My National Covers

Every now and then I have the opportunity to add what I call a "National Cover" to my collection.

These are nothing fancy. In fact they are but covers that I print  at home with the flag and coat of arms of a specific country and which I then either send to a fellow collector who is willing to help or give to friends or family or take my own self whenever travelling abroad, in the hope that these might find a way to a local post office to get a stamp and a postmark.

I will be adding these to a new "My National Covers" section in this blog.

If you don't see your country here and are willing to help me add your own country's national cover to my collection, please email me at pnsoares1@gmail.com. 

You'll get a cover from Portugal (if you want I'll be happy to print a Portuguese National Cover just like the ones I print for myself, although in a somewhat larger envelope) and a printed envelope with the relevant symbols printed, so that you can then return it to me.

Thanks a lot.

Note: Whenever possible I will try to transcribe the flag and coat of arms information from the relevant national site. Failing that I'll transcribe from Wikipedia.

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 Republic of India / Bhārat Gaṇarājya

The Flag

The National Flag of India was adopted in its present form during the meeting of Constituent Assembly held on the 22 July 1947, a few days before India's independence from the British on 15 August, 1947. It served as the national flag of the Dominion of India between 15 August 1947 and 26 January 1950 and that of the Republic of India thereafter. In India, the term "tricolour" refers to the Indian national flag.

The National flag of India is a horizontal tricolor of deep saffron (kesari) at the top, white in the middle and dark green at the bottom in equal proportion. The ratio of width of the flag to its length is two to three. In the centre of the white band is a navy blue wheel which represents the chakra. Its design is that of the wheel which appears on the abacus of the Sarnath Lion Capital of Ashoka. Its diameter approximates to the width of the white band and it has 24 spokes.

In the national flag of India the top band is of Saffron colour, indicating the strength and courage of the country. The white middle band indicates peace and truth with Dharma Chakra. The last band is green in colour shows the fertility, growth and auspiciousness of the land.

The Dharma Chakra depicted the "wheel of the law" in the Sarnath Lion Capital made by the 3rd-century BC Mauryan Emperor Ashoka. The chakra intends to show that there is life in movement and death in stagnation.

Source: My India My Pride - Indian Tricolor - Know India: National Portal of India

The Emblem

The State Emblem is an adaptation of the Lion Capital of Asoka at Sarnath. In the original, there are four lions, mounted back to back, on a circular abacus, which itself rests on a bell-shaped lotus. The frieze of the abacus has sculptures in high relief of an elephant, a galloping horse, a bull and a lion separated by intervening Dharma Chakras.

The profile of the Lion Capital showing three lions mounted on the abacus with a Dharma Chakra in the centre, a bull on the right and a galloping horse on the left, and outlines of Dharma Chakras on the extreme right and left was adopted as the State Emblem of India on January 26, 1950. The bell-shaped lotus was omitted. The motto Satyameva Jayate, which means 'Truth Alone Triumphs', written in Devanagari script below the profile of the Lion Capital is part of the State Emblem of India.

Source: National Identity Elements - State Emblem - Know India: National Portal of India

The Stamps

- After decades of  mostly non-violent and civil disobedience struggle led mainly by Mahatma Gandhi and his followers, India achieved independence from the United Kingdom on the 15th August 1947.

Celebrating three quarters of a century of Independence, India Post issued on 11FEB2023 the 5 rupee stamp on the cover illustrated with the official logo of the commemorations, which bears the  Hindi legend Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, which might be translated into " The Elixir of Freedom".

- The 75th anniversary of India's independency occurring in the same year in which the United Arab Emirates celebrated the 50th anniversary of its formation, was the occasion chosen by the Postal Administrations of both countries to create a joint stamp issue, consisting of two stamps bearing the flag and the logo of the commemorations of each country.

The 25 rupee stamp bearing the Indian flag and logo issued on 16FEB2022 is also present on the cover. (The companion set stamp in the set has the same denomination /25 rupees) and bears UAE's Flag and 50 years of formation logo).

The Postmark

Piyush, whom I thank for this very nice addition to my collection sent the following notes, regarding the rather interesting cancellation:

The cancellation was issued at Goa and it commemorates  the 18th Exposition of St. Francis Xavier's Relics.

St. Francis Xavier arrived in India in 1542, [as a representative of the Portuguese Empire] embarking on a mission to spread Christianity.

His tireless efforts led to numerous conversions across India, Japan and other parts of Asia.

Sadly, he succumbed to illness in 1552 on the island of Shangchuan. His body was later brought to Goa, where it remains remarkably preserved.

The exposition of his relics in Old Goa, held every ten years, is a significant pilgrimage for Catholic worldwide, attracting thousands of devotees seeking blessings and spiritual solace.

My most sincere thanks to Piyush for his help in my obtaining this cover.