COVER N. 496 - SRI LANKA

Postmark: Headquarters P. O. Colombo Mail 15.08.2024

Posted on the 15th August; Received in (?) August 2024

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Amongst the mail I had waiting for me in my letterbox upon arrival from my days out of "office" were two (soon to be three) sendings from Ravindra. He's got a Thank you Mr. Postman Frequent Contributor Card full of "miles". Bohomȧ  sthoothi, again, Ravi!

Here's the first:

Yearly, Sri Lanka Post issues a commemorative stamp set on the occasion of  Vesak, the most important Buddhist holiday, celebrating the birth, enlightenment (Nibbāna), and passing (Parinirvāna) of  Buddha, which in Sri Lanka is a very important celebration, given that 70% of the population profess this creed. 

The souvenir-sheet for this year's set, issued on 21MAY2024, comprised three 50 Rupee stamps, against a background of  lotus (?) flowers.

I would greatly appreciate help from Ravindra to confirm or infirm what I'm saying (You there Ravi?), but I  believe that each stamp features reproductions of paintings from Buddhist temples. Left to right we have:

- Ambilla Raja Maha Viharaya Procession, from the Kalalpitiya Purana Viahraya temple paintings;

- Makulathenna Raja Maha Viharaya Procession, from the Makulethenna Raja Maha Viharaya temple paintings;

- Kalapittya Purana Viharaya Procession, from the Ambilla Raja Maha Viharaya temple paintings.

I would also  speculate that all this paintings are related to the proceedings of the Vesak celebrations, but, this is pure guesswork from me.

As usual, the postmark hails from the city of Colombo. Sri Lanka's largest city.