Ramayana stamp expo shows epic's global reach

The story of the victory of good over evil is as old as time itself. And no epic emphasises this better than the Valmiki Ramayana.

The epic has an influence much beyond our borders, and among its far-reaching influence across the world is in the field of philately. Said to be a rare collection, the stamps will give Bengalureans a chance to witness a philately exhibition centred around the Ramayana as part of a three-day festival at Iskcon, in association with the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan.

Different stamps and covers pertaining to Ramayana, both from India and other countries, collected by Bengaluru-based N Sridevi over several years will be displayed at the exhibition. Postal stamps from Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Canada and others will be part of the display.

Stamp collector N Sridevi

The stamps have been based on various episodes of Ramayana. Stamps collected from various countries present different versions and influence of Ramayana on their local culture. Some of the stamps even date back to the pre-Independence era.

Sridevi has been an avid collector of coins and stamps centred around Ramayana. Over the years, she has managed to collect coins from some of the princely states of India and royal kingdoms of ancient and medieval India.

The exhibition is one of the main attractions during the three-day national conference from July 6 to 8 on the message of Ramayana at Iskcon. Entry to the exhibition is free.

"The Ramayana is deeply rooted in our culture and is something we revere. It is natural for us to have a special bond with Ramayana," said Sridevi.