THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Every stamp has a story to tell and thousands of such little stories were on display at the Ananthapuripex-2014 at the Chandrasekharan Nair Stadium. With over 20,000 stamps on display, philately enthusiasts in and around the city thronged to see the exotic collections that include the world famous Penny Black series, royal weddings and the Tranvancore Anchel.
Gandhiji seemed to be the reigning theme of the show, as stamps on him released by India and other nations were displayed all over the show. ‘’Gandhiji is the first non-British personality to feature on a stamp released by Britain in 1969. This is a tribute to the influence that he had on the rest of the world,’’ says V S Izekiel, Attingal Postmaster and philatelist.
Apart from the 37 different stamps released by India, Gandhiji also appears on stamps by many other nations as well. One among them is a stamp by the USA as part of their ‘Liberty Series’ in 1961 and it is the first country other than India to print a stamp featuring Gandhiji. Also on display is a postal cover collection on varying themes like Honesty and Truth, Gandhiji’s belongings, Sabarmati Ashram and Dandi March etc.
Se tenant stamps, printed from the same sheet and unsevered in a strip, also attracted the crowds. Several Se tenant stamps were displayed including features on the 150 years of India Post, the diamond jubilee of the Indian Air Force, amongst which the endangered water bird stamps were the most expensive, as they were sold only for a brief period of 15 days.
A special cover and coin in remembrance of Princess Diana was also on display. Covers and stamps on which the same picture is printed, called Maxim Cards, were another major attraction. A special series to commemorate 100 years of Indian Cinema was displayed as Maxim Cards, which featured film stars of yesteryears like Smita Patil, Meena Kumari, Shammi Kapoor, Prem Nazir to name a few.
The crowdpuller among the many different stamps on display was the Penny Black - the oldest postage stamps in the world. Issued in Britain in 1840, it features Queen Victoria and was valued at a penny. Continuing the Penny Black series, several other nations also released similar stamps which were also part of the display. A rare and valuable stamp was released by Bhutan completely in 22 carat gold. A stamp in honour of Sir Rowland Hill, the originator of the Penny Post, released by Tuvalu, is also part of the series displayed.
‘’There is a special way to display stamps. Each stamp must be carefully placed on a page and a description must be written beside it,’’ said C R Ramakrishnan, Senior Superintendent of Post Offices, Trivandrum North.
The Travancore Cochin Collection and the Travancore Anchel include stamps depicting various historical events and a special issue on the Temple Entry Proclamation. The stamps which were then valued at one anna, two annas and four pies, now fetch a price of lakhs.
Stamps of architectural beauties of Burma and India are a special attraction in the pre- Independence Collection. This collection also has stamps depicting the Gateway Of India and the Victoria Memorial in Calcutta and the Silver Jubilee of King George V. Most stamps come in hues of black, yellow and green and was then valued at six pies.
The exhibition also gives the public a chance to feature on postal stamps through ‘My Stamp’. Visitors can pose for a photo and get 12 stamps printed at a cost of Rs 300 instantly.