Himachal
Pradesh is one of the few states in the country that has remained
the favourite choice of the Postal Department while choosing
different themes for issuing first day covers and stamps.
 |
 |
|
Two stamps on the Kalka-Shimla railway line along with
first-day covers have been issued by the Department of Posts
in the past few years |
The
writer’s collection of first-day covers and stamps on
different themes pertaining to Himachal Pradesh. — Tribune
photo by Anand Sharma |
Not less than a dozen
colourful stamps relating to Himachal Pradesh have been issued in
the past few years. The themes vary from the Shimla-Kalka railway to
adventure sports, Tabo monastery, tribal dance, adventure sports,
mountain lakes, and what not.
These stamps are a
delight to see as these speak of the developments in the state and
the potential that it holds. In contrast, the neighbouring states of
Jammu and Kashmir and Uttrakhand that have a similar topography have
not received much attention.
It will not be out of
place to mention the name of Vijay Bhushan, former secretary and
director-general, Posts and Telegraphs, who has great love for
Himachal. He remained Chief Post Master General, Himachal circle,
for several years and was a familiar face on the Mall. Many stamps
and first day covers were issued during his tenure.
The Shimla-Kalka
railway has always been in focus because of the unique scenic beauty
that one comes across while travelling on this route. The train
passes through as many as 102 tunnels on its way to Shimla. It
covers a distance of 96 km.
The Railways have
found place in two first day covers — first when a set of four
stamps on mountain railways was released in April 1993, and again
when they completed 100 years in 2003. The Kalka-Shimla section was
opened to traffic in 1903 during the British regime.
The earlier set of
four stamps on mountain railways includes the Matheran Railway that
begins its upward journey at Neral, a station 97 km away from
Mumbai. The line was constructed in 1907. It also has a stamp on the
Nilgiri Railway that runs 52 km between Mettupalyam and Ooty. The
set would not have been complete without the stamp on the famous
Darjeeling Himalayan Railway.
Himachal’s Chandratal
(4300 metre high) has found place in the most colourful and
attractive set of five stamps on the Himalayan lakes. The deep blue
Chandratal in the tribal region of Lahaul-Spiti is surrounded by
snow-covered mountains. The set also includes a stamp depicting the
Tsomoriri lake at an altitude of 4267 m in the mountainous region of
Ladakh. It is home to many rare species of migratory birds.
A set of two stamps
depicting the sketch of the Tabo monastery, more than 1000 years old
in the tribal region of Lahaul-Spiti, was released in December 1999,
on a first day cover depicting the famous lotus-shaped Baha’i temple
with the theme: "Millennium issue — Unity in diversity, respect for
all religions".
A set of four stamps
on tribal dances includes one on Kayang, which is a popular dance
form of Kinnaur. It is a dance in which the artistes hold hands in a
cross form that look like the beads of a rosary.
The stamps in the set
released in April 1991 also represent dance forms of Valar of
Garsais in Rajasthan, Velakali of Kerala and Hozagiri of Tripura.
The set of stamps on
adventure sports released in April 1992 carries the message of hang
gliding at Billing in Kangra district, which remains the most famous
gliding spot in India. It also includes a stamp on river rafting and
skiing — sports that attract a large number of adventurists to
Himachal, Kashmir and Uttarakhand. A stamp representing wind surfing
has also found place on a first day cover.
To honour the world
famous Sobha Singh, who established a gallery at Andretta in Kangra
in 1950, a first day cover along with a postal stamp carrying his
portrait was released in November 2001.
Besides this, stamps
on many writers, mountain birds and flowers have also been issued. | 