Philately: Odisha

Showing posts with label Odisha. Show all posts

Tuesday, 3 January 2023

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.

Monday, 2 January 2023

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.