The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) is all set to issue a “Forever” stamp to commemorate the joyous Hindu festival of Diwali. The move following one of the long pending demands of Indian-American community here.
The U.S. Postal Service said in a statement that, the Diwali stamp will be issued as a “Forever” stamp on Wednesday, October 5 in the first-day-of-issue dedication ceremony, which scheduled to be held at the Consulate General of India, New York.
The stamp design, unveiled by the USPS, is a photograph featuring a traditional “diya” oil lamp lit in a sparkling gold background. Diya lamps are usually made from clay with cotton wicks dipped in a clarified butter known as “ghee” or in vegetable oils.
The diya was photographed by Sally Andersen-Bruce of New Milford, CT and the stamp was designed by Greg Breeding of Charlottesville, VA, while William J. Gicker of Washington, DC, service as the project’s art director.
Diwali is a shortened version of the Sanskrit word Deepavali, which translates as “a necklace of lights.” During Diwali, the flickering oil-wick diyas sprinkle the homes of observers around the world. Diwali celebrates the triumph of good over evil. Spanning five days each autumn, it is considered by some to be the start of the new year.
According to the Hindu calendar, Diwali falls on the eve of, or on, the new moon that occurs between mid-October and mid-November. In 2016, the main day of the festival will be celebrated October 29 for South Indians and Oct 30 for North Indians.
The preparations for the festival begins weeks ago. Many Hindus traditionally go shopping, clean their homes, open their doors and windows before the festival. They create intricate rangoli, a vibrant floor pattern traditionally made from materials such as rice powder, colored sand and flower petals and light diyas with hopes that Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity, will visit. In some regions of India, people play games, just as Hindu lore says that the god Shiva did. On the festive main day of the holiday, families pray for Lakshmi, dress up in their best clothes, enjoy lavish feasts and sweets, exchange gifts and light fireworks. Diwali also marks the new year for people in Gujarat and a few other states of India.
New York-based Ranju Batra chair, Diwali Stamp Project, said that, “This is a dream come true,” He had led campaign to send thousands of letters to the U.S. Postal Service in the past and had campaigned before the U.S. Congress. Hinduism was the only major world religion, for which the USPS had not issued a postage stamp.
The Postal Service receives approximately 40,000 suggestions for stamp ideas annually from the public.
Also Read: Obeisance to His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj
Nandini
