Splendors of India- Happy New Year

New Year celebrations believe to replenish all the joys in life and help to keep the spirits glowing and undaunted. With the New Year comes not only the opportunity to look back at the past year with the warmest of memories and to gain from it, beautiful pearls of wisdom but also the sense of resolution to make the lives of everyone around positively affected.

Every year the Department of Posts has been wishing everybody by bringing out different issues during New Year, either as New Year issue or Season’s Greetings. This year the Department is bringing out the rich heritage of India through 12 Beautiful Stamps together in a Mixed Sheetlet, which has the potential to evoke the sense of pride in every Indian. Each Stamp design has been chosen with a perspective to reflect the glory and magnificence of Indian Culture and heritage.

The first stamp depicts the Ganesh Pol. Ganesh Pol is located in the main palace of the Amber Fort. It is strategically important as entry through this gate was exclusive for the Kings to get into their private chambers. Ganesh Pol is fusion of Mughal and the Rajput architectural features, famous for its ornamental archways and the fine latticework.

The second stamp is on Pashmina. Pashmina is the Cashmere wool of the highest grade. It is considered as diamond among fibres. The stamp depicts a hand spun Pashmina shawl woven in Kashmir with exquisite designs.

The third stamp depicts traditional Chhau Mask. Chhau is a major classical Indian dance form and is mainly performed during festivals in the Chaitra Parva, in which the whole community participates. It is believed that Chhau dance drives away the evil forces and let the righteousness prevail among the people. The effectiveness, originality, and beauty of the Chhau dance are dependent on the Chhau masks. Each mask represents a character from the epics, the Puranas, and from mythology.

The fourth stamp shows Worship of Bodhi Tree. It is a sandstone relief sculpture in the Sanchi Stupa Complex in Madhya Pradesh. Bodhi Tree, or the Tree of Enlightenment, is so called because it represents the ficus tree (peepal) under which Buddha is said to have attained enlightenment. For long tree motif is used as a symbol of Buddha himself. It is an elaborately carved sandstone relief sculpture in the Sanchi Stupa Complex.

The fifth stamp depicts Sarota. Sarota is a scissor like cutter made of metal, which is traditionally used to cut Areca nut into small pieces to be chewed along with other ingredients, wrapped in betel leaves. Sarota is found in many shapes and sizes and ornate designs in different parts of the country. Sarota is a beautiful objet d’art, reminiscent of a relaxed household of a by-gone time.

The sixth stamp has a Peacock gate on it. Peacock Gate is one of the four gates at the inner courtyard which provides access to Chandra Mahal in City palace, Jaipur. It is ornamented with motifs of peacock and represents the Autumn season. It is dedicated to Lord Vishnu.

The seventh stamp depicts Chaitya Hall of Karle, Maharashtra. The beautiful columns, dating back to the 1st century BC are covered in carvings depicting life and work of Buddha. This is among the largest rock cut chaityas in India.

The eighth stamp shows Thanjavur painting. Thanjavur paintings are panel paintings done on wooden planks. The dense composition, surface richness and vibrant colours makes them incomparable. The embellishments of semi-precious stones, pearls and glass pieces add to their appeal. The relief work gives them a three dimensional effect.

The ninth stamp depicts Blue Pottery which is widely recognized as traditional craft of Jaipur. Blue Pottery has been named so due to the predominant use of blue glaze painting technique. The decorative patterns are largely floral rendered in Persian style.

The tenth stamp shows Glass window at Bagore-Ki-Haveli in Udaipur, Rajasthan. The splendid architecture of the mansion has exquisite stained glass work, of 18th Century.

The eleventh stamp is on Peitra Dura. It depicts a table top in Peitra Dura on black marble. Peitra Dura, a decorative art form is an inlay technique of using cut and fitted highly polished precious and semi-precious coloured stones to create images.

The twelfth stamp depicts a Zardozi carpet from Agra. Zardozi embroidery is beautiful metal embroidery which involves the use of gold and silver threads and also studded pearls and precious stones.