United Nations Wishes India Happy Diwali by Releasing Special Stamps

Diwali, the festival of lights is celebrated with glory not just in India but also in other countries across the world. Diwali is also a festival, which appeals every human being to be together forgetting caste, creed, religion, and sex and to spread the beauty of light and happiness. This year in order to commemorate the Indian festival, the United Nations has come out with a special set of stamps.

Though the decision to come out with these special stamps was made earlier by the United Nations, it is releasing now on the occasion of Diwali, also known as the festival of lights, Deepawali. The sheet contains ten stamps, which are priced at 14.95 USD, which is around Rs 1100 in INR. The sheet of stamps is designed with the symbol of light with diyas. These stamps are available on the website of UN Stamps.

The United Nations Postal Administration, while issuing the stamp in a special event in New York said in a statement, “Diwali, also known as Deepawali, is the joyous and popular festival of lights, which is celebrated in India and across the world by followers of many faiths”. The background of the sheet features the United Nations Headquarters building, which is illuminated with the message of “Happy Diwali”.

India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin also welcomed the announcement with a tweet, “Nice Diwali gift from @unstamps coming next month.”

The United States Postal Service (USPS) Diwali stamp was not an easy task, it took seven years to achieve after continuous advocacy and efforts by the Indo American community and several Congressional resolutions by influential American lawmakers such as Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney.

This is not the first time, international organisations have issued stamps to honour the traditional ethos of India. The United States Postal Service (USPS) had in the past also launched a commemorative stamp in the honour of Diwali in the year 2016.

Diwali or Deepawali is a Hindu festival of lights, which symbolises the spiritual victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance and good over evil. According to the legends in Hindu epic Ramayana, the day is celebrated as the return of Lord Rama, Sita, Lakshman and Hanuman to Ayodhya after 14 years of exile and defeating the demon king Ravana.

Diwali is also celebrated as the birth of Goddess Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of wealth and prosperity. In eastern India, the festival is celebrated as Kali Puja, an incarnation of goddess Durga, who also symbolises the victory of good over evil.