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.