Digital Newsletter of Indian Philately Digest | Published Monthly | Powered by : Prashant Pandya Issue No. 31 : July 2015 NEWS SECTION Aadhi pushkaram and the last 12 days is called Anthya pushkaram. This term in year 2015 starts on Sacred water of Godavari River (GOD JAL - 6.26 AM, 14th July 2015 and ends 25th July 2015. This Godavari Pushkara Jalam) at your door step through year Godavari Pushkaram is 'Maha Pushkaram' which India Post. comes once in every 144 years. India is a country of innumerable sacred rivers and “Godavari Mahapushkaram” is once in a life time rivulets. Such rivers have become Theerthas and these opportunity and devotees will have a holy dip in Theerthas have the reputation of washing away the Godavari River. Taking bath in a Pushkara river will sins of the sinners. Godavari, the longest river in the help to cleanse the inner selves, wash out the evil peninsular India, is considered very sacred by Indians tendencies and open up a path for a righteous living. It especially by people of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana is also believed that a holy dip in Godavari enhance and Maharashtra. The Skanda Purana contains an one's spiritual, mental and physical abilities. This year elaborate account of the holiness of the Godavari. The Godavari Pushkaram pilgrims from all over the river originates in Sahyadri Mountains (Brahma country will have a holy dip in Godavari River but Parvatam) in the Western Ghats, about 18 km from many who do have the desire but cannot make it for Nasik and Triambakam in Maharashtra and forms into reasons of ill health, old age, financial issues, busy a huge lake near Gangapur. It then embraces several schedule etc. need someone to fulfill their desire. tributaries on its way towards East and then towards south and finally joins Bay of Bengal in coastal Andhra Pradesh. The river flows through the states of Maharashtra, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Andhra Pradesh Postal Circle has taken an initiative to supply the sacred water of Godavari to the devotees who cannot physically visit and have a holy dip in the Godavari River. 500 ml. of purified sacred water of Godavari River christened 'GOD-JAL’ (Godavari Pushkara Jalam) duly bottled and purified as per ISI standards will be delivered at your door step at the cost as Rs. 20/- per bottle. These bottles will be available at 95 head post offices, 2,360 sub post offices and 13,611 branch post offices of Andhra Pradesh & Telangana from 15th to 25th July 2015. Pushkaram or Pushkaralu (in Telugu), Pushkara or Pushkar is an Indian festival dedicated to worshipping India Post has tied-up with a ISI-certified water of rivers. Pushkara or Pushkar is a Sanskrit word purification and bottling company to make the river derived from the element of Push (Pushti) meaning water drinkable through reverse osmosis process and nourishment and Kara means one who does it. to supply the 'God Jal' in 500 ml bottles. Shri B. V. Pushkara is the energy that nourishes. With reference Sudhakar, Chief Postmaster General, AP and to the sacred rivers, Pushkara means the one who Telangana circle, informed in the press meet that “The energize the rivers and provide spiritual purification. water drawn from the Godavari River would undergo an 18-stage purification process that complies with the Godavari Pushkaralu or Pushkaram is a festival of Bureau of Indian Standards before getting bottled. The River Godavari happens once in 12 years. This lasts for government of AP has permitted DoP to draw water a period as long as the Jupiter remains in Leo Zodiac from the river for this purpose.” sign. The first 12 days of Godavari pushkaram is called 1 ‘GOD-JAL’, the sacred water can also be ordered online at appost.in/eshop by devotees till 14th July 2015. Domestic order except Andhra Pradesh and Telangana will be delivered through EMS Speed Post while orders from foreign countries will be delivered through WorldNet Express. The last date for placing orders is July 14. For domestic orders Rs. 157 is being charged towards delivery charges per bottle. Orders booked within the state of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana will not be charged for delivery. Purchases from abroad will have to be made only using American Express or Diner Cards. Rajahmundry H.O. is the nodal point for dispatches of all orders received for ‘God’Jal’. Special cover on State Bank of India Hyderabad Circle Golden Jubilee – 4th July 2015. Andhra Pradesh Postal Circle has also planned to launch ‘My Stamps’ scheme for the convenience of the The Hyderabad Circle of State Bank of India was part devotees participating in the Godavari Pushkaralu. of the then Madras Circle and was later carved out as The Department would also release Special covers on Hyderabad Circle to cater to the customers in the occasion. Hyderabad and erstwhile state of Andhra Pradesh. “In 1965, the Hyderabad office was the 7th circle of the Two Meghdoot Postcards have already been released bank. It had 61 branches and 41 sub-offices then. by India Post on “Godavari Mahapushkaram”. Today Hyderabad circle has evolved into 1,411 branches and 400-odd sub-offices. Courtesy: Telangana State Info | AP Post | Sagi Srinavas Raju, Hyderabad. Andhra Pradesh Postal Circle released a special cover commemorating the golden jubilee of State Bank of India, Hyderabad circle on 4th July 2015 at Hyderabad (Special cover approval no. AP/03/2015) Courtesy: Sagi Srinavas Raju, Hyderabad 2 Special Cover on Inner Wheel District-326 Seminar The T-E-A-C-H program is to ensure: on T.E.A.C.H. – 4th July 2015. • That every child in India goes to school; • That each school is a “Happy School”; Rotary International’s successful “End Polio” program • That each school teacher is well trained and her/his motivated the Rotarians in South Asia to adopt skills are continuously upgraded using modern "Rotary’s Total Literacy Mission". The TEACH technology; programme chalked out by Rotary is a literacy • That each student gets to see, hear, read and use promotion initiative as a part of Total Literacy Mission high class learning material that helps her/him in South Asia to eradicate literacy within a period of 3 understand, question and find answers; years (2014-17). • That each deprived child gets the same opportunity of education as her/his affluent friend; Highlight of T-E-A-C-H program is: • That each adult acquires literacy, joins the formal T - Teacher Support stream and earns her/his living with honour; and E - E-Learning • That each child or adult we help gets the confidence A - Adult Literacy to make her/his own future and India’s future too! C - Child Development H - Happy Schools On the occasion of District Seminar on T.E.A.C.H. a special cover was released at Cuttack on 4th July 2015. (Special Cover approval no. OD/04/2015) Courtesy: Ajit Kumar Dash, Bhubaneswar Special Cover on Water Conservation Project – 7th by the District Governor Rtn. C R Raju. My Stamp was July 2015. also released on the occasion. Water Conservation Project of Rotary Club is to create awareness for Water conservation, harvesting, storage and recharging in India. As a part of literacy movement to create awareness among the people to conserve water, Rotary Club of Madras – R. I. District 3230 launched Water conservation initiatives in Chennai at a function held on 7th July 2015 at Vivanta by Taj Connemara, Chennai. On the occasion a Special Cover was released by Shri Merwin Alexander, Postmaster General, Chennai City Region which was received by Shri. Rajendra Singh (Water Man of India), Mr. David Dubensky (Managing Director, Ford Motor India) and 3 Courtesy: Sreejesh Krishnan, Thiruvananthapuram Baroda Philatelic Society Governing Council for On 13th July 2015 a special cover was released on the 2015-2016. occasion of Godavari Pushkaralu Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, Shri Chandrababu Naidu and Chief Annual General Body meeting of Baroda Philatelic Postmaster General, Andhra Pradesh Postal Circle, Society was held on12th July 2015 at society’s office. Shri B.V. Sudhakar depicting Havelock and Arch The following Governing Council members were bridges of Rajahmundry and State Government nominated for the year 2015-2016. Pushkaram logo. My Stamp on Godavari Pushkaram was also presented by Shri Sudhakar to Shri President: Shri Prashant H. Pandya Chandrababu Naidu on the occasion. (Special Cover Vice President: Shri Suresh Thakkar approval no. AP/20/2015) Hon. Secretary: Shri Timir R. Shah Joint Secretary: Shri Mohan P. Vaze Rajahmundry is a place of great historical importance. Treasurer: Shri Ashwin C. Shah It was known as Rajamahendravaram, being a capital Librarian: Shri Kalidas H. Kacchhia of the Hindu kingdoms of the Deccan and a place of Members: Shri R. U. Dave & Shri Mihir R. Shah many revolutions and battles and many poets and Internal Auditors: Shri Yogesh K. Shah & Shri Digant scholars wrote their epics here. River Godavari is the R. Mehta prime attraction of Rajahmundry with two bridges Office Co-ordinator: Smt. Parul H. Shah over the river that are said to be the longest. Release of Special Cover on Godavari Pushkaralu at The Old Godavari Bridge or the Havelock Bridge was Rajahmundry – 13th July 2015. built in 1900 by Sir Arthur Cotton, now decommissioned; this bridge has 56 spans and is 2.754 Godavari 'Pushkaram' is a once in 12 year event km long. It was constructed with stone masonry and dedicated to worshipping rivers in the two states of steel girders and certainly a marvel of British Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. However, the engineering. The Godavari Arch Bridge was later Pushkaralu this year is special as it is Maha constructed as a replacement for the Havelock Bridge.