Permanent Pictorial Cancellation : Madurai, Tamil Nadu

Madurai is the second largest corporation of Tamil Nadu and third populated city of Tamil Nadu.  It is famous for it's Meenakshi Amman Temple, the Vaigai River and the Jasmine flower. It is the one of the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world.  It is also known as "Thoonga Nagaram" meaning "Non sleeping city" since one can get anything, especially food at any time of the day. Even though it was ruled by various kings, the Pandyan dynasty was the most prominent one. Fish was the symbol of Pandyas and the fish emblem was depicted in their flags, coins etc.

The Permanent Pictorial cancellation (PPC) is a kind of defacing the stamp, which shows replica design or a picture of a tourist, religious, historical or an important place.

India post has introduced a Permanent Pictorial Cancellation of the Pandyas' flag with fish at the center on 06.09.1981.  Below is the cover depicting the Pandyas' Flag PPC done at the Madurai philately bureau.

Thanks to Mr. Srikanth of Madurai, for this nice cover.

If you are interested in getting one, contact the below address,

Senior Postmaster,

Philatelic Bureau,

Madurai Ho - 625 001.

Phone Number:0452 - 234 5300

Degaldoruwa Cave Temple: Sri Lanka

Degaldoruwa cave temple also known as Degaldoruwa raja maha viharaya was built by King Rajadi Rajasinha and his elder brother King  Sri Rajasinha during the 18th Century (around 1771). 

To give you a sense of time, this is around 5 years before the US Declaration of Independence. Comparatively, Ajanta caves in India date back at-least 1500+ years earlier.

It is interesting to note that the Rajasinha lineage is related to the Madurai Royal Family!

The temple is situated at, a village near Kandy Town. The temple had been built at a place where two rocks were touching each other from above and below.  Pictures related to Buddhism are painted on the walls. The style of painting used is called as Kandyan era paintings. The paintings at the temple were the work of only four painters!! 

The details of the constructions can be inferred from the copper plate grant which is called Degaldoruwa Thamba Sannasa.

Paintings on wall and the rock can be seen in the below picture. The green highlighted area is the one that appears on the stamp.

Portion of the painting that appears on the Sri Lankan stamp