Ganesha makes mark on stamps, currency

As postage stamps with their beautiful engraved imagery became part and parcel of life, many started collecting it as a hobby.

Stamps are available on almost all the subjects. In fact, eight countries have issued postage stamps honouring Lord Ganesha, including one by the former princely state of Datia in Uttar Pradesh, and the Indonesian currency carries a figure of the elephant God.
Dakshina Kannada Philatelic and Numismatic Association President M K Krishnayya has collection of stamps on Ganesha, greeting cards issued by the postal department and so on.

The collection include a stamp on Ganesha/Kageshwar issued by Nepal in 2003 and it costs Nepalese Rupee 5. Another stamp on Ganesha issued by Thailand in 2009 costs 5 Baht.

Thailand has a remarkable affinity to the Hindu religion and Thai people are proud of the connection of the rich and colourful Indian culture and tradition with that of the Thai culture.

To mark the beginning of the sixth five year development plan, the Directorate General of Posts and Telecommunication of Indonesia issued a series of stamps featuring achievement of women in the field of education and health.

The stamp had featured the figure of Ganesha and was costing Indonesian rupiah (Rp) 700.  It symbolises intelligence and was issued on April 1, 1994. The size of the stamp was 21X28.96 mm.

The designer of the stamp was Nurasyid and Indo Jatmiko.  The first day covers are embossed with Ganesha idol. The Indonesian currency Indonesian rupiah 20,000 (Dua Puluh Ribu Rupiah) issued by the Bank of Indonesia in 1998 has a picture of Ganesha in sitting position on the left hand side of the currency also form his collection.

The Indonesian currency with Ganesha also form the collection of Y G Micheal of undivided Dakshina Kannada district.  Pictorial cancellation of Ganesha on the special cover issued by the postal department on the golden jubilee celebration of S T Hindu Jain College on September 9, 2002 also forms his collection.  Another collection of Krishnayya is two greeting cards with Ganesha which were issued by the postal department on the occasion of Deepavali in the early 2000.  One of the greeting cards was designed by Dipanwita Donde.