World's Remotest Island : Tristan da Cunha

 World's Remotest Island

 Tristan da Cunha

Have you ever heard of the island of Tristan da Cunha?  If not, you're certainly not alone.

It's the world's most isolated settlement in the middle of the South Atlantic Ocean. It lies halfway between Cape Town and South Africa.  There are just 238 people living on this Island and they speak English.  Requires months of panning, as it is accessible only by sea and only 9 ships travel every year.

No airports, no restaurants, and no hotels on this island.  They do have a post office and Stamps are one of their main revenue.

                   1978 - Paintings by Svensson

1978 - Royal Fleet

                1979 - Visiting of passenger ships

Transkei - Unexplored gem of South Africa

 Transkei - Unexplored gem of South Africa

Transkei is on the east coast of South Africa, in the Eastern Cape province.  Transkei means the area beyond Kei(river).  

People speak Xhosa, one of the 11 official languages of South Africa.  Umtata(Mthatha) is the biggest city and capital of  Transkei.

Hole in the Wall, a free-standing sandstone arch acts as the Transkei’s most iconic landmark.

Transkei issued stamps from October 1976 to March 1994 and during these 17½ years, they issued 333 stamps.  From 1976 to 1994 it was an unrecognized state and in 1994, it was reincorporated into South Africa.  

Below stamps were issued in 1980 under the theme "Palm Ferns"

Mr. Nelson Mandela grew up here.

Issued by South Africa post in 2008

Golconda Fort - PPC

Golconda Fort - PPC

Golconda Fort, situated in Hyderabad, Telangana, India. The Golconda was built in 1143 by Kakatiyas Dynasty.  The word Golconda is derived from the Telugu words “Golla” and “Konda” – together gives the meaning of ‘Shepherd’s Hill’.

Initially, Golconda Fort was a mud fort and later on was built into a grand structure on a granite hilltop pavilion.  The entire Golconda Fort complex is spread across 11 km.

On 27th September 2021, India Post came up with a permanent pictorial cancellation of this fort.

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.