Permanent pictorial cancellations draw attention at philatelic expo

A Postal mail with a sealed picture of Udupi Shri Krishna, could easily reveal the place of the sender, and it might create an impression as well as surprise to reciever.
Permanent pictorial cancellation on mails is more than any normal cancellation seal. The pictorial representation of a place, used in the postal seals is one of the accepted methods of cancellation at post offices.

However, the pictorial cancellation seal is applied at post offices, on the request of senders, said philatelist M K Krishnaiah. He was speaking to Deccan Herald during a philatelic and numismatic exhibition organised by Dakshina Kannada Philatelic and Numismatic Association at Head Post Office in Pandeshwar in Mangalore. On the day, he displayed his philatelic collection on primates.

Primates, ape like mammals belonging to families of Daubentoniidae, Lemuridae and Cebidae. There are 13 families of primates and various countries, including India, have released stamps on these animals.

An Indian stamp on such primate, Slow Loris was also exhibited at the expo.
The exhibition of around 250 stamps on the theme ‘primates' saw  miniature sheets, postal sheets and magazine cards. The collection of permanent pictorial cancellations, also a part of philately added colour to the expo.

On cancellation
In Permanent pictorial cancellation, an ancient landmark of the region is depicted in the form of picture as the cancellation seals, said Krishnaiah. For instance, the pictorial cancellation of Kalakad region is a primate - Lion tailed macaque.

However, the regular features of the cancellation, the zip code and date will be included in the seal. The sender can have his mail sealed pictorially by postal staff by placing an oral request, provided proper number of stamps are affixed on the mail. The pictorial cancellation can also be imprinted on post cards and inland letters. Once the pictorial cancellation is made, no normal cancellation is needed, he said. The pictorial cancellation is recognised by the Philatelic Bureau of the postal department and is available at all local post offices. For instance, in Mangalore, the representing image for the permanent pictorial cancellation is Tagore Park. Some of the pictorial cancellations in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi are: Shri Krishna Temple - Udupi, Sri Manjunatheshwara Temple - Dharmasthala, Five hooded Serpent -Subrahmanya, Sri Durgaparameshwari Temple - Kateel, Sri Mookambika Temple - Kollur and Sri Durgaparameshwari Temple - Mandarthi.Krishnaiah further said that a request has been sent by the DK Philatelic and Numismatic Association to the Department of Posts to consider four other places for picture cancellation. They are Thousand pillar Basadi - Moodbidri,  Monolithic statue of Gommateshwara - Venoor, St Mary's Island - Malpe, and Kattalu Basadi - Barkur.
When a postal mail with the pictorial cancellation is sent by a person to another, the landmark will indicate the sender’s place, which gives a feel of proximity. Also, the pictorial cancellation are a collector’s delight and is included in the philately, holding a significance, which is equal to that of postal stamps, said Krishnaiah. He said he has been collecting stamps for the last 53 years.

Jayaprakash Rao Kaup, in his display of numismatic collection exhibited coins from USSR, Jamaica, Vietnam and Philippines.