Burma - First Definitive Postage Stamp 1938 and Victory Commemoratory 1946

The First Definitive Postage Stamp
After King George V died in 1936, a definitive set of George VI stamps was issued in 1938. The stamps shows the head of George VI wearing the crown with two mythological dragons protecting a profile of the King's head from the right and left-hand sides. These stamps were for general use. Listed below are 3 of them.
Orange 1 and Half anna, Brown 1 Anna, Light purple 4 Anna

Burma - Allied Nations World War II Victory Commemoratory Stamps 1946
These stamps were printed by the Nasik Security Printing Press of India. These were the last stamp designs of British colonial rule in Burma. The background of all four designs were a outline map of Burma (showing that Andaman Island as part of Burma), bounded at the top and right by the panel inscribed "BURMA" and the oval medallion respectively.
There are 4 in the set below are three that I have. The 4th being 9 Pies, peacock green, where a young Burmese wearing the characteristic Burmese head dress and jacket.

Violet colour and depicts a Burmese Lady holding a parasol over her head. Postage value 1.5 Annas.

Light red colour depicts a sitting Lion (mythological name chinze) Postage value 2 Annas.

Marine Blue colour depicts an elephant with a mahout dragging a timber log. Postage value 3 Annas 6 Pies.

Manapad and Me

What do you think a small sleep town like Manapad in coastal Tamil Nadu would have for me - a dreamy stamp collector. Well from the time I got married, my husband and I were planning to visit this sleepy hollow. Over the years I only heard the wonderful stories of this place set back in time and how Navin (my hubby) and his family spent their holidays there. Being a family hometown and me being the new addition to the family it was my right and duty to make a visit.

We would always plan to travel there but somehow something would come up and we would have to cancel. Finally in May 2013 we planned another trip which became a reality. Travelling to Manapad is an experience in itself. We would have to take a train and then a 2 hour bus to reach the sleepy coastal paradise. 

Finally reaching there the first thing we did was hit the beach. Pristine and isolated, heavenly if you ask me as there is not a soul in sight and you feel like you are on your own private island. We spent a good 5 days there visiting ancestral family home, 500 year old churches, the cave which also St. Francis Xavier lived in when he first came ashore to India. Full of history.

The day before we could leave Navin's aunt mentioned that there were some old book and other things belonging to his grand father. We decided to go and have a look. Again, fate, destiny, what ever you want to call it. Rummaging though all these old boxes and lofts I find literally 5000 stamps. Most of them doubles but in mint condition all sorted and kept in neatly labeled covers.

Navin's grand father Britto Miranda was a very organised and through philately enthusiast. Very well known in his circle of pen pals and very organised. I felt that what I took back in dusty boxes was just meant for me. Waiting to be found.

Below is a picture of the family home and Mr. & Mrs. Britto Miranda.

                                      

Indian National Flag Stamp and Ashokan Pillar 1947

This is a beauty. On 21st November 1947 the Indian Post issued these stamps in the year of Independence. This was printed at the Nasik Security Press with lithographic method. These are rare.

This is the first stamp of Independent India. What is depicted on the stamp is the date of Indian Independence, the Indian Tricolor flag and the words "Jai Hind" meaning long live India. This stamp was used for foreign correspondence.

This is the second stamp of independent India. This stamp depicts the 3 lions sculpture of the Ashokan pillar which is the emblem of the government of India. This also depicts the date and the words "Jai Hind". This is a single color stamp color grayish green.

Why blog about Stamps?

A novice at blogging. I was inspired one day to get down to it. Well, why do i really want to blog about stamps?

You know before this I would read a lot of articles online that would tell me that there are a lot of sentiments attached to the stamp collecting and that the sentimental value is more that the market value. But to me there are 2 types of collectors the ones who collect for monetary investment and the ones who collect for personal satisfaction. I would fall into the latter.

Over the last 20 years I have managed to accumulate a small army of stamps. I pride myself in that... sure.. who would not. But I really want to get to know them better. :-) the stamps I mean. Hence this blog. I do intend to go to my wits end to dig out information and value to my endless list of stamps. Too senti.. well. I for one would sure like to know and derive for myself if what I have is of value or just another sticky back picture.

How it all began?

A good neighbor was kind enough to spark my imagination to the world of hobbies. So why not me also take up one. In the mind of a 11 year old collecting stamps sure sounded amazing. As we all probably have read in school - "Autobiography of a Shoe" when you read this for the first time it makes you think if the shoe had a mind what are the stories it would tell. For me Stamps - if they had a mind what travel tales would it weave. My particular interest was for used stamps. This has history, this has charm, in a way that would keep my mind busy for hours.

Trips to the post office would keep me occupied for the weekend. Then my loving father who was away in Kuwait would always consider his eldest and her interest in stamps when posting letters, he would always select a different one every time he would post me a letter. Pen pals also became a source to exchange and increase my variety and collection.

In 1993 the internet had not reached my household or maybe it did, cannot quite remember. But I did not use that to research on the stamps I collected. Trips to the local Library would help me there. I would then read all I could about Philately and its value and history.

To this day I still cannot remember if the first stamp I pinned was India or Kuwait. Having had this hobby for 20 years only proves that in reality times change but my passion for the perforated edged paper will stay forever.