WASHINGTON (Diya TV) — A bright rangoli now marks Diwali on U.S. postage. The U.S. Postal Service issued its second Diwali Forever stamp on Oct. 21, printing 20 million copies after years of advocacy from the Indian American community.
“There was so much advocacy on behalf of the Indian community to create a second stamp,” USPS senior vice president Shibani Gambhir told IANS at the unveiling. USPS issued its first Diwali stamp in 2016. Gambhir said the first design sold millions of copies, prompting the agency to print a larger run for the new issue.
Houston-area artist Sangita Bhutada created the rangoli featured on the stamp. She arranged blue, orange, green, red and white sand and starch-based powders into an eight-foot-wide design. The project took eight to 10 days—well beyond the four to six hours she usually spends on a rangoli—so photographer Bijay Dixit could capture it in high resolution. USPS set the photograph against a purple background. Jennifer Arnold designed the stamp, and William J. Gicker directed the art.
Rangoli artists create the colorful patterns on floors, often near home entrances, during Diwali. Families use materials such as colored powder, rice and flower petals, and many traditions associate the designs with good fortune. The festival, also known as Deepavali, falls on Nov. 8 this year.
USPS and the Embassy of India unveiled the stamp in Washington. Ambassador Vinay Mohan Kwatra said the issue recognizes Indian American life in the United States and the community’s role in connecting the two countries. He described Indian Americans as a “living bridge,” IANS reported.
The Postal Service sells the stamp nationwide in panes of 20. Its Forever status means customers can use it for a one-ounce First-Class Mail letter even if rates increase. USPS lists the print quantity as 20 million.
