POSTCARD N.221 - INDONESIA

Postcard sent on the 14th January; received on the 15th April 2026

Postcard image: Istiqlal Mosque, Jakarta

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Better late than never, it is said, and in what concerns mail, I could not be more in favour. 

The path of  the restless wanderer, my friend The Phantom, led him through South East Asia, it seems, at some point in the beginning of the year, and three months later I get proof of this in the form of a nice postcard from Jakarta, Indonesia. As always Danke sehr, Alex. Truly appreciated!

Indonesia is the world's largest Muslim country by population, and it is also the fourth most populous country in the world,  so large mosques must be quite common in the country to accommodate the religious needs of the population.

One such Mosque is the Istiqlal Mosque, located in Jakarta, the country's capital, which is the largest Islamic temple in all south east Asia and the 9th largest mosque in the world.

Its name "Istiqlal" signifies "Independence" in Arabic for it was built in celebration of Indonesia's independence. The temple opened in 1978 and can accommodate no less than 200,000 worshipers

Alex used three stamps from a set of 6 x 3000 Rupiah se-tenant stamps + 1x10,000 Rupiah single stamp, issued on  05NOV2018, dedicated to Flora and Fauna of Indonesia.

left to right , the stamps are illustrated with photographs of:

- Knobbed hornbill (Rhyticeros cassidix), a species of hornbill native to Indonesia, dwelling in evergreen forests up to an altitude of 1800 metres, in the islands of  Sulawesi, Buton, Lembeh, Togian and Muna. 

- Ursine tree-kangaroo (Dendrolagus ursinus), a long-tailed, furry, bear-like mammal found only in tropical forests on the island of New Guinea (Indonesia).

- Celebes crested macaque (Macaca nigra), a critically endangered species endemic to the north tropical regions of the island of Sulawesi.

Postmark from Central Jakarta  (Jakarta Pusat).