Wish you all a Happy HOLI - Festival of Colors.

One of the major festivals of India, holi is celebrated at the end of the winter season on the last full moon day of the lunar month Phalguna (February/March), which usually falls in the later part of February or March.

Everywhere people - young or old are drenched with different colors and water which comes from everywhere, there are balloons bursting and long piston squirting colored water. People in small groups are seen singing, dancing and throwing colors on each other.

According to legend Hirankashyap was a very powerful Devil. In his fight against the Gods he had defeated the Gods and because of this he became very egoistic and had issued an order that no one should pray to God or even take the name of God. Due to fear people started praying him. His son Pralhad was a true devotee of God. He didn't obey his father's order. Hirankashyap got angry on him and order for the most rigorous punishments to him. But this did no harm to Pralhad. Hirankashyap had a sister by the name of Holika. She had been granted a boon that fire will do no harm to her. Hirankashyap ordered Holika to take Pralhad on her lap and sit on a bed of fire. Holika was burnt in the fire and Pralhad survived with no harm done to him.

As a remembrance to that event people celebrate Holi by burning wood and pray to Goddess Holi for their well being.

Holi is also associated with the immortal love of Krishna and Radha .

Wish you all a Happy HOLI

Switzerland - Canton of Basel

The Basel Dove is a notable stamp issued by the Swiss canton of Basel. It was issued on 1 July 1845 with a value of 2½-rappen and was the only stamp issued by Basel. At the time each canton  was responsible for its own postal service and there were no uniform postal rates for Switzerland until after the establishment of a countrywide postal service on 1 January 1849. The only other cantons to issue their own stamps were Zürich and Geneva.

The stamp, designed by the architect Melchior Berri, featured a white embossed dove carrying a letter in its beak, and was inscribed "STADT POST BASEL". The stamp is printed in black, crimson and blue, making it the world's first tri-coloured stamp. It was valid for use until 30 September 1854, by which time 41,480 stamps had been printed

Source:Wiki