Postage stamp, special cover to mark Ram Temple 'bhoomi pujan'

LUCKNOW: A postage stamp on the model of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya was released after the ceremonious 'bhoomi pujan' rituals on Wednesday. A special cover to celebrate the presence of Lord Ram in diverse cultures of the world – being documented in the Global Encyclopedia of the Ramayana by the Ayodhya Shodh Sansthan – was also revealed. Both the postal goods were released by Prime Minister Narendra Modi after he finished the ritualistic Bhoomipujan ceremony.
“Shri Ram Janmabhoomi is a symbolic place of Sanatan Sanskriti. Lord Shri Ram was born in the Ikshavaku dynasty. He is an ideal of social, human and individual values of our life from ancient times. Ayodhya is a city of Ashtchakra Navdwar as depicted in the Atharvaveda. The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple will be constructed by the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Tirth Kshetra Trust,” said the leaf on the stamp costing Rs 5 per unit.
The cover stated that Rama was present in tangible and intangible forms of cultures and heritage for the past 5000 years. He finds mention in Honduras (Patal Lok) in Central America, Italy’s Etruscan civilization, Kurdish region of Belula Iqar and Khamer culture in SouthEast Asia among others.
Chief postmaster general, UP Kaushalendra Kumar Sinha also presented a copy of both the items to the PM. “The stamp and the special cover have been brought in coordination with the state culture department,” Sinha said.
Director postal services, KK Yadav said that 5000 sheets of the stamp have been printed. “This means that there is a stock of 60,000 stamps at the moment. The stamps will be made available in Lucknow GPO soon,” he said informing that both the items are already available at the head post office of Faizabad.
About the special cover, the officials said that the special cover will be made available through the philatelic bureau units.