Book Review

 

Guardians of Heritage

Exploring The World of GI Tag Products of India

-      Senthilkumar Chandrasekaran

Guardians of Heritage : Exploring the Wold of GI Tag Products of India by Senthilkumar Chandrasekaran : First Edition 2025 : Published By Mohanapriya Senthilkumar : ISBN 978-93-342-5045-9 : Copyright : Senthilkumar Chandrasekaran : Pages: 280 : Size A4 : Type Hardbound : Price: INR 1950: Author email : csenthilkumar78@gmail.com

 

A new book “Guardians of Heritage by Senthil Kumar Chandrasekaran” is an excellent book on different philatelic items related to Geographical Indications.  A geographical indication (GI) is a name used on certain products which corresponds to a specific geographical location or origin (e.g., a town, region, or country). India, as a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO), enacted the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999, which came into effect from 15 September 2003.

GIs have been defined under Article 22 (1) of the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) as: "indications which identify a good as originating in the territory of a member, or a region or locality in that territory, where a given quality, reputation or other characteristic of the good is essentially attributable to its geographic origin.

India, with its vast cultural and ecological diversity, has given GI recognition to a variety of products ranging from the agricultural products, food products Handicrafts which promote the tapestry of culture and craftsmen, Manufactured products which show case the indigenous capability, to the natural products of India like the Makrana Marble. India Post has issued stamps, special covers, cancellations and other postal memorabilia to promote these GI Tagged Products of India. 

This book is based on author’s collection of philatelic items related to Geographical Indications. The book is a tribute to the GI Tagged Products. The author has shown different philatelic items  like Stamps, Miniature sheets , Special Covers, Special Cancellations, Permanent Pictorial Cancellations, Picture Postcards, Meter Marks, and other items issued by Deptt of Posts. related to GI products .

The author has given separate chapters to Agriculture Products Food Stuffs, Manufactured Products, and natural Products. The description of each product is given in detail.

 

A special chapter has been given in the book on special and specific Products from other countries like Czech Republic, Thailand, Japan, Peru, Chile, France, UK, Mexico, Portugal, Italy and Greece. This is a very interesting part of the book. It covers textile, Agriculture. Cheese, alcoholic beverages and other products from these countries.The list of State wise GI Tag Products and Alphabetical Index of GI Products has been given in the book which makes easy for reference.

The printing and layout of the book is excellent. There are about 600 multi coloured images covering different philatelic items from India and other countries. The book is very useful for all thematic collectors as well as for non philatelists too as it gives a comprehensive information on a variety of special GI Products of India. The author has given details about each item very systematically so it is a very good refence book for everyone..  The book will prove to  be an asset for all philatelists and book lovers. This book is specially recommended for School and college libraries as it has lot of information on a variety of interesting products from different parts of India and other countries. It will enrich the knowledge of students about many special products and the rich heritage of our country. Thematic philatelists will find this book very interesting as the author has tried to show different types of philatelic items in the book which are part of a thematic exhibit,  I recommend this book for every thematic collector as well as people from all walks of life of every age group. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Senthilkumar Chandrasekaran is a Chemical Engineering Graduate from renowned AC Tech Campus of Anna University, Chennai, India. He is currently employed in an Indian multi national company specialised in Water and Wastewater Treatment as General Manager & Head of Engineering Function.

He was collecting stamps during his school days and restarted his philatelic interest during 2010 and became a very active collector cum exhibitor since 2019. His collection interests includes Water, Olympics, Gandhi, Joint Issue, Indian Heritage, Indian Postal Stationary and GI Tags.

He is a Life member of South India Philatelists’ Association (SIPA), Philatelic Congress of India (PCI), Ananthapuri Philatelic Association (APA) and Madurai Philatelist and Numismatist Association (MAPNA). He had participated in various State and National level exhibitions and won medals in different categories including Thematic, Postal Stationary, Literature and One-Frame.

 

 

New Special Cover

 

26 June 2024 : Jaunpur Imarti : Jaunpur (UP)

Jaunpur Imarti

Postal Department organized a 'Special Cover and Cancellation’ release program on GI product on 26 June 2024  at Hindi Bhawan, Jaunpur. The chief guest of the program, Postmaster General of Varanasi Region, Shri Krishna Kumar Yadav released a Special Cover and Cancellation on 'Jaunpur Imarti', the first GI product of Jaunpur district that has received Geographical Indication.

Postmaster General Shri Krishna Kumar Yadav said that along with its historical value, Jaunpur has also been rich in terms of cuisine. The history of Jaunpur's Imarti dates back to the British rule period (about 200 years). It is in high demand in the country and abroad. In view of its geographical uniqueness, it has been granted Geographical Indication by the Government of India on March 30, 2024. It is the first product of Jaunpur to receive this status. Mr. Yadav said ,The special cover on it will lead to its global branding and wide publicity. This also takes forward the Prime Minister's concept of 'Vocal for Local'. The Postal Department has an important role in transmitting India's rich heritage to the next generations through postage stamps and special covers, said Mr. Yadav.

Postmaster General Mr. Krishna Kumar Yadav said that 34 products around Varanasi have received GI. This is the highest in any region of the world. These GI products have an annual turnover of about twenty-five thousand crores and 20 lakh people are directly and indirectly benefited.

Postmaster General Mr. Krishna Kumar Yadav also added that Jaunpur Imarti is completely different from ordinary Imarti. It is specially cooked on low flame and the ingredients used in it include Desi Sugar (Khandsari), Desi Ghee and Urad Dal. It is so soft that it melts in the mouth.

Superintendent of Post Offices Parmanand Kumar said that the said special cover with Cancellation issued on Jaunpur Imarti will be available at Jaunpur Head Post Office and Varanasi Philatelic Bureau for Rs. 25/-.

-Parmanad Kumar, Jaunpur (UP)

Finnish Flavours and Costumes

Six Finnish flavors that get water in the tongue

Date of Issue : 6 June 2018

Here are six tempting stamps issued by Finnish Post on 6th June 2018 featuring the Finnish flavors. The stamps illustrate six taste sensations that most Finns know. The stamps are rye bread, pullout, new potatoes, coffee, cheese and strawberry.

National Costumes of Finland

Date of Issue : 6 June 2018

Here is another recent issue from Finland, a mini sheet featuring two national costumes. The costume of the goddess represents the Western-Finnish tradition and Jääsken costume of Karelian craftsmanship and costume. The miniature sheet depicts the entire national costume and the magnifying glasses have magnified the fine details designed for the costumes among others.

Dutch Treats...

Date of Issue : 19 June 2017

Here is  a beautiful set from Netherlands Post featuring Dutch delicacies. If you visit Netherlands don't miss these lovely delicacies !  On the stamp sheetlet 'Dutch treats "the following typical Dutch treats are shown: 

Bossche bulb, Limburg flan, Drents Krumkake, Frisian sugar, Zwolle balls, Gouda stroopwafel, Zeeland bolus, Groningen eierbal, Amsterdam onion and Tielse fairground cake. 

On the stamp sheetlet 'Dutch treats "the following typical Dutch treats are shown: 

Bossche bulb, Limburg flan, Drents Krumkake, Frisian sugar, Zwolle balls, Gouda stroopwafel, Zeeland bolus, Groningen eierbal, Amsterdam onion and Tielse fairground cake. 

Most foods are also outside the area of ​​origin for sale, but some do not. So Zwolle balls are available in the city of origin. The ten treats are chosen in consultation with the Knowledge Intangible Heritage Netherlands in Utrecht. The ten treats with full-screen color photos appear Dutch delicacies on the stamp. Each delicacy is held in the picture with one or two hands, in most cases combined with a dish, plate, bowl, cloth, box or jar. The person behind it is visible, but not pictured recognizable. All pictures run through the tabs above and below the stamps. Each delicacy is depicted in the center of the picture and each stamp has been given his own background color. On the tabs in addition to the postage stamps is a brief description.The stamps itself is listed right below the name of the delicacy.

Stamps for sweet lovers - Traditional Portuguese desserts

Date of Issue : 16 May 2017

The history of Traditional Portuguese Desserts can be likened to a poem composed of words as simple as the ingredients used in the majority of recipes included in this  philatelic issue devoted to this sweet theme. These beautiful tempting stamps were issued by Portrugal Post on 16th May 2017.

 Water, eggs, sugar, milk and wheat  are a starting point for many creations, transforming, in the experienced hands of  pastry chefs, into sumptuous desserts, prodigious in shape, delicate in texture and surprising in flavour. Like the best poems of simple words, through the alchemy of cooking, be it a simple chemical interaction or beautiful divine inspiration, the bringing together of these ingredients results in exceptional desserts that do not allow us to forget the places they were created and the people who made them or with whom we savour them. They penetrate our beings and we are never again able to escape from the memory of how they tasted. Just like the most beautiful poems that cause us to over flow with emotion, traditional Portuguese desserts fill our hearts with sweetness transformed into happy feelings.

Huelva - Spanish Capital of Gastronomy 2017

Date of Issue : 20 January 2017

Here is a beautiful stamp issued by Spanish Post featuring famous Spanish Cuisine. As in previous years, a province of Spain has been chosen as the Spanish Capital of Gastronomy during 2017. This year, Huelva has been selected.

For the first time a coastal province has been chosen. The jury has recognized the cuisine of the sea, all those products that every morning arrive in boats to the market where they are selected to become exquisite dishes.

It is worth to mention about white shrimp, coquinas and puntillitas, or cuttlefish, a select ingredient to prepare dishes such as meatballs.But Huelva is not only sea, also, its products of interior like the ham of Jabugo, the slaughterings of the Mountain range of Aracena; Also the famous strawberries known in the whole world.

The vegetable garden offers us typical dishes like chickpeas with spinach, beans "enzapatás" or the game dishes and mushrooms of the area as the gurumelos. But not everything is to eat, Huelva also has wines worthy of mention as the Orange Wine of the County of Huelva that owns the Denomination of Origin.

The pastries also give  irresistible recipes such as chestnut stew, "pulleys" or snowy eggs.

The stamp includes the image of the logo of Huelva Spanish Capital of Gastronomy 2017, which forms a fan with some of the typical products of the place: choco, ham, strawberries, prawns and wine. On a white background, these products take all the protagonism on a trace of black ink, sepia, that always gives a touch of elegance to the dishes.

Nordic Cuisine

Date of Issue : 15 April 2016

Here is a new  beautiful set of two stamps with a nice miniature sheet featuring Nordic Cuisine and sweden's floating hotel, Hurtigruten. 

Joint Nordic Issue: Nordic Cuisine

The success of New Nordic Cuisine is due to a joint manifesto for The New Nordic Kitchen. This manifesto states that food should express the purity, freshness and simplicity associated with its region of origin. The seasons should be reflected in the menu, and dishes should be based on ingredients and produce that are at their best in the particular  climate, landscapes and water. In addition, the food should combine the demand for good taste with modern knowledge of health and wellbeing.

MS featuring Nordic Cuisine and Sweden's floating hotel, Hurtigruten.

The New Nordic Kitchen requires that new applications be developed for traditional Norwegian ingredients. The new food revolution is celebrated with two stamps. Food from the restaurant Maaemo in Oslo is depicted on one stamp:

-Salt and Pepper first had champagne and appetizers on things such as ice-cold Nyr cheese and whitefish roe, purple salsify in juniper, and roasted duck. Now they had some kind of cake made from dried, salted chantarelles and dehydrated chicken leg bouillon.

Now move from Maaemo and Dagens Næringsliv’s restaurant critics to the plates to the second stamp, the lifeblood of the coast and the Sweden's floating hotel, Hurtigruten. When you go to bed, the fishermen are headed to work.

Hurtigruten itself decribes it like this: -At the same time, local fishermen in Sigerfjord in Vesterålen head out to bring in the catch of the day: Arctic char. (…) Later in the evening, in the restaurant on the table, that same Arctic char that was brought out of the sea in the morning is lying on your plate. Local and completely fresh. And while you sail on along the beautiful coastline, you get closer to the ingredients for your next meal.

Swedish food on stamps..

Food in Sweden

Date of Issue : 17 March 2016

Here are new beautiful stamps from Swedish Post featuring Swedish food.Traditional Swedish cooking cannot be compared with the sophistication of, say, French or Italian cuisine. Swedish food is usually simple and satisfying, and nowadays also healthy. In the last few decades immigrants from all over the world have enriched Swedish food culture with a host of exciting dishes.

New York, London and Paris are the world’s three most important centers for new food culture trends, and it is here the new dishes are created that are actively adopted by trendsetters from Sweden and other countries. This is also where dishes from around the world are given a new interpretation.

Sweden did not bring in sushi directly from Japan. This dish, which is so popular today, came  around 1980 via New York. An Americanized version of sushi was created there, and when it was adopted and re-planted in the Swedish food culture it underwent additional localization. There is more rice in Swedish sushi, whereas in Japan the focus is more on fish.

Without the growing interest for Japan in the 1980s, sushi would hardly have rooted itself in Sweden. At that time the west was discovering smart, Japanese production systems and the “Just In Time” concept. Cultural factors such as the Shogun TV series and music groups such as Kroumata also supported the trend. The popularization of sushi was driven by the middle-class, who frequently ate out in restaurants.

Pizza depicted on one of the stamps was not first introduced in Skärholmen, but rather in Östermalm, and it did not come from Italy but from the French Riviera and New York as early as in the 1950s. One person behind its rise in popularity was top chef Bengt Wedholm. Pizza had its breakthrough around 1968, the year of the student revolts. With its informal and youthful emphasis, pizza was the perfect meal for the era.

When established dishes are introduced to an entirely new culture, it is important that they are given an appealing taste profile and that they complement the local food selection. Spices play an important role here in terms of recognition.

One of the stamp motifs shows crisp bread and cheese, a historic combination that reaches back to at least the time of the Vikings. Only time will tell if the new, imported dishes can match this kind of longevity.

Traditional Biscuits from Singapore..

 

Singapore Post released a special set of stamps on 25th March  dedicated to traditional snacks.Traditional snacks such as the kueh bangkit, murukku and almond biscuit are getting their own special stamps. Traditional Biscuits stamp issue which also features the gem biscuit, kueh makmur and cream cracker.

These snacks are familiar to most Singaporeans, and putting them on stamps will allow customers to appreciate the rich diversity of cultures here, Singapore Post said. For example, murukku is a Tamil word for “twisted”, which describes the shape of the savoury Indian biscuit.

Stamp on Indian Theme

One of the stamps in the above set featuring  murukku is related with Indian Theme.

 

New Special Covers

Special Cover on Golden Jubilee Celebrations of Sri Venkateswara Balakuteer, Guntur – 19th March 2015

Dr. N. Manga Devi and Ms. G. Prabhavathi, with a strong belief that the child is the right instrument to change the face of the society, gave up their secured government jobs in Women Development and Child Welfare Department. They took training in an international training institute run by Mr. Justen, the personal representative of Mariya Montessori to equip themselves as full fledged Montessori Teachers. When school for threes were unheard of, in 1965 they started a “House of children” in the name “Sri Venkateswara Bala Kuteer” with a single child on rolls.

The Sri Venkateswara Bala Kuteer located at Syamala Nagar; Guntur is a Co-educational school and offers education in English medium, running under the aegis of Sri Venkateswara Bala Kuteer (Regd).

On the occasion of Golden Jubilee Celebrations of Sri Venkateswara Balakuteer a Special Cover was released by Shri M. Sampath, Postmaster General, Vijayawada at the school premises on 19th March 2015. (Special Cover approval no. AP/07/2015)

Courtesy - Indian Philately Digest

Dainik Bhaskar “Save Birds” Campaign

A special cover “ Save Birds ” was released on 18th March 2015 at Bhopal.

Save Birds !

 

- Sreejesh Krishnan - Trivandrum

Spanish Cuisine on stamps

 

 

Date of Issue :  28 January 2015

Spain Post has prepared for issuing a set of two stamps dedicated to its gastronomy. The stamp release consisting of two items has been already designed and is scheduled to put into circulation on the 28^th of January.

Spain enjoys a vastly diffuse and dramatic gastronomic heritage. Traditional Spanish cooking draws on European impressions from the north, Moorish influences from the south and, thanks to early explorers ingredients from the Americas and the Far East. Spanish food is existing and diverse.Contrary to most North Americans beliefs it is also mild and deeply flavoured.

Club News

New Special Covers

Special Covers on renaming of the 12 districts of Karnataka State

On 16th January 2015, at Karnapex – 2015, 12 Special Covers on renaming of the 12 districts of Karnataka State were released by Hon'ble Chief Minister of Karnataka Shri Siddaramaiah. All 12 cities/districts names were changed with effect from 1st November 2014 vide special gazette notification issued on eve of the 59th Karnataka Rajyotsava.

Renamed cities/districts are Bengaluru (Bangalore), Belagavi (Belgaum), Ballari (Bellary), Vijayapura (Bijapur), Chikkamagaluru (Chikmanglur), Kalaburagi (Gulbarga), Hosapete (Hospet), Hubballi (Hubli), Mangaluru (Mangalore), Mysuru (Mysore), Shivamogga (Shimoga), Tumakuru (Tumkur)].

KARNAPEX 2014 – 16 January 2014

KARNAPEX 2015

17 January 2015 - Day 2

Second day of exhibition was celebrated as Samskriti Diwas. A Special cover on Heritage Bengaluru and Picture Postcard Pack on Heritage Bengaluru were released by Shri M. S. Ramanujan, Chief Postmaster General, Karnataka Circle in presence of Shri Laxmi Narayan, Commissioner of BBMP, Bangalore and Guest of Honor Shri Sushil Mehra and Dr. Sita Bhateja, Philatelists from Bangalore.

The special cover is to celebrate Heritage of Bangalore's very special architectural and aesthetic heritage (Special Cover approval no. KTK/05/2015). Pictures on the Special Cover have been taken from the Vintage Postcards collection of Shri Sushil Mehra.

In the afternoon session a Special Cover on Say No to Child Labour (Special Cover approval no. KTK/06/2015) and Special Pictorial Cancellations on St. Mary's Island, Malpe and another on Kattle Basdadi Barkur were released by Rtn. Manjunatha Shetty, Rotary District Governor District no. 3190 in presence of Shri M. S. Ramanujan, Chief Postmaster General, Karnataka Circle and Guest of Honor Dr. Sita Bhateja, renowned Philatelist of Bangalore. Following release function there was a talk on Philately by Dr. Sita Bhateja.

Courtesy – Indian Philately Digest , Jagannath Mani - Bangalore