I am participating in the April AtoZ Blogging challenge and my theme is Plants featured on Indian Stamps. This is my eight attempt at the AtoZ and the focus is on plants.
My theme is inspired by an online talk by Daniel L Nikrent of Cornell University, USA held by Maharashtra Vriksha Samvardhini about Parasitic Flowering Plants featured on Stamps.
I am not a stamp collector nor a fan of stamps. Hence almost all my posts are purely based on research on the internet. I have tried to cross check the info before posting here. Please do share correct info and links to the same in case of discrepancy.
India Post has a very strong network reaching deep deep into the interiors of the country and I depended on it for news from home when we were posted in far away places. In this age of smartphones, Internet, how many of us really write letters - snail mail as they are now called? Despite this , I find that new stamps are being issued and we have stamps on diverse topics including Armed Forces, Films, Personalities, Wildlife, Handlooms, Handicrafts and so on.. It is amazing!
C has two very beautiful trees on the stamps. Cassia fistula of the Caesalpiniaceae family and Crateva adansonii of the Capparaceae family.
Cassia fistula is also called Golden Shower/ Amaltas/Bahava and is a native species. Its wood is useful but the main attraction are the glorious flowers that hang down in beautiful yellow racemes. The name Golden Shower is most apt. They lead to long green cylindrical pods that turn dark over time. Amalatas are widely planted in gardens and on roadsides.
Here are images from my collection
Here are the two stamps issued in 1981 of denomination 1INR and 50np
Post of India, GODL-India <https://data.gov.in/sites/default/files/Gazette_Notification_OGDL.pdf>, via Wikimedia Commons |
Post of India, GODL-India <https://data.gov.in/sites/default/files/Gazette_Notification_OGDL.pdf>, via Wikimedia Commons |
The India Postage Stamps website has a complete catalogue of stamps. Please click the link to see many many wonderful stamps.
Colnect is a comprehensive portal for Stamp collectors. It gives detailed information about every listed stamp. Click here for detailed info about Stamps - what is a stamp, types, formats, water marks, perforations and much more.
Do visit tomorrow for some more beautiful plants on stamps.
Till then, Take Care and Stay Happy!
Beautiful tree and post! Something about stamps feels so nostalgic to me.
ReplyDeleteHopping in from the A-Z community- https://enchantedwords13.wordpress.com/2022/04/04/careful-a-z-3/
I liked Crateva more than Golden Shower!
ReplyDelete@Enchanted Words Thanks for stopping by! 🙏🏻
ReplyDelete@Pradeep Nair. Yes. That's beautiful as well! 😃 Thanks!
ReplyDeleteMy dad is an avid stamp collector, but he tends to specialise in British stamps these days. I used to collect them as a youngster, but lost interest when I left home. That is a lovely bright flower.
ReplyDeleteTasha
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Ah, I have these flowers in my complex. I wasn't aware if its name. Thanks for sharing info about these lovely yellow beauties Archana!
ReplyDeleteCassia fistula are so bright and vibrant, makes you feel cheerful just by looking at them. I bet they smell nice, too!
ReplyDeleteThose are beautiful flowers and stamps. I guess I'm old fashioned because I'm still write and mail letters regularly.
ReplyDelete@Tasha Thanks for stopping by! Your Dad would be a great source of info about stamps!
ReplyDelete@Radhika Thank you for your kind words! :-)
ReplyDelete@Danielle Thats a rare and great habbit. I still have letters from over 3 decades ago and somehow the feelings expressed come through even more than the generalist font (despite addition of several emojis) seen on an email. Thanks for stopping by! :-)
ReplyDeleteThe yellow pods are quite beautiful. They remind me of wisteria in shape.
ReplyDeleteYou are doing a wonderful job of showing photos of the stamps along with examples of the plants themselves. Great info in these posts!
ReplyDeleteArlee Bird
Tossing It Out
Thank you Arlee! 🙏🏻 I have tried to interest plant lovers and those who like stamps. 😄
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