Help the wounded…

 

MaltaPost will release a philatelic miniature sheet bearing one stamp to commemorate the ANZAC Centenary on 25 April 2015. The stamp on the miniature sheet illustrates a Red Cross nurse attending to a wounded soldier together with two other soldiers on either side. The stamp within the miniature sheet bears a face value of €3.59.

The Gallipoli Campaign (Battle of Gallipoli) took place at the Gallipoli Peninsula between 1915 and 1916 and involved British and French troops as well as divisions of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC). The battle was thought to put an early end to the Great War by creating a new front that the Ottoman-German alliance would not cope with.

Malta played a significant role in the Gallipoli battle, not just as a back-up base for the Royal Navy but also as one of the major hospitals in the Mediterranean. Around 800 Maltese volunteers went to Gallipoli as muleteers or to dig the trenches and some even fought within the Australian ranks or worked as stevedores unloading the ships. This effort is considered to be Malta’s greatest contribution to the Allies’ efforts during that terrible war.

 

Special Picture post cards set from Karnataka Postal Circle

 

' Wooden Carvings at Karanji Mansion' Postal training centre, Mysuru

  A set of 23 post cards was released recently by Karnataka postal circle. The cost of the set of these Postcards is Rs 100.

Karanji Mansion

The royal family of Mysore Maharajas constructed “Karanji Mansion", the construction of which was started in the year 1902 and completed in the year 1914. This palatial building was built for Krishnarajammanniyavaru, the second Maharajakumari, (second sister of the Maharaja);

The land was acquired by Chamaraja Wadiyar, the Maharaja of Mysore, and further handed over the possession of the land to Princess Krishnarajammnniyavaru. Thereafter Col. J. Desaraj Urs, the husband of the said princess Krishnarajammanni, constructed the property and building known as" Karanji Mansion". It was in his possession ever since till his death in 1923.

"Karanji Mansion" was purchased by the Postal Department on 20.8.1964 from Smt. Rajukumari L Desaraj Urs, widow of late Col. Rajkumar C. Desraj Urs. and Rajkumar Prithviraj Urs son of late Col. Rajkumar C Desaraj Urs. Postal Training Centre is functioning in this building since 20.4.1965.

The building commands a vast setting and a view of Karanji Lake. The elevation is remarkable for highly ornate features and painstakingly executed embellishments - a variety of cusped arches and sun-shades, stone-hewn balconies, each resting on a lotus base, intricately carved stone columns, brackets and parapet merlons. A rich mix of Saracenic and Hindu elements, each somewhat overdone but all of them combining to produce a balanced and quaintly pleasing elevation. A Section of the Mansion show subtly varying stylistic features. The wing on the left is predominantly Rajasthani, with its lotus-based and curvilinear-chhajjaed balconies, while the entrance-porch block has dominant shades of the Saracenic - the slender- pillared twin arches, domicals and the Moorish lancet-windows. "Karanji Mansion" building has completed 100 years of it construction in the year 2014.

- Suresh .R – Bengaluru email : suresh.hobbies@gmail.com

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PUMed - Postal Union for the Mediterranean

 

Date of Issue : 9 July 2014

Here is a beautiful stamp issued by Malta Post which Marks the co-operation between members of the Postal Union for the Mediterranean (PUMed) through a joint stamp issue entitled 'The Mediterranean Sea'. A number of postal operators within PUMed, also known as Euromed, are issuing stamps bearing 'The Mediterranean Sea' as a common theme. The stamp features the Mediterranean Sea and its surrounding countries.

Amany Ahmed Ali of Egypt Post Postal Printing House designed the stamp. Her stamp was chosen in a contest among six member countries including Cyprus, Egypt, Lebanon, Malta, Morocco and Slovenia. The winning stamp is being issued in Cyprus, Egypt, France, Greece, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Malta, Morocco, Palestine, Slovenia and Syria.

The creation of PUMed marks  the Mediterranean region as a political, economic and social area .Having a structured and organised body enables a high level of multilateral cooperation.

Faced with an ever-changing postal industry, members within PUMed have come together so as to develop projects that will help each postal operator keep up with the challenges of the market. The joint stamp issue therefore symbolises PUMed's intention to co-operate and work together for the benefit of each individual country.

PUMed was officially established on 15 March 2011 and its headquarters are stationed in Malta. The Universal Postal Union currently includes 20 postal operators across the European and Mediterranean region, namely Croatia, Cyprus, Egypt, France, Greece, Italy, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Malta, Mauritania, Monaco, Morocco, Palestine, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Syria, Tunisia and Turkey besides another 172 member countries worldwide.

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FIFA World Cup 2014 stamps from Malta

 

Date of Issue : 12 June 2014

Here are new stamps from Malta Post in a souvenir sheet featuring FIFA World Cup 2014. The FIFA World Cup 2014 is being held in  in Brazil between 12 June and 13 July 2014. This is the championship’s 20th edition having started in Uruguay in 1930. Brazil is hosting the event for the second time and 32 nations are competing for the grand title. A total of 64 matches are to be played in 12 cities across Brazil and this is the first time that goal-line technology will be used in the World Cup Finals. The official anthem for the 2014 World Cup Finals is “We Are One” and was sung by Pitbull, Jennifer Lopez and Claudia Leitte at the inauguration ceremony.

The official emblem is entitled “Inspiration” and the design is based on the idea of three victorious hands together raising the World Cup trophy. Its colours evoke the country’s national flag and the design reflects Brazil’s desire to warmly welcome the world to this grand event.

The mascot for Brazil 2014 – the animated armadillo Fuleco – is set to make Fifa millions. But the real animal – the Brazilian three-banded armadillo – is perilously close to extinction.

The event’s official mascot and emblem has been featured  respectively on the 0.59 and 1.55 stamp. The World Cup has been held every four years since the inaugural tournament in 1930, with the exception of 1942 and 1946 due to the Second World War. Eight different countries have won the 19 World Cup events with Brazil topping the list – winning five times. The other World Cup winners were Italy with four titles, West Germany with three titles and Argentina and Uruguay with two titles each. England, France and Spain won the title once.

In 2012, Fifa unveiled its mascot for Brazil 2014, a colourful armadillo called Fuleco. Its real-world inspiration is the Brazilian three-banded armadillo Tolypeutes tricinctus, a species that has evolved the defensive trick of rolling up into a near-perfect, football-like sphere.

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Club News

The Year Book of Indian Philately : 2013

The Year Book of Indian Philately : 2013 edition by Madan Middha has just been  released. The book is available with Mr Middha.

Please contact  Mr Madan Middha Saket Vihar, Phalka Bazar, GWALIOR 474 001. - email : madan_middha@yahoo.co.in

 

2013 edition of the Year Book includes important philatelic texts / research articles on some important subjects in Indian Philately, like

             - A very important article on “Mail Arrangements between India & Pakistan” after partition of 1947, is authored by famous postal               historian Shri Ashok Bayanwala for the 2013 edition of the Year Book. The article makes a very interesting reading and is a gem of the postal history information.

            - The Telegrams or the Telegraphs, breathed their last in India during 2013. “Indian Telegraphs” had a long history, spread over 63 Years and covering every sphere of Indian lives. It was befitting to have a tribute for this service included in the 2013 edition of the  Year Book, we have done so. A farewell write-up to this iconic service is written by Shri Ilyas Patel on its setting off. A write-up to   preserve for the times to come; for reference & remembrance.

           -  The regular contributor, Shri Naresh Agarwal has penned an article on “Azad Hind Stamps” for this edition. Azad Hind Stamps have a special philatelic and also emotional significance among Indian Philatelists ; these are inseparable part of Indian Postal History. You will be astonished to learn about the background and other details about them.

            - India and Indian Philately is known in the world by name of Mahatma Gandhi. Gandhi is one of the themes recognised and collected world over with great enthusiasm. Noted thematic collector Shri Sudhir Jain has compiled an article on “Gandhi : 1948 Issues” which highlights lots of details about this much recognised stamp issue from India, which with “Service” overprint, is known as the  costliest modern stamp of the world.

            -  An specially commissioned article on “Indian Watermarks” is a worthy addition to the contents of the 2013 Year Book. This article provides the details of the watermarks found on Indian Postal Stamps to the date, with illustrations of all of them.

           -  On the contemporary scene, India Post has started a new money transfer service in collaboration with the ICICI Bank, one of the  largest private banks in India, called the “Smart Money Order”. This service has many firsts to its credit and has an interesting  story to go through. Famous writer Prashant Pandya has recorded the facts and the story of this service for the Year Book 2013.

          -    Rajesh Paharia, a postal history enthusiast has contributed an article on “Window Delivery” facility provided by the postal  departments in earlier years. This is one of the rare subjects in philately with little information available ; this article is an effort to  unfold this mystery.

         

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