Hindu Deities in Stamps from Usa-postage.com

Just last night I received an email from a prominent philatelist in USA on an innovative philatelic product. It is postage stamp depicting 7 different religious deities from Hinduism. Usa-postage.com has created 7 spiritual designs targeted to the Indian community in the United States. These stamps, available on high quality paper are adhesive-backed postage are produced using advanced printing technology within a short time frame. The pictures are of Sai baba, Lord Venkateshwara, Lakshmi, Murugan, Vinayaka, Shiva – Parvathi and Sri Krishna. Each stamp has denomination of US 0.44 cents. They all are available on 20 stamp commemorative sheets.

I had seen custom designed postage stamps from the US as it is becoming more and more common but to see Hindu gods and goddess in stamps, it has been something of a different experience! Let us see how popular these stamps are going to be in the days to come.

Nepal’s first issue of aerogram from 1959

In 1959, Nepal issued its inland first aerogram. This aerogram had a preprinted rectangular stamp of Garuda, a mythical creature with a strong human body and eagle’s beak and wings. Garuda is associated with Lord Vishnu, who uses Garuda as his mount (Bahana) or mode of transportation. Garuda is revered and worshiped in Hindu and Buddhist religion and mythology.

Denomination for this aerogram is 8 paisa (100 paisa = 1 Rupees; Current exchange rate 75 rupees= 1 US dollars approx.), which are written in both Nepalese (Devnagari script) and in English in left and right of Garuda respectively. Garuda himself is above the mountain and temples on the bottom of the stamp.
The inscription and stamp both are in blue color. This aerogram was issued in celebration of Nepal’s admission in to U.P.U.

This aerogram was printed at printed at Gorkhapatra Press in Kathmandu on cream colored paper. Gorkhapatra press is the oldest government owned press in Nepal which was established in 1899 AD is now 110 year old. The size of the aerogram itself is 145 x 90 mm when folded.

Aerogram picture is courtesy of Mr. Geoffery Flack and his website Tibetanpost website.

For more pictures of this aerogram, click here.