The Jersey or Belladonna Lily (Amarylilis belladonna) has been adopted as the symbol for Jersey Flower Gala held between 10-15 Jun 1986. This is flower of South African Origin which is well suited for Jersey’s climate.
Another famous Jersey is the charming portrait of Lillie Langtry by John Everett Millais.
Emilie Charlotte Langtry (1853-1929) was a well known personality of Jersey.
A Miniature sheet on Jersey Lilly the Flower and Portrait Lillie Langtry was issued on 28 Jan 1986.
On January 19th, 1968 Sir Alfred Chester Beatty died at the age of 92 in Monaco. This American-born, British knight of the realm became the first private citizen in Ireland to be given a state funeral.
The honour was bestowed on Beatty as a result of the collection he bequeathed to the nation.
It includes the first surviving copies of all four Gospels and the earliest Koran by one of Islam’s greatest calligraphers. It is among the most significant collections of its kind in the world.
His collections of early papyrus for the bibles has been invaluable in determining how the New Testament, as we understand today, came together.
As a result, Chester Beatty set up his library initially in Shrewsbury road before it was relocated to the grounds of Dublin Castle in 2000.
The occasion of the 50th anniversary of Beatty’s death was marked with the unveiling of four new stamps featuring highlights from different aspects of the collection.
The first representing the East Asian collection was a privately commissioned Japanese woodblock print from the 19th century. The second was a portrait of Shah Jahan, ruler of India from 1627 to 1658, who is best known for having built the The Taj Mahal It is heading to the Getty Museum in New York on loan.
The third from their Western collection was a masterpiece of miniaturization. Simon Bening’s The Birth of the Virgin from 1530 was inserted into a prayer book commissioned by the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. The fourth stamp is a picture of Chester Beatty aged in his mid-thirties taken in 1911.
The collection of stamps was launched by Josepha Madigan Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. .
The minister said the “beautifully designed” commemorative stamps were a fitting tribute to Chester Beatty and also to the fact that his passion for collecting began when he started collecting stamps as a child.
Indian Victoria Cross recipients on Foreign Stamps – 150th Anniversary of The Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest award United Kingdom Honors System. It is awarded for Gallantry “in the presence of Enemy” to members of British Armed Forces. It may be awarded posthumously. It was previously awarded to Commonwealth countries most of whom have now their own awards.
The VC was introduced on 29 Jan 1856 by Queen Victoria to honour acts of Valour during the Crimean War.Since then 1358 times to 1355 Individuals.
St Vincent & Grenadines issued a miniature sheet on 24 Oct 2007 to mark 150 years of Victoria Cross.It shows six recipients and one of them is Naik Yeshwant Ghadge.
Naik Yeshwant Ghadge (16 Nov 1921 -10 Jul 1944). He was awarded the Victoria Cross for his act of Valour in Italy during World War II while serving with 5th Battalion of Maratha Light Infantry of British Indian Army on 10 Jul 1944.
NAIK YESHWANT GHADGE – INDIAN ARMY -VICTORIA CROSS 1944 – ST VINCENT & GRENADINES STAMP
Artur Aleksanyan -Armenia Olympic Champion 2016 Rio Olympics.
Artur Aleksanyan is an Armenian Greco Roman wrestler who won Gold at Rio Olympics 2016 in 98 Kg Category. He was also a bronze Medallist at 2012 Olympics and World Champion in 2014.2015,2017. He is nicknamed “Polar Bear” .He is second Olympics Gold Medallist of Armenia since it gained Independence in 1991.He most decorated and renowned Armenian athlete.
A Round shaped stamp and miniature sheet was issued in his honour by Armenia on 30 May 2017.
ARTUR ALEKSANYAN- GOLD MEDALLIST ARMENIA GRECO ROMAN WRESTLING RIO 2016 OLYMPICS
The Yungang Grottoes formerly Wuzhousan Grottoes are ancient Chinese Buddhist temple Grottoes near the city of Datong in the province of Shanxi.They are excellent examples of rock cut architecture and one of the three most famous ancient Buddhist scriptural sites of China.
The Five caves created by Tan Yao represent the outstanding achievement of Buddhist Cave art in China in 5th and 6th Centuries. It consists of 252 caves and 51,000 statues.It is in UNESCO World Heritage Site .
Peoples Republic of China issued a miniature sheet on Yungang Grottoes -Buddha on 13 April 2006.
Stampdigest wishes all its readers a Happy Buddha Purnima or Vesak on 29th and 30th April.
Gautam Buddha’s Birthday is a holiday traditionally celebrated in East ,South and South East Asia. It is based on Asian Lunisolar Calendars and is primarily celebrated in Baisakh month of Buddhist Calendar and Bikram Samvat of Hindu Calendar and that is why called Vesak. It also falls on full moon Uposotha day in 5th or 6th Lunar Month. It is also celebrated on eighth day of fourth month in Chinese Lunar Calendar. Full moon is Purnima in Sanskrit and hence Buddha Purnima. It is celebrated in April,May orJune based on Gregorian Calendar. In 2018 it is being celebrated on 30th April.
Gautama was born in Lumbini in Nepal in 563 BC, attained Nirvana at Bodhgaya India and gave his first sermon at Sarnath India.
Nepal – Nepal issued a set of five stamps on world Heritage Site -Birth Place of Buddha -Lumbini in Nepal on 14 Sep 2009.
LUMBINI -BIRTH PLACE OF BUDDHA – NEPAL 2009
Bhutan – eight Auspicoius symbols of Buddhism
Bhutan issued a miniature sheet on 16 April 2016 depicting the eight auspicious symbols of Buddhism.
