organized, 'Silverpex-2015', National Philatelic and Numismatic Exhibition at Jawaharlal Nehru Library Hall, Yogasala Road, Nr. Old Bus Stand, Kannur, from 9th to 11th January 2015.On the occasion a Special Cover was released on Arakkal Palace on 9th January 2015. (Special Cover approval no. KL-03/2015)

 

Special Cover on Golden Jubilee Celebration of Goa Kannada Sangha, Margao - 20th December 2014

To mark the Golden Jubilee of Goa Kannada Sangha, Margao a Special Cover was released on the occasion. (Special Cover approval no. MH/31/2014)

Special Cover on Golden Jubilee Celebration of G. V. M.'s MIBK High School, Khandepar - 20th December 2014

A Special Cover was issued to mark Golden Jubilee of G. V. M.'s MIBK High School, Khandepar on 20th December 2014 at Ponda, Goa.

Special Cover on Rajgor’s Coin Festival, Goa 2014 - 8th December 2014

Rajgor’s Coin Festival Goa 2014, Exhibition of Coins of Goa Region was held from 7th to 10th December 2014 at Institute Menezes Braganza, Near Police Headquarters, Panjim, Goa. On the occasion a Special Cover was released on 8th December 2014 featuring coins of Goa region at Panaji.

Courtesy – Indian Philately Digest

 

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Festival Masks on stamp

 

Date of Issue : 19 November 2014

Here are new  stamps from Philippines featuring festival masks. These beautiful stamps could be included in Mask, culture and Tourism themes. Its a wonderful set for thematic Collectors.

In line with the celebration of the National Stamp Collecting Month, the Philippine Postal Corporation  launched the colorful “Philippine Festival Masks” commemorative stamps on the 19th of November, during the fiesta celebration of the famous Higantes Festival in Angono, Rizal.

Souvenir sheet - Masskara Festival - Antonio M. Carranza Jr.

Stamp Designs:

1. Moriones Festival - Jose Antonio A. Jayme

2. Higantes Festival - Nemesio Miranda

3. Pintados Festival - Donald Tapan

Included in the Festival Masks Commemorative Stamps are four of the world’s famous festivals: The Moriones Festival in Marinduque, Higantes Festival – Angono, Rizal, the Pintados Festival -Tacloban and Masskara Festival in Bacolod City.

PHLPost printed 120,000 copies of the three Philippine Festival Masks stamps, sold at P10 each. The said stamps were produced in tactile printing technology that allows a person to touch and feel the actual texture embellished in the stamps.

The body of the traditional higantes (giants) which are made of bamboo and colorful cloth and a face made of paper mache is depicted in the “Higantes Festival Mask Stamps” designed by Nemesio Miranda.

The colorful tradition of Pintados Festival in Tacloban was depicted in Festival Mask “Pintados” stamps designed by Donald Tapan.

New Special Cover

 

Tribute to a Scientist – Dr Ayyagari Sambasiva Rao

 A special cover was issued in Hyderabad on Birth Centenary  eminent scientist Dr A S Rao. He was founderand Managing Director of ECIL.

- Sreejesh Krishnan, Trivandrum

 

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New Stamp on World Heritage Sites

 

Fagus Factory in Alfeld, Germany

On 2^nd October 2014, the German Postal authorities, Deutsche Post released a stamp related to World Heritage site – Fagus Factory in Alfeld.

The Fagus Factory (German: Fagus Werk), a shoe last factory in Alfeld on the Leine, Lower Saxony, Germany, is an important example of early modern architecture. Commissioned by owner Carl Benscheidt, who wanted a radical structure to express the company's break from the past, the factory was designed by Walter Gropius and Adolf Meyer. It was constructed between 1911 and 1913.

The Fagus factory in Alfeld illustrates a moment of considerable interchange between different generations of German, European and North American architects, which gave rise to a rational and modernist architecture. It was a site of synthesis of these influences, which were technical, artistic and humanistic; it went on to influence many other architectural works; it was the starting point of the Bauhaus movement.

"Let the sun shine in!" This fresh motto could the distinguished architect Walter Gropius (1883-1969) has inspired. In his time was in the architecture redesign of factories as the greatest challenge and task for the future. Gropius had new ideas and a little luck. Carl Benscheidt, the head of the company was planning just a new factory and was impressed by the plans of the young architects. Cubic shapes, glass and steel as the dominant building material, generous window surfaces: An impression of light transmission and brightness.

For the first time a complete facade is conceived in glass. The supporting piers are reduced to narrow mullions of brick. The corners are left without any support, yielding an unprecedented sense of openness and continuity between inside and out. The expression of the flat roof has also changed. Only in the building [the Steiner House, Vienna] by Adolf Loos which was done one year before the Fagus Factory, had the same feeling for the pure cube. Another exceedingly important quality of Gropius's building is that, thanks to the large expanses of clear glass, the usual hard separation of exterior and interior is annihilated.

A manifesto of modernity in architecture, the Fagus factory won its designer, Walter Gropius, an international reputation. It exemplifies the innovation of the curtain wall, which optimises both luminosity and lightness. It is a concrete expression of the functionality of the industrial complex in the interest of productivity and the humanisation of the working environment. It incorporates into the scheme the concepts of industrial aesthetics and design.

In the imperial era factory buildings were dark, windowless and stuffy. The three-story main building of the Fagus-Werk, however, was up on bases and covers almost fully glazed, wherein interconnect metal windows with rich support freely around the corners. The result is a nearly weightless window facade. Gropius intends to operate its projects "human", it deals with the social issue: "Giving the factory workers, the slaves of the modern industrial labor, not only light, air and cleanliness, but let him feel something of the dignity of the common big idea that drives the whole thing. The shoe last factory marks the beginning of modern industrial architecture. To date, this shoe lasts are made, but also modern metrology systems for the woodworking industry. Since the year 1946, the Fagus Factory is classified as a historical monument since 2011, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Before the release of this stamp, there were only two types of philatelic material related to Fagus Factory were available. There are shown nearby for reference.

Commercially used Cover with Special Postmark

 

Commercially used Customized Envelope issued by the German Postal authority, Deutsche Post

- Pradeep Kumar Malik :  email : mallikphila@gmail.com

 

Club News

Stamp Exhibition on Art and Culture in Bangalore

A philately exhibition is proposed to be held from 09.10.2014 to 30.10.2014 at National Gallery of Modern Art, Bangalore on the theme "Ärt and Culture". The exhibitor are Mr Vernon Paul, Mr MR Prabakar and other KPS members. A talk on Philately by Sh.M.S.Ramu has been arranged on 12.10.2014 between 05.30 pm to 07.00 pm at NGMA, Bangalore during this exhibition period.

- Jagannath Mani - Bangalore

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New book on Odisha…

 

Confluences

– Journey into the Heart and Soul of Odisha

 

I am pleased to write  about   a new book recently published on Odisha “ Confluences” by noted philatelist and author,  Anil Dhir . Mr Dhir took up the quest to discover the last geographical boundaries that have been left for man to explore. It was not vast new lands that he was in search of, but confluence points - precise points that are on or near land where lines of longitude and latitude cross and the coordinates are whole numbers. For this, he chose his home state Odisha.This wonderful book is  all about author’s journey to fifteen intriguing destinations of Odisha'. He travels spontaneously off the beaten path and takes risks most people wouldn’t dream of. Each tale is unique yet all are connected by a spiritual thread.

Sometimes back I have written about some more books by Anil Dhir in this blog which were related with philately…but this book is different and very exclusive.  It has two chapters related with philately on postal history.

Confluences  – Journey into the Heart and Soul of Odisha by Anil Dhir  Published by Amadeus Press, Bhubaneshwar Pages 270 – Price - Rs 275

Author’s journey to 15 Confluent points of Odisha

Orissa is a unique combination of beautiful locations, exotic cultures and warm & friendly people.  Located on the eastern coast of India,with a 400 kilometer long coastline, towering mountains, serene lakes and frolicking rivers.

Odisha is a state which can be rightly called a classic land of paradoxes. Rich in history and geography   is  dotted with exquisitely built temples and monuments dating back to ancient and medieval times. The sprawling Chilika Lake, Mangrove forests of Bhitarkanika and marine turtle rookery at Gahirmatha are world’s important sites of natural heritage as recognized by Ramsar Convention.

This book has two interesting philatelic stories ‘ The king’s messenger’ and ‘The Last Post’. Philatelists would love to read these chapters related with postal history along with adventurous stories of different places falling on specific confluence points  which Mr Dhir visited. The narration of the places, surroundings, people, their lifestyle is so interesting and it gives a complete picture of  rural Odisha to the Readers…

The book is a beautiful travelogue explaining history, culture, traditions, rituals and legends of Odisha. 

The State is also referred to as “The Soul of India”, as it is considered as a mystical land where the past and the modern today form a harmonious blend. It is often said that the State has everything under the sky, opulent forest and agricultural wealth, mineral reserves and a divine coastline. The state is a treasure trove of minerals and natural resources. The other face is of a land of acute and chronic poverty for the bulk of its population.The book closed the gap between the two faces to a great extent. 

Some thrilling moments of the author's journey from the book…

“ We were chased by an elephant at Raijharan (21N 85 E), nearly bitten by a king Cobra at Sukinda (21N 86E) Stepped on a sleeping python at Talari (20N 84 E) , and taken hostage by Maoists at Maligam (19N 83 E). a porcupine shot its quills at me in Kottsamalai (24N84E) We nearly drowned when our boat capsized in the Tel river and Nandul (20N83E).

At Talari we discovered a pre historic rock shelter with art on the walls. I found a cache of Stone Age tools inside a cave. I picked up a two carat diamond from  the sands in the Ib river at Kainsara (22N 84E), a few kilometers upstream from Hirakud dam. At Sonepur we got ourselves fistfuls of semi precious stones and at Sunari posi in Keonjhar we joined Jhara tribesmen in panning for gold in the nearby streams.”

The book is full of many more interesting events that happened during the long  journey of the author…

The author wades in knee-deep water with his  GPS device to arrive at a confluence point – Maligam 19°N 83°E – in the middle of Murani River in Odisha

This book is an extraordinary travelogue which combines history,culture, myth, legends traditions, rituals and  concerns explained in 27  chapters. Each chapter has its own story  full of thrill and adventurous description .

The book is written in such a way that it continuously creates curiosity and  fascination  till the end of the book.

Even for readers who do not like history and geography subjects , the writer has written with such affection and humor that the topic becomes fascinating to one and all. The stories, given after each of his Confluence visit reports are an eclectic mix, highlighting the little known aspects of the State. The general reader would be aware of Odisha as the land of the Sun Temple and the Lord’s abode at Puri, but this is one book which showcases the state as never done before. It is definitely a journey into the heart and soul of Odisha. If one has to readjust a single book to know Odisha, this is the one.

All different chapters in the book are first hand experiences of the places , Mr Dhir visited and people he met during his hunts for  the confluences. He travelled nearly 21,000 km visiting  every district of Odisha. The chapters in the book  are varied, ranging from the crumbling Sun Temple of Konark, an old forgotten cemetery, a maverick  Tonga puller, a large hearted Naxalite, a dying river, lakk-foraging buffaloes, an environmental hotspot and the penury of Odisha’s starving poor. By going through this book the readers will  definitely get a new picture of Odisha with its rich past,  present and a glimpse of the future of Odisha.

I strongly recommend the book to all those who love adventure and travelling as well as to the  students of geography and  history and to all those people who love to know about various hidden and unexplored  places . The book is an asset to the library of all educational and cultural  institutions .

The author’s cartographic journey, hunting for Confluences, takes one on a roller coaster ride all over the State . One can explore Odisha through this magnificent book and know more about this beautiful state. Let’s join the journey of 15 unexplored confluences of Odisha through this wonderful book .

The book is available for  Rs 200/-  post free instead of  published price of Rs 275  for the readers of Rainbow Stamp Club. Interested readers may contact :

Anil Dhir, 112 Vaishno Villa Satya Nagar, Bhubaneshwar – 751007. email : anildhir2k5@hotmail.com

 

Anil Dhir is a well known name in philatelic community. He is not only a renowned philatelist but also a noted writer from Bhubaneshwar, Odisha. He has written articles and books on various subjects . He has, over the years, traveled extensively all over India, mostly off the beaten track. He has worked among the Juang and Kondh tribals of Odisha, with Indian National Army veterans.His other interests include flying, film making, collecting stamps  old books and manuscripts, Indian temple art and architecture. He has directed and produced an award winning documentary titled “ The Last Post”.

His books on philately are quite popular among philatelists.His recent book ‘ Confluences’ is a travelogue based on his experiences and observations of  extensive journey  to the unexplored places of Odisha.

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