Fan-shaped stamps

 Fan-shaped stamps

Taiwan - 2015

 Paintings - Shanyin county

Taiwan - 2016 

Caligraphy on Fans

Taiwan - 2016 

Caligraphy on Fans
Bamboo chip affixed

Singapore 2016

Commerce & Industry

Singapore 2016

Commerce & Industry - Singles

Singapore 2016

Commerce & Industry - MS

China 2019

24 Solar terms - Snow

China 2019

24 Solar terms - Spring

China 2019

24 Solar terms - Autumn

China 2019

24 Solar terms - Summer

Badami - Permanent Pictorial Cancellation

 Badami - Permanent Pictorial Cancellation

Badami formerly known as Vatapi is a town in the Bagalkot district of Karnataka.   It was the regal capital of the Badami Chalukyas from 540 to 757 AD.   It is famous for red sandstone rock-cut cave temples and they were sculpted mostly between the 6th and 8th Centuries.  They remain intact even today.

There are four main cave temples in Badami. Cave 1 is dedicated to Shaivism (Lord Shiva), Caves 2 and 3 are for Vaishnavism(Lord Vishnu) and Cave 4 is for Jainism (Tirthankaras).

Cave temple 1 may be the oldest in Badami is dedicated to Shaivism. It has the 18-armed lord Nataraja in 81 dancing poses.  The Permanent pictorial cancellation depicts Nataraja as the cosmic dancer.  The PPC was introduced by India Post on 29/09/1987.

Thanks to Mr. Prashant for the PPC and the picture of the Post office.

Konark Sun temple - Permanent Pictorial Cancellation

 Konark Sun temple - PPC

Konark is a coastline city in Puri, Odisha. Konark has been derived from "Kona" - corner, and "Arka" - Sun. Konark Sun temple was built by King Narasinga Deva in 1250 A.D.  It is dedicated to Lord Surya, the Sun God.  It is made up of black granite and a black pagoda.  It took 16 years to complete the structure. 

The temple is shaped like a big chariot, representing Sun God's chariot.  Hindus believe that Sun God travels from east to west on a 7 horse chariot.  7 represents the number of days in a week. And 12 pairs of wheels (12*2=24) represent 24 hours of the day.  It was declared a World Heritage Site in 1984.

India Post introduced a PPC on 10-05-1979 depicting the Chariot Wheel.

Puri Jagannath Permanent Pictorial Cancellation

 Puri Jagannath Permanent Pictorial Cancellation

Odisha is an Eastern state of India.  Puri is a coastline city in Odisha, famous for its beaches and Lord Jagannath temple.  The Jagannath Temple is an important Hindu temple dedicated to Jagannath, a form of Vishnu.  The present temple was rebuilt from the tenth century onwards.   Anantavarman Chodaganga, the first king of the Eastern Ganga dynasty began to rebuild the temple.

India post on 13/07/2021 introduced a new self-ink cancellation of the Puri Jagannath temple.  I am fortunate to get this cancellation during my visit to Puri.  

It depicts the Lord Jagannath temple on top and sea waves on the bottom of the cancellation.  The current cancellation is far better and clearer than the previous cancellation.  

Thanks to Mr.  Suresh Chandra Jena, ATR Puri H.O.  

The Puri temple is famous for its annual Ratha Yatra (courtesy Wion news) or chariot festival, in which the three principal deities are pulled on huge and elaborately decorated temple cars.  In 2010, India Post issued a miniature sheet for this Rath Yatra.

Unlike the stone and metal icons found in most Hindu temples, the image of Jagannath is made of wood and is ceremoniously replaced every twelve or 19 years by an exact replica.