Walk of Hope, Padayatra, 2015 - Special Cover

Manav Ekta Mission conducted a padayatra from Kanyakumari to Kashmir and the occasion was highlighted by release of a special cover by the India Post on 17.01.2015.

The cancellation shows the symbol AUM in Sanskrit.

(Photo courtesy: Ashwin Ramesh)

Kāśī Vidyāpīṭh, 1971 - Stamp, First Day Cover

Babu Shiv Prasad Gupta and Dr Bhagavan Das were the great souls who established the Kāśī Vidyāpīṭh in the year 1921. It was renamed as Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith in 1995. 

The first logo contained a map of India with AUM and the famous quotation from the Īsāvāsya-Upaniṣad. The second revised one is given below.

विद्ययाऽमृतमश्नुते

vidyayā amṛtamaśnute

"Through knowledge immortality is attained."

The FDC shows the emblem but with poor visibility.

The Stamp, FDC and the brochure were issued on the occasion of the golden jubilee celebrations, on the 10th February, 1971.

DAV School, Adambakkam, Chennai, 2006 - Special Cover

तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय

tamaso mā jyotir gamaya

"Lead me from Darkness to Light"

The Special Cover brought out on 25.2.2006 on the occasion of bi-decennial celebrations of the DAV School (Dayananda Anglo Vedic School), Adambakkam, Chennai bears a cancellation on which is inscribed the Sanskrit - AUM - symbol, which denotes the Mono-syllabic Reality -- Brahman -- of the Upanishads. Beneath the logo is inscribed, the famous quotation from the Bṛhadāraṇyaka-Upaniṣad, 1.3.28.

Any philatelist can help me with a clear scan? I do not have this cover in my collection.

Sriramanashramam Pictorial Postmark, 2014 - Private Cover

A private cover with a Permanent Pictorial Postmark provided at Sriramanashramam PO was released on 1.9.2014. The postmark is engraved with the phrase in Sanskrit --

ओं नमो भगवते श्रीरमणाय

Kumbh Mela Prayag, 2013 - Special Cover

The Special Cover

The Mahakumbh Mela, the most powerful and largest spiritual festival on earth is celebrated in India on the banks of the confluence of the holy rivers, Ganga, Yamuna and Sarasvati. It takes place every twelve years, alternating between Nasik, Allahabad, Ujjain and Hardvar every three years. The one celebrated at Allahabad is the largest. It starts with a ritual bathing on the Makara Sankranti day, which generally falls on January, 14.

In the Kumbh Mela 2013, nearly 12 crores of people from all over the world congregated at Allahabad and performed the ceremonial bath (snana).

A set of six special covers were brought out by the Chief Postmaster, India Post, UP Circle to commemorate the event. One of the covers issued on 27.01.2013 bears a cancellation on which the mono-syllabic representation of the Supreme Reality -- the Brahman -- AUM -- appears in the Devanagari script.

The Cancellation 

                    

Arya Samaj, 2000 - Stamp, First Day Cover and Brochure

The Department of Posts, India issued a commemorative stamp on Arya Samaj founded by Swami Dayanand Sarasvati (1824-1883) on 05.04.2000. The stamp bears Sanskrit inscription at two places. One is “ॐ” (aum) and the other “तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय” (tamaso mā jyotir gamaya). “तमसो मा......" is repeated on the postmark. The imprint ॐ in three mātrās denotes the Supreme Truth, the non-dual Brahman. The invocation “तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय” (tamaso mā jyotir gamaya) means -- "Lead me from darkness to light". This is a mantra from one of the principal Upanishads viz., the Bṛhadāraṇyaka, 1.3.28 which forms part of the Śukla-Yajurveda. 

 



On the First Day Cover is the famous quote -- “कृण्वन्तो विश्वमार्यम्” -- from the Ṛgveda, 9.63.5. When translated it conveys the meaning “Let's make the universe noble”.*

 









The original verse:-

इन्द्रं वर्धन्तो अप्तुरः कृण्वन्तो विश्वमार्यम् |
अपघ्नन्तो अराव्णः |
indraṃ vardhanto apturaḥ kṛṇvanto viśvamāryam
apaghnanto arāvṇaḥ

                 

*Arya Samaji tr.

 

The Second World Hindu Conference - Visva Hindu Sammelan, 2009 - Special Cover

The Second World Hindu Conference – Viśva Hindu Saṃmelan - was conducted at a specially erected Maharshi Vedavyas Mahanagar at Prayag from 25.01.1979 to 27.01.2009 by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad.

On the occasion, a special cover with a cancellation depicting the Sanskrit symbol “AUM” (above the sacred peepal (Ficus religiosa) tree and in the orb of the sun) which is considered as the divine letter representing the Brahman the Supreme Truth. This syllable is mentioned throughout the Vedas and especially the major Upanishads like the "'छान्दोग्य " (Chhāndogya).