JOIN USPostcrossing is an unique example for what could be termed as the amalgamation of traditional and advanced modes of communication. More interestingly, it is accepted as a hobby by millions of people across the globe, who share good regards with people whom they don’t even know.
Postcrossing is a hobby where the pictorial post cards are sent through a person residing at a corner of the world to his counterpart. Also, the collection of post cards goes together. Though the cards are sent via post, web based communication is made use of in the process to send it to a registered postcrosser.
The touch of technology has only made the old method of sending post cards, better. The postcrossing network covers around 80 per cent of countries in the world and India is in 37th place among other nations with respect to the number of postcrossers.
To Mansoor Hussian Bolar, an ardent postcrosser from Mangalore, postcrossing is a medium to rediscover the good old hobby of postcard sending more popular. Mansoor, a staff in a private firm, is also Joint Secretary with Dakshina Kannada Philatelic and Numismatic Association. He came in face to face with the unique hobby six years ago and later there was no looking back. Now he holds the third position among the first 10 highest postcrossers of India.
Speaking to Deccan Herald, he said that, to be a postcrosser, one should log onto www.postcrossing.com, and request an address and a postcard ID. Once you receive the address of an unknown person in the world, you can send the card(s) to that address via post. When the receiver gets the postcard, you will receive a postcard from another postcrosser.
Later, one has to register the postcard ID one has received and place a request again to send and receive more postcards! One need not mention the sender’s address, Mansoor said.
Once you become a registered postcrosser, you can send pictorial post cards to and receive cards from somebody who is totally unknown. This is a nice experience in itself and the cards from various countries add to your exquisite collection, he said.
Department of Posts has also taken interest and with postcrossers as resourcepersons, has conducted workshops for schoolchildren in Goa and in Hubli-Dharwad. This apart, several postcrossers from Mangalore, have been trying to create awareness on the hobby.
There are various types of post cards such as maxi postcards, 3D post cards, vintage cards, handmade cards, shape cards and so on. Each postcrosser may have a preference for a particular type of postcards.
When it comes to Mansoor, his obsession has been especially with that of postcards on the theme ships and he places a request for such cards. Also, he is in good possession with around 40 year-old cards on various themes. The total collection of postcards runs across 1800 odd numbers and the unique thing is that each one is sent by different postcrossers.
As Mansoor puts it, postcrossing is all about sending happiness across borders through flying ambassadors - postcards.