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Thursday, May 27, 2010

International Buddhist Flag




Today 27th May 2010 is Tathagat Gautam Buddha Jayanti (anniversary) Day. This year is also happened to be the 125th anniversary year of the International Buddhist flag. We know elaborate arrangements were also made to commemorate the 125th anniversary of the hoisting of the first Buddshist flag in Sri Lanka on the day of Adhi Vesak Poya Day on April 28, 2010. 

On this day let us focus on International Buddhist flag. The Buddhist Flag symbolizes the six colours of the Halo that emanated from the holy body of the Buddha when he attained enlightenment under a Bodhi Tree at Buddha Gaya in India.Blue for his hair, Golden-yellow for the epidermis, Red for the flesh, White for the bones and teeth and Scarlet for the palms, heel & lips, as they became blended together a Sixth colour was formed.

The Buddhist Flag was designed jointly by Col. Henry Steel Olcotte and Anagarika Dharmapala. Ven.Migettuwatte Gunananda Nayake Thera hoisted the Buddhist flag for the first time in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) on April 28, 1885 at the Deepaduttaramaya Temple, Kotahena.
  
The 100 th. Anniversary of the hoisting of the Buddhist Flag ( 1885 - 1985 ). The Buddhist Flag was hoisted for the first time on April 28, 1885 at Kotahena, Sri Lanka (then Ceylon).

 The Flag was officially accepted by a formal resolution of the World Fellowship of Buddhists in 1950.

 The Flag is now widely used by the Buddhist Communities all over the World

Friday, May 21, 2010

THE EUROPEAN FLAGS OF EXPLORATION, COLONIAL AMBITIONS AND SETTLEMENTS IN INDIA, Part - 2 (British)

(Continued from the blog post of April 26, 2010) 




 




View of Surat (Gujarat) from the sea (1670). (National Maritime Museum, London)

Near the close of Queen Elizabeth-I’s reign on December 31,1600 a royal charter was granted to a Joint Stock Company described as “ The Governor and Company of Merchants of London Trading into the East Indies” popularly known as East India Company or John Company. The Hector, a British galleon of the third voyage chartered by the John Company under William HawkinsTapati, near Surat. This was the first ship to fly an English flag off the coast of India. arrived on August 24, 1608 at the entrance to the River







The all over ‘water-marked paper’ used for the production of the first Indian Postage Stamps in 1854 has the East India Company’s ‘Coat-of -Arms’ comprising England’s Red Cross flags of St.George.



 The East India Company's original headquarters on Leadenhall Street in London(1648-1726). Formerly the mansion house of Sir William Craven, this structure was rebuilt in 1726 and then replaced in 1799-1800 by a much larger building designed by the architect Richard Jupp.









In 1687, Elihu Yale the second Governor of Madras, hoisted the Union Jack for the first time on the flag-mast at Fort St. George, Madras (now Chennai), replacing that of the East India Company’s flag. The 47. 5 meter (156 feet)mast is the oldest and tallest flag-mast ever built in India. On August 15, 1947, it was on this flag-mast that the Indian Tricolour was hoisted for the first time and since then it has become the venue of the Independence Day Flag hoisting ceremony at Chennai.(The original wooden-mast was replaced by a steel-mast of equal height in 1994).

Red Ensign was established as the proper colours for the British ships by a proclamation in 1674. The Merchant Shipping Act of 1894 brought up to date the law concerning the wearing of ensigns by British ships. Prior to this many ensigns of various designs were in use.






Interestingly, East India Company (John Company) was allowed to have its own special Ensigns.




View of Bombay (East India men flying Company’s Ensigns). - by Edward Barlow (Collection; National Maritime Museum, London).When Edward Barlow - a seaman made a voyage to India in 1670, he kept a journal and illustrated it with coloured sketches. The sketches show ships at Bombay, Calicut and near Surat that carry flags with red and white stripes and the St. George’s Cross. The number of stripes is usually nine, eleven or thirteen. Edward Barlow made another voyage and additional sketches in 1683. The later sketches show flags with seven and even one with nineteen stripes. Barlow’s pictures also indicate that in addition to the Company’s Flag, the ships carried a Red Ensign with the Cross of St. George in a white canton.




Continental or Grand Union Flag (1707-1801) of the U.S. was identical to East India Company’s Ensign.


 
The badge of St.Helena has a vivid green sea against blue sky is an East Indiaman, flying the Red Cross of St. George from the stern, sailing between two cliffs.
In 1676 the Admiralty called to the Company’s attention the proclamation of King Charles II of two years previously that forbade Merchant Ships to wear more than two flags, the Red Ensign and the Red Cross of St. George as Jack.The result was a compromise formula whereby the Company was forbidden to fly its Ensign north of St. Helena Island.


 
The stamps depict S. S. Hindoostan - a British Mail Ship of P& O line on her maiden voyage from Southampton to Calcutta via Galle (Sri Lanka) in 1842 wearing the British ‘Red Ensign’.
Note; The Indian stamp shows the ship flying ‘Blue Ensign’- an incorrect depiction, also the Ship’s name is mis-spelt (not styled as per P&O adopted spelling) Hindosthan’.

Sunday, May 16, 2010

Indian Flag on Foreign Stamps & Postal stationery, Part - 2


   INDIAN TRICOLOUR  Without Ashok Chakra  & INDIAN  FLAG  LOGOs  on  FOREIGN  STAMPS  

 
                   Country                Year                No. of Stamp               Denomination                    Remarks


             Australia              2006                  1                                  50 c               Commonwealth Games
  

  Bhutan                   1997                 2+MS              7 NU, 10 NU                INDEPEX-97


 Comoros                 1991                 1+MS                       150 F          Gandhi Commemoration


Congo                     1992                   1+MS                     175F             M. L.King & Gandhi


             Cuba                    1997                 1                            15c                50th Annv. of Independence,


Djibouti                   1998               1                             250 Fd           50th death Annv of Gandhi,


Dominica                 1969                1                              30 C                          ILO


Gabon                     1998               1                        260 F                    50th death Annv of Gandhi,


Kenya                   1969                 4         1.20, 3.40, 5.50 & 7.70     Nehru Cent.- Tricolour logo,


Liberia                     1989              1                    45 C                        Nehru Cent.- Tricolour logo,


Nicaragua             1997                  2              $3.0, $9.0                  Flag logo, Ind.50th Annv


Russia                      1997              1               500 K                       Flag logo, Ind. 50th Annv.


St. Kitts                   2007               1+MS       $ 3 x4 (MS)                 100 years of Scouts


Tchand                    1997                3+MS       150 f x 3                  50th. Annv. of  Independence,


 United Kingdom    1969              1                 1/6                               Gandhi Centenary,


Uzbekistan              2006             1                 45s                          15 years of Independence


Vietnam                   1989             2           300 d, 600 d                       Nehru Centenary, 









INDIAN  NATIONAL  FLAG  on Miniature Sheet (but out side the main stamp design) or on Sheet  Margin of Stamps

  Antigua & Barbuda       2007             1(MS), $4x3              100 years of Scout
  Fiji                                           1981                        1(MS),60 c        Commonwealth Parliamentary onf
  Japan                                      2007                      Se-tenant ,Sheet Margin        India-Japan Friendship
  Liberia                                                             Se-tenant sheet Margin     Philatelic tour of the world
            Maldives                              2005                        1(MS), Rf. 25                     20 years of SAARC
            New Zealand ++               2003                    1(MS), 40c + MS           50th Annv. Conquest of Mt. Everest
 Philippines                         2009                      Se-tenant,Sheet Margin    Indo-Philippines Dip. Relation
            South Korea                     1984                        1(MS)  5000w                  PHILAKOREA-84
  South Korea                      2003                       Se-tenant,SheetMargin        India-Korea Dip. Relation
  United Nations                  2009                      Personalized Sheet         Greetings from the UN
            Tajikistan                           1995                          1(MS),1500 s                50th. Anniv. of the UNO

Zam    Zambia                               1998                       1(MS) ,K.900x3                 Great sights of India


 You know for sure there is also the Indian Flag in this miniature sheet issued by Korea, but who can identify the flag?




POST MARKs ( Cancellation ) From Abroad Showing  INDIAN TRICOLOUR

              Country                                Place / Post Office          Date                                                      Occasion
Nepal                     Kathmandu                June 29, 2003                          Nepal-Bharat Friendship

Nepal                    Kathmandu                 Jan 25, 2004                              Nepal-Bharat Phil.Exbtn.

United Kingdom   British Forces 2213 P.S.    Oct 21, 1989                   Visit of Princes Alexandra

USA                        NewYork                           May 24, 1980               Asian Indians in North merica

USA                        Atlanta                       Jun 12, 1993                Annv. Of Conquest of Mt. Everest

USA                       Washington               Aug 15, 1997            50th  Annv. of Indian Independence

USSR                    Tashkent                     Jan 01, 1967                   Indo-Pak Peace Agreement



















          
  INDIAN  FLAG  ON  FOREIGN  POSTAL  STATIONARY
Bulgaria                  2004                        Postcard                L.30               Diplomatic relation with India
Pakistan                  2004                        Envelope             Rs. 4              12th. SAARC, Islamabad
San Marino             1984                        Postcard              L.400                     UPU
USSR                       1987                        Postcard                 4k                     Festival of India     
     





Thursday, May 13, 2010

Indian Flag on Foreign Stamps,Part I


Pandit Nehru introduced the Indian National Flag in the Constituent Assembly on 22nd

 July 1947, he said,  “ … this flag that I have the honour to present you is not, I hope and trust, a flag of the dominion over anybody, but a flag of freedom not only for ourselves, but a symbol of freedom for all people who may see it. And wherever it may go – and I hope it will go far- not only where Indians dwell as our ambassadors and ministers but across the far seas where it may be carried by the Indian ships, wherever it may go, it will bring a message of  comradeship, a message that India wants to be friend with every country of the world and India wants to help any people who seek freedom. That hope will be the message of this flag everywhere…”.

 
I have received several requests from my friends to publish a check list of stamps issued from foreign countries featuring the Indian National Flag. Well, due to the fact that many stamp designs are not pictured in standard Stamp catalogues, it is impossible to determine whether or not there is a flag on some stamps and it is more challenging to say for sure whether the flag (particularly when the flag shown is small in size or partly hidden) on a stamp, is really the Indian tricolour. The quest is more complicated as there are also some flags which resemble very closely with the Indian National colours.
The list presented here is more of a reference work than a checklist, as such, it cannot be taken as complete list, also as stamps are being released from all over the World and every day there is a new stamp, the list given here is liable to become 

out of date before it is published. However, I would appreciate any update or corrections to the list.
.





Indian National Flag complete with the Chakra

on foreign Stamps
(Listed in alphabetical order by countries and chronological by years within each country grouping)
Sr No     Country                                   Year                         No  of Stamps         Denomination                         Remarks
1.1         Afghanistan                            1988                        1                              40 a                                         Nehru Birth Centenary
2.1         Antigua & Barbuda         1984                        1(MS)                      $ 5                                           Great leaders
2.2         ,,                                              1988                        1                              45 c                                         Salvation Army
3.1         Aruba                                      1995                        1                              30 c                                         50 years of UN
4.1         Bangladesh                             1985                        1                              T 5                                           1st SAARC, Dhaka
4.2         ,,                                              1992                        1                              T 6                                           7th SAARC, Dhaka
4.3         ,,                                              1995                        1                              T 2                                           First decade of SAARC
4.4         ,,                                              2003                        1                              T 10                                         SAF Championship
4.5         ,,                                              2004                        1                              T 2                                           SAARC  Jamboree
4.6         ,,                                              2005                        1                              T 6                                           13th SAARC, Dhaka
5.1         Bhutan                                    1964                        3 + MS                     33 Ch, 1 Nu, 3 Nu                    Flags at half-mast
5.2         ,,                                              1976                        2                              1.25 Nu, 2.5 Nu                       NAM
5.3         ,,                                              1985                        2                              50 Ch, 5Nu                              1st SAARC
5.4         ,,                                              1997                        1(MS)                      25 Nu x 2                                 Mother Teresa
5.5         ,,                                              2008                        1 + MS                     4x25 Nu.                                  PM’s visit
5-6         ,,                                              2010                        2+M.S.                                                                     16th SAARC, Thimpu.
6.1         Bosnia & Herzegovina   1997                        1                              70 m                                        Peace Day
7.1         Bulgaria                                  2004                        1(Postcard)             L.30                                        Dip. Relations, ref. section (E)
8.1         Cook Islands                            1995                        1                              $ 4.75                                      50th Anniv of UN
9.0         Dominica                                1990                        1(MS)                      $ 1x4                                       FIFA World Cup
10.2       ,,                                              1990                        1 + MS                     $ 5                                           Nehru Centenary
10.3       ,,                                              1999                        1                              55c                                          Millennium 2000
11.1       Dominican Republic               1956                        1                              16 c                                         Olympic Hockey Gold
12.1       Ecuador                                   1992                        1                              $ 1000                                     President’s visit
13.1       Ethiopia                                   1972                        1                              80 b                                         Security Council Meeting      
15.1       Greece                                    1977                        1                              30 AP                                       Greeks abroad
15.2       ,,                                              1985                        1                              35 AP                                       6-Nation Delhi Declaration
15.3*     ,,                                              1989                        1                              30 AP                                       Peace initiative (Tricolour up-side down)
16.1       Grenada                                  1970                        1                              5 c                                           Commonwealth Regional Conf.
17.1       Hungary                                  1983                        1                              2 Ft                                          IAF, Budapest-83
18.1       Indonesia                                1992                        1                              R. 500                                      NAM
18.2       ,,                                              1995                        1                              300                                          50th Anniv of UN
19.1       Iran                                          1963                        2                              6 R, 14 R.                                                Prez.  visit to Iran
19.2       ,,                                              1975                        1                              2 R.                                          Int. Literacy Symposium
20.1       Italy                                         1990                        1                              L .600                                      Labour Day
21.1       Ivory Coast                              1978                        2                              60 f, 65 f                                 TCDC
22.1       Jamaica                                   1996                        2                              $ 2.5, $ 10                               150th Annv. Indian Immigrants
23.1       Jersey                                      2006                        1                              73 p                                         Multiculture
24.1       Liberia                                     1980                        1                              27c                                          75th Annv. Rotary  Int.
24.2       ,,                                              2006                        1(MS)                      7x$ 20                                     Tragedy of Space Shuttle Columbia
25.1       Malagasy                               1985                        1                              50f                                           India-USSR, Inter-Cosmos
26.1       Malaysia                                 1997                        1                              RM 1                                       The  Group of 15 Summit
26.2       ,,                                              2000                        1                              30 Sen                                     Thomas-Uber  Cup
27.1       Maldives                                 1985                        1                              Rf. 3                                        1st SAARC, Dhaka
27.2       ,,                                              1989                        1                              20 L                                         Nehru Centenary
27.3       ,,                                              1990                        1                              Rf. 3.5                                     5th SAARC, Male
27.4       ,,                                              1997                        1                              Rf. 5                                        9th SAARC, Male
27.5       ,,                                              2005                        1(MS)                      Rf. 25                                      20 years of SAARC
28.1       Mozambique                          1997                        1                              2000 MT                                  50th Annv. Indian Independence
29.1       Myanmar                                2004                        2                              K .5, K. 30                                                Buddhist Summit
30.1       Nepal                                      1985                        2                              R. 5, R .15                               1st SAARC, Dhaka
30.2       ,,                                              2002                        1                              R. 15                                        SAARC Charter Day
31.1       Nevis                                       2007                        1                              $ 3 + MS                                  Centenary of Scout
32.1       New Zealand                          1995                        1                              $ 1.8                                        50 years of UN
32.2       ,,                                              2003                        1                              40c + MS                                 50th  Annv. Conquest of Mt. Everest
33.1       Norway                                   1994                        1                              Kr. 5.50                                    Olympic
34.1       Pakistan                                  1982                        2                              2 x Re. 1                                  5th World Cup Hockey, Bombay
34.2       ,,                                              1985                        2                              Re. 1, Rs. 2                              1st SAARC ( Re. 1 withdrawn)
34.3       ,,                                              1988                        2                              Rs. 25, Rs. 50                          4th SAARC, Islamabad            
34.4       ,,                                              1989                        1                              Re. 1                                        4th SAF Games, Islamabad
34.5       ,,                                              1990                        1                              Rs. 2                                        SAARC year of Girl child
34.6       ,,                                              1992                        1                              Rs. 5                                        World Cup Cricket
34.7       ,,                                              2004                        1(Envelope)             Rs.4                                         SAARC, ref. section (E)
35.1       Penrhyn                                   1996                        1                              $ 5                                           Olympic Centenary
36.1       Philippines                              1977                        2                              50s, P. 1.5                               AOPU
37.1       St.  Tome                                 1980                        1                              5 c                                           Annv. of  Independence
38.1       St. Vincent & Grenadin    2000                        1                              20 c                                         Millennium issue
38.2       ,,                                              2007                        1                              $ 1.20                                      Victoria Cross (Tricolour up-side down)
39.1       San Marino                             1984                        1(Postcard)             L.400                                       UPU, ref section (E)
40.1       Seychelles                               1989                        2                              R. 2, R.10                                                Nehru Centenary
41.1       Singapore                                1971                        3                              30c, 75c, $1                             Commonwealth Heads of Govt Meeting
42.1       South Korea                            1951                        2 +MS                      2 x 500 won                            Korean War
42.2       ,,                                              1965                        1                              400 won(MS)                          10th Anniv Korean War
42.3*     ,,                                              1983                        1 + MS                     70 w                                        Pres. Visit (* withdrawn)
43.1       Sri Lanka                                 1985                        1                              R. 5.50                                     1st SAARC, Dhaka
43.2       ,,                                              1991                        2                              R. 1.0, R 8.0                            6th SAARC, Colombo
43.3       ,,                                              1991                        2                              R .4, R 11                                                5th SAF Games                                       
43.4       ,,                                              1995                        1                              R 2                                           Decade of SAARC
43.5       ,,                                              1998                        1                              R 2.5                                        10th SAARC, Colombo
43.6       ,,                                              2007                        2                              R 5, R 50                                 World Cup Cricket
43.7       ,,                                              2008                        1                              R 15                                         15th SAARC, Colombo
44.1       Tajikistan                               1995                        1                              500 s                                       50th Anniv of the UNO
45.1       Tanzania                                 1977                        1                              10 s                                         Commonwealth Conference
45.2       ,,                                              1981                        1                              10 s                                         Commonwealth Postal Assn.
45.3       ,,                                              1983                        1                              5 s                                           Commonwealth Day
45.4       ,,                                              1987,April 10          1                              10 s                                         20 th Anniv. Arush Declaration
45.5       ,,                                              1998                        1                              1500 s                                     Gandhi 50th Death Anniv
46.1       Thailand                                  1977                        1                              1 Baht                                     AOPU
47.1       Togo                                        2000                        1                              200f                                         Millennium (Tenzing on Mt. Everest)
47.1       Tonga                                      2000                        4                              10 p, 35p, 80p, 270p               Commonwealth  membership
48.1       Trinidad & Tobago         1971                        1                              30 c                                         Gandhi Centenary
48.2       ,,                                              1973                        1                              40 c                                         Commonwealth P.A.
48.3       ,,                                              1983                        1                              10 c                                         Commonwealth Day
49.1       Turkmenistan                         2000                        1                              3000 m                                    Neutrality
50.1       Turks & Caicos               2008                        2+MS                       80 c.                                        100 years of Scout Movement
51.1       Uganda                                   2000                        1                              600 sh                                     50th Anniv of Commonwealth
52.1       United Nations                       1985                        1 + MS                     22c                                          Flag Series
52.2       ,,                                              2007                        1 + MS                     39 c                                         Flag and Coin Series
52.3       ,,                                              2009                        1                                                                              Flags in front of UN
53.1       USSR                                       1972                        1                              6 k                                           25th Anniv of Independence
53.2       ,,                                              1973                        1                              4 k                                           Brezhnev’s visit to India
53.3       ,,                                              1977                        1                              6 k                                           30th Anniv of Independence
53.4       ,,                                              1978                        1                              4 k                                           Indo-Soviet Co-operation
53.5       ,,                                              1980                        1                              4 k                                           Brezhnev’s visit to India
53.6       ,,                                              1981                        1                              15 k                                         Indo-Soviet Shipping
53.7       ,,                                              1984                        4                              5 k, 20k, 45k, 50k(MS)            Indo-Soviet Space Exploration
53.8       ,,                                              1987                        1                              5 k                                           Festival of India
53.9       ,,                                              1987                        1(Postcard)             4 k                                           Festival of India, ref. section (E)
54.1       Vanuatu                                  1986                        1                              55 v                                         Int. Year of Peace
55.1       Venezuela                               1997                        1                              Bs. 200 (Se-tenant)                                50th Anv, of Indian Independence
56.1       Vietnam                                  1989                        2                              100d. Each                              India-89 Philatelic Exhibition
57.1       








(to be continued)