Diwali finally puts its ‘stamp’ on America

TIL Desk World/ US/ After a long wait 12 years of waiting the first-ever Diwali postal stamp was released in the United States at the consulate general of India in New York on Wednesday, October 5.

The ceremony was conducted in association with the United States Postal Service and the community-driven Diwali Stamp Project. The stamp shows a traditional lamp, with a pair of rose petals before it, and set against a sequined gold background.

Pritha Mehra, the USPS vice-president, mail entry and payment technology, spoke of how the stamp addressed the wishes of the Indian-American community and spoke about growing up in India, lighting ceremonial lamps during Diwali and enjoying special dishes then. Mehra spoke of how she enjoyed the fireworks of July 4, the food of Thanksgiving and the lights of Christmas, “all wrapped up in one: Diwali.”

After she stepped off the stage with a “Diwali Mubarak,” a blue sheet in the backdrop of the stage was pulled off, and the new Diwali stamp, designed by Sally Anderson, was revealed. And emcee Ravi Batra just couldn’t contain his excitement when he exclaimed, “Isn’t that a gorgeous, gorgeous stamp?!”