POSTCARDS N.241/2 - SRI LANKA

Postcard dated of 4 August; received on the 14th August 2026

Postcard image: Fauna of Minneriya National Park - Black naped hare / Yellow striped chevrotain

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Thanks to Ravi, my letterbox was populated with some rather kind looking wild mammals. Bohoma sthuthi, friend.

Black naped hare (Lepus nigricollis)

 Yellow striped chevrotain (Moschiola Kathygre)

Minneriya National Park occupies an 8.9 thousand hectares area in the centre of the North Central Province of Sri Lanka and before it became a National Park in 1997, it already enjoyed Protected area status as a wildlife sanctuary, since 1938.

According to Wikipedia, the park is home to 24 species of mammals, 160 species of birds, 9 species of amphibians, 25 species of reptiles, 26 species of fish, and 75 species of butterflies

On 26JUN2025 Sri Lanka Post issues a very beautiful set of 10 stamps, all of the same denomination (50 Rupees) dedicated to the wild fauna of  Minneriya National Park (cf. covers #614/5/6)  and I presume postcards of all the animals depicted in the stamps were also issued with a view to th creation of maxicards.

Ravi now sent me two of those, using for postage the corresponding stamps in the aforementioned set. The animals depicted in the card and stamps are:

- Black naped hare (Lepus nigricollis)

 A common species of hare, native to the Indian subcontinent, and Java.

- Yellow striped chevrotain (Moschiola Kathygre). 

This small mouse-deer, about the size of a domestic cat, of nocturnal habits, was only described as a new species in 2005. Further to Sri Lanka it can also be found in  India, Myanmar, and Thailand,

On both cards postage was completed with a 20 rupee stamp with a image of a Pale Ceylon line blue, (Nacaduba sinhala), a butterfly of the Lycaenidae family, endemic to Sri Lanka. 

This stamp is part of the 12 stamp issue dated of 01DEC2022, themed on Butterflies of Sri Lanka, that Ravi had also sent me and was the subject of posts regarding covers # 343/4/5.

Postmark from the Sri Lanka Post Headquarters at Colombo, as usual.

COVER N. 753 - SRI LANKA

Postmark:  Headquarters P. O. Colombo Mail 24.03.2026  

Posted on the 7th July;  Received on the 16th July 2026

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Ravindra hits me with another with his always nice covers featuring interesting stamps.  බෝහම ස්තුති, Ravi!

- On 15JUN2023, Sri Lanka Post issued a mini-sheet containing 20 x 50 Rupee circular stamps, dedicated to fruits and vegetables of Sri Lanka.

Ravi had already used some of these stamps on previous mail to me (cover #651, postcards #158 #160) and now he used the following three (left to right):

- Salacia chinensis, a climbing shrub of the Celastraceae family, known for its effects as adjuvant of the digestive health and obesity related illnesses such as diabetes type 2 and cardiovascular conditions.

- Mangifera zeylanica, or Sri Lanka wild mango. An edible mango species endemic to Sri Lanka.

- Dimocarpus longan, an edible fruit bearing tree in the same family - Sapindaceae - to which the lychee belongs, its yellowish fruits bearing some resemblance in terms of taste to lychees, also.

As usual, postmark from the central Post Office at Colombo.

COVER N. 700 - SRI LANKA

Postmark:  Headquarters P. O. Colombo Mail 24.03.2026  

Posted on the 24th March;  Received on the 13th April 2026

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While Sri Lanka commemorates the 75 years of its Air Force, I celebrate the 700th cover on my blog... all in one go. So the usual බෝහම ස්තුති goes out to Ravi, who kindly helped me get another nice aviation cover and stamp in my collection.

The Sri Lanka Air Force was established on the 2nd March 1951 as the Royal Ceylon Air Force, drawing on the assistance and experience of the Royal Air Force.

According to SLAF's site, it's first aircraft were the trustworthy De Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk trainers that arrived in Sri Lanka in 1950, what puzzles me a bit, since the same source says the upon inception (1951) SLAF had no aircraft...

Anyway, today, SLAF's inventory is quite a mixed bag, since it comprises aircraft of as diverse origins as China (Chengdu J-7, Hongdu JL-8, Harbin Y-12) USA (Beechcraft King Air,  Lockheed C-130,  Bell 206/212/412, Cessna 150), Russia (Antonov An-32, Mil Mi-24/Mi-17), Germany (Dornier 228) and Israel (Kfir C12).

Celebrating the 75th anniversary of its national Air Force, Sri Lanka Post issued on 02MAR2026 a 70 Rupee stamp, illustrated with a fly by over parading troops, of  aircraft that were historically part of the operational history of SLAF: Hunting Jet Provost; Douglas DC-3 Dakota; Westland Dragonfly; De Havilland Dove and De Haviland Chipmunk.

The stamps also bears the Badge of the Sri Lanka Air Force and the 75th anniversary logo.

A usual with Ravi's letters, this one bears the postmark of Colombo's Central Post Office.

COVER N. 680 - SRI LANKA

Postmark: Headquarters P. O. Colombo Mail 20.01.2026  

Posted on the 20th January;  Received on the 29th January 2026

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2026 is going to be an exciting astronomical year since here in Portugal we will have the opportunity of witnessing a total solar eclipse, something that hasn't occurred since 1912, that is more than a century ago.

 

In practice the area of Portuguese soil where the eclipse will be fully visible will be quite restricted, being limited to the north-eastern tip of our continental territory, Natural Park of Montesinho being probably the most privileged viewing point to go stick your neck up in the air. (after the eclipse, a full tour of the park area is highly recommended..., for it is a nice place to visit and enjoy not only the sights but also the gastronomy.... you can't go bad with a Posta à Mirandesa......)

Since the full eclipse will only be visible for 26 seconds and there will be no possibility of rewinding and playing it again, I gather that the Park will be quite a hot spot on the 12th August...

Anyway, I got a full preview yesterday. Ravindra kindly sent me a cover with the three stamps of the "Wonders of the Universe" that he still hadn't sent me and one of them shows a beautiful photograph of  a "Total Solar Eclipse with Corona".

බෝහම ස්තුති, Ravi!

The stamps are part of the 10x20 Rupee sheet entitled, "The wonders of the Universe", issued on 25SEP2025.

Further to the solar eclipse on the stamp in the centre, the one to its left is illustrated with " Galactic wrekage in Stephan's Quintet" (hmmm.... a nice title for a jazz piece, I would say), an Hubble image., while the one on the right shows  "Sagitarius A" a black hole in our old Milky Way., which recently made the news because for his was the first photograph taken of such a celestial body, thing...(so dense, I can't find a word for it :-).

the remaining stamps of the series can be seen on covers  #647 and  #671

As usual, the postmark was applied at Colombo's Central P.O.

COVER N. 673 - SRI LANKA

Postmark: Headquarters P. O. Colombo Mail 01.01.2026  

Posted on the 1st January;  Received on the 14th January 2026

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Just when I thought I had closed up all the 2025 Christmas and New year's season mail, my friend Mr. postman dropped another nice envelope fully in tune to the theme in my always expectant letterbox.

Now this couldn't have arrived at a better time, for I am stranded again at home in full rest mode, popping pills, courtesy of my leg....

Hopefully it will all turn out for the best in a week time, but it is again a week of procrastination of me finally being able to get on my feet and go to the post office to deal with long due mail that I have to answer.... anyway, that's life....

So, a huge බෝහම ස්තුති to my friend Ravi and may his wishes be also mine for you and yours, friend!

This is quite a special cover. I am sure it is not that easy to get a first day of the year regular cancel as the one on it. In fact I think that would be impossible in a lot of places since the first of January being a holiday, means that public services are closed, hence no way of asking for such a postmark at a post office counter.

This, in turn, is very illustrative of how a simple letter can be a window to the world and make you realise that the old ellipsoid rotates not around one's own navel but around its own axis so that what is an acquired fact for some of us is a surprise for others... and that is one of the beauties of diversity, a word that is being ever more frowned upon by the sweeping mouldy winds that are picking up intensity in places that seem to have forgotten that history should teach us something....

Ravi used the beautiful  2025 Christmas issue of Sri Lanka Post , dated of 09DEC2025, its two stamps (50 and 110 rupees) being illustrated with Nativity scenes with a decidedly Hindu artistic touch patent in the joyful and brilliant colours that dominate the scenes.

The very clear  postmark, as usual applied at Colombo’s Central Post Office, clearly displays 01-01 as the date of issue.... now, do any of you have regular postmarks with this date combination in your collection? Let me know in the comments.

Happy new year!

COVER N. 671 - SRI LANKA

Postmark: Headquarters P. O. Colombo Mail 21.10.2025  

Posted on the 21st October;  Received in November 2025

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I've written here about Season's greetings cards and how this time of the year transcends borders, cultures, creeds, and this is the good, the very good thing, I see in it, for it is a time of renewal, reaffirmation of wishes especially for those we relate the most to, but also to our friends.

Ravi sent me a beautiful card and  like the festive cards I got from other friends I really appreciated it. Again, I could not answer in kind for bones can be quite the killjoy, but all the wishes my friends so generously sent me I  am happy to return them in double to them.

So, බෝහම ස්තුති, Ravi! Very kind of you and I truly appreciated it.

Ravi sent me his card on a nice cover graced with three circular stamps whic are part of the 10x20 Rupee sheet entitled, "The wonders of the Universe", issued on 25SEP2025. 

From left to right the amazing photographs replicated in the stamps  show: the crab nebula; The famous Pillars of Creation, that is the Eagle nebula; and the Andromeda Galaxy.

Ravi had already sent me a cover with four other stamps of these set, which can be seen here. 

Somehow such amazing images go very well in hand with the Season and its deep meanings, in whichever way we relate to it.

Words of wisdom!

COVER N. 651 - SRI LANKA

Postmark: Headquarters P. O. Colombo Mail 21.10.2025  

Posted on the 21st October;  Received in November 2025

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Another of Ravi's always interesting covers, Bohomȧ  sthoothi, friend.

- On 15JUN2023, Sri Lanka Post issued a mini-sheet containing 20 x 50 Rupee circular stamps, dedicated to fruits and vegetables of Sri Lanka.

From left to right, the three stamps of this issue stamps depict:

Manilkara hexandra - a tree existing in the wild, which can reach 12 m in height, and whose yellow  fruits are harvested for human consumption.

Artocarpus nobilis, the Ceylon Bread fruit, endemic to Sri Lanka. its  seeds and fruits being used for medicinal purposes.

Ziziphus mauritiana, or Indian jujube. an evergreen shrub, cultivated for its fruit, which can be consumed raw, in beverages or in preserves.

As usual, postmark from the central Post Office at Colombo.

COVER N. 647 - SRI LANKA

Postmark: Headquarters P. O. Colombo Mail 10.10.2025  

Posted on the 10th October;  Received on the 22nd October 2025

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Ravi kindly sends me pieces of sky.... and I, for one, unlike Astérix, am not afraid that the sky will fall on my head... Bohoma Sthuthi, Ravi!

"The cosmos is within us. We are made of star-stuff. We are a way for the universe to know itself", thus spoke Carl Sagan, in the book that literally opened up (even if just slightly, for such is its dimension) the universe to a lot of us, me included, the curious kid who would not fail to watch the week's episode of "Cosmos" on TV.

At the time, the 80s of last century, when instead of typing www, you'd flip a page with the tip of your index finger,  National Geographic was also publishing covers with never before seen details of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, taken by those wonderful pieces of mankind named Voyager 1 and 2.

And what a discovery that was....who could ever forget the first shots of Jupiter's eye, that big red spot in the planet's atmosphere, for instance?  I pity I could never show them to my grandfather. Maybe like that I could try to convince him that yes, Man had walked on the moon, something he had most serious doubts about....

Today, images like those have become almost common place, such were the developments in technology of the last decades that have made it possible to photograph the solar system and beyond with a level of detail that is hard to imagine (who would have thought that it would be possible to photograph a black hole ????)

And yet, every time I look at one of those images I feel humbled, reduced in existence, as if dissolved in some cosmic fluid, the same fluid that binds us, the entire universe, together.

Yes, the cosmos is within me; yes, I am star stuff... we all are!

... Although, due to our transient nature, that stuff is more of the "shooting"  type than of the "wandering" category....

On 25SEP2025, Sri Lanka Post issued a minisheet comprising 10 x 50 Rupee circular stamps, entitled, "The wonders of the Universe", featuring many of the outstanding photographs of celestial bodies  that at some point have awed us in their uncommonness and beauty.

Four of  these stamps can be seen on this cover, illustrated (left to right) with marvellous photographs of  the colourful rings of Saturn; The great red spot on Jupiter, the Open star cluster of the Pleiades, and the Orion Nebula. 

As usual with Ravi's mail, the cover is postmarked from Colombo's Main P.O.

COVER N. 618 - SRI LANKA 

Postmark: Headquarters P.O. Colombo Mail  21.07.2025

Posted on the 21st July; Received on the 1st August 2025

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Boy... is my Sri Lankan connection alive.....

Thanks a lot Ravi, I can't keep up the pace.....my friend Mr. postman by now must be intrigued with having to deliver so many letters from Sri Lanka to my letterbox....😀

Vesak, the celebration of Buddha's birth, enlightenment, and death is celebrated on the first full moon of May. This year it took place on the week of the 12th May and in Sri Lanka, Colombo was at the epicentre of festivities with thousands of devotees participating.

From what I could see in videos, the streets were decorated with a multitude of lights and colourful light displays  and people visited the temples to make offers of flowers and oil lanterns. 

Food stalls were also set up and people were offered free meals what can only be regarded as  a way of fostering social bonds within the community.

Communion... this is central to all religions, I see the images of people being offered food in Colombo and I cannot help to think about the Impérios in Santa Maria, Azores, for the celebrations of the Holy Ghost when people would also be offered meals (a most delicious meat soup), or the amazingly savoury piece of Turkish bread my wife and I were once offered by a kind lady in Ankara, and the end of one of the days of the Ramadan.... 

As usual, on the occasion of Vesak, Sri  Lanka Post issued, on 10MAY2025, a souvenir sheet with three 50 Rupee stamps dedicated to the theme, each of them illustrated with  paintings from three different Buddhist temples.

The image on the souvenir sheet itself and well as that on the lower corner stamp are from the Hanguranketha Pothgul Vihara, an historically very important temple, given that  Pothgul Vihara, means “Library Temple,” what makes me infer its relevance as a  learning centre for the Buddhist faith.

The stamps all carry the legend 2569 Vesak 2025, since 2025 translates into year 2569 of the Buddhist Era, which began with the death of Buddha.

- The second mini-sheet on the cover comprises an absolutely delicious  four stamp set (4; 10;15 and 35 rupees) stamp set dedicated to Birds of Sri Lanka, issued on 16DEC2017. From left to right, top to bottom we have:

- Sri Lanka black capped bulbul (Pycnonotus melanicterus)

an endemic passerine, quite common in the Island State

- Sri Lanka chestnut-backed owlet (Glaucidium Castanotum)

a member of the Strigidae family, endemic to Sri Lanka, its populations have been showing signs of regression , hence the Near Threatened status awarded by IUCN

Sri Lanka Warbler ( Elaphronis palliseri)

Another Near Threatened bird, this  member of the Locustellidae family lives in the highlands of central Sri Lanka, usually above 1200 m.

- Sri Lanka Drongo (Dicrurus lophorinus) 

As all the other birds in the series, the Sri Lanka Drongo is endemic to the Island State where it can be frequently be found in the wet zone of  its South Western parts.

This member of the  Dicruridae family is classified as a Least Concern species.

COVER N. 617 - SRI LANKA 

Postmark: Headquarters P.O. Colombo Mail 12.07.2025

Posted on the 12th July; Received on the 23rd July 2025

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More mail from Ravi. I finally had the opportunity to send him a couple of covers back, but I still have to catch up... Bohoma Stuthi, my friend!

- The Sri Dalada Poson Perahera (procession) which has been taking place in the Buddhist temple of Ethkandqa Raja Maha Viharaya in the city of Kurunegala, the Capital of Sri lankas Northwest province, since 1925, was again held this year o the 21st July. 

Marking the occasion and the centenary of the event, Sri Lanka Post issued on 21JUL2025the 50 Rupee stamp on the cover illustrated with images of the procession with the temple in the background and what must be an unmistakable landmark of the city: a very large Buddha sculpture on top of a  hill  overlooking the city.

- According to Wikipedia, the first experiments of coffee cultivation in Sri Lanka date back to the time of the Dutch colonisation in the 18th century. Still, it seems that almost a century would pass until the first commercially viable plantations would be established, by nationals of the then colonising power, Britain, in 1925.

The bicentenary of coffee cultivation in Sri Lanka was celebrated with a 50 rupee stamp issued on 08JUL2025, illustrated with a picker holding a basket full of coffee fruits, what looks like a caffelate cup, and a groups of workers sorting coffee grains, with old original black and white photographs of coffee workers in the background.

- As stated on its official  webpage, "The SRI LANKA MEDICAL COUNCIL is a statutory body established for the purpose of protecting health care seekers by ensuring the maintenance of academic and professional standards, discipline and ethical practice by health professionals who are registered with it"

It replaces since 1998 the former Ceylon Medical Council, established on  June 22, 1925.

On the occasion of its centenary, Sri Lanka Post issued the 50 Rupee stamp on the cover, illustrated with a numeral 100 that bears on the last 0 the organisation's logo.

Postmark from the Main PO at Colombo, as usual.

 

COVERS N. 614/5/6 - SRI LANKA 

Postmark: ? 04.07.2025

Posted on the 4th July; Received on the 17th July 2025

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Continuing with Ravindra's most generous mail barrage, this time with a truly interesting series dedicated to the fauna of one of the country's protected areas: Minneriya National Park.

Bohoma sthuthi, Ravi!

Due to the large size of the individual stamps, Ravi chose to spread the series over three envelopes, so for the sake of clarity I'll combine them all into one single post.

Minneriya National Park occupies an 8.9 thousand hectares area in the centre of the North Central Province of Sri Lanka and before it became a National Park in 1997, it already enjoyed Protected area status as a wildlife sanctuary, since 1938.

According to Wikipedia, the park is home to 24 species of mammals, 160 species of birds, 9 species of amphibians, 25 species of reptiles, 26 species of fish, and 75 species of butterflies.

The very beautiful series issued in 26JUN2025 both as regular single stamps and as 1 stamp souvenir sheets, comprises 10 stamps, all of the same denomination (50 Rupees).

Stamps. left to right; top to bottom:

- Yellow striped chevrotain (Moschiola Kathygre). This small mouse-deer, about the size of a domestic cat, of nocturnal habits, was only described as a new species in 2005. Further to Sri Lanka it can also be found in  India, Myanmar, and Thailand,

- Sri Lankan Elephant (Elephas maximus maximus)

Sri Lanka has the largest elephant density of Asia, for a total (2019) of 7500 of these gentle giants, spread all over the dry areas of the country.

Loss of habitat due to increased claiming of land for cultivation has put the relation between men and beast at the point of conflict, with hundreds of elephants being killed each year to protect crops and homes...

- Indian Star Tortoise (Geochelone elegans)

The species, endemic to Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka, which can attain 10 inches long when adult, has been subject to the strain of illegal pet traffic and is now classified as vulnerable by IUCN.

- Sri Lankan Jackal (Canis aureus naria),

The Sri Lankan Jackal can be found all across the country, the canid being a sub-species of the common jackal, which in turn can be found from  Africa to Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia, and Southeast Asia. 

- Black naped hare (Lepus nigricollis)

 A common species of hare, native to the Indian subcontinent, and Java.

- Sri Lankan sloth bear (Melursus ursinus inornatus) 

This type of bear native to the dry forests of Sri Lanka is an highly threatened species, classified by IUCN as endangered. Its total population may not exceed 500 individuals.

Like the elephant, the loss of habitat due to land claim for cultivation purposes has strained the relation with local populations.

- Indian Pangolin (Manis crassicaudata) 

The pangolin, a native of the Indian subcontinent, is the most trafficked protected species. It is also classified as endangered by IUCN, its numbers diminishing in the wild due to it being illegally hunted because its scales are highly sought as traditional medicine and as raw material for  jewellery and also due to the consumption of its meat.

This insectivore mammal of nocturne habits, can be found in the  Sri Lankan rainforest and plains to middle hill levels.

- Asian openbill (Anastomus oscitans)

A common site in much of  India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand and Cambodia. this member of the stork family is peculiar in that its beak presents a curved gap between the two mandibles, which is developed as the bird enters its adult phase (newborns do not have this feature) which helps the bid handle the round carapaces of snails, which they mainly feed on.

- Brahminy kite (hallastur indus)

Common in  Sri Lanka, Nepal, India, Iran, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and southeast Asia and as far south as New South Wales, Australia, this member of the Accipitridae family looks quite distinctive with its white head and breast, which contrasts with the red brown of the rest of the body lumage.

Painted Stork (Mycteria leucocephala)

Another member of the stork family (Ciconiidae), easily identifiable due to their characteristic  pink tertial feathers.

The Painted stork is distributed throughout the wetlands of the plains of tropical Asia south of the Himalayas in the Indian Subcontinent, extending into Southeast Asia.

Contrary to what is usual with Ravi's covers, these three do not bear the usual  Central Post Office of Colombo postmark, although I cannot identify the place of postage, due to the day stamp being writen in the beautiful but for me undeciphrable Sinhala script.

COVER N. 613 - SRI LANKA 

Postmark: Headquarters P.O. Colombo Mail 12.07.2025

Posted on the 12th July; Received on the 17th July 2025

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My friend Ravindra bombards me with one of his highly welcome mail barrages. And I have yet to retribute in kind, something which I hope to  come to terms with soon... things have been a bit on the hectic side, around here....

Bohomá sthoothi, Ravi!

A large C5 envelope was needed to accommodate all the stamps on this cover, particularly due to the fact that they are included in souvenir sheets what always poses some envelope layout challenges.

But  I really appreciate having the frames included with the stamps, for they are either part of the story, such as in the case of the single stamp sheet, or complement it to perfection, as in the case of the spices of Sri Lanka sheet.

Spices, cinnamon in particular,  but also pepper, cloves, nutmeg, were at the root of the Portuguese interest in colonising Ceylon, something which they managed to do, until being replaced by the Dutch who themselves would lose it to the Brits, who finally had to acknowledge the full self-determination of  the Island State.

In a way, the two souvenir sheets tell this history, full circle,  for one is dedicated to the country's spices, which were at the root of the Portuguese colonisation and the other is dedicated to Sri Lanka's declaration of Independence, dated of the 4th February 1948.

I wrote some notes about this particular souvenir sheet on the entry for  cover #606, so I will not repeat them here.

The souvenir sheet in question with a single 110 Rupee stamp was issued on 08OCT2024.

The souvenir sheet with the four 15 Rupee stamps illustrated with Spices of Sri Lanka was issued on 26FEB2019. The beautiful illustrations show both the "fresh" and dry forms of the spices, which is that we are all more familiar with.

From left to right, top to bottom, we have:

Cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum)

Cinnamon harvest is fascinating in that it much resembles the harvest of cork, so here I find another connection between Sri Lanka, the producer of the best cinnamon and Portugal, the producer of the best cork.

The trees are stripped off of their skin (cinammon, as we know it is the inner layer of the cinnamon tree bark, while cork is the actual bark of the cork tree) which will, in time re-grow to be ready for harvest again. The process takes a full 9 years in the case of cork and 2 to 3 years for cinnamon.

Cinnamomum zeylanicum, a synonym for Cinnamomum verum, or true cinnamon is the tree from which premium cinnamon is extracted, Sri Lanka being the world's major producer. 

The other commercially available types of "Cinnamon" are extracted from cassia trees which although in the same family as the cinnamon tree have different properties, being noticeably more spicier that the sweeter true cinnamon.

Pepper (piper nigrum)

Pepper is one of those spices that everybody is familiar with. What people might not know is that black pepper, green pepper and white pepper all come from the same tree, In fact, pepper is a drupe and the way it is processed yields the pepper varieties that we all are familiar with.

To produce black pepper the unripe, still green drupes are briefly boiled in water and left to dry what leads to the skin of the fruit wrinkling and turning black;

Green pepper is the result of pickling or free-drying the still green drupe;

White pepper is obtained by grinding only the seed of the drupe, after removal of the skin of the fruit.

Cloves -. Syzygium aromaticum

Cloves are the dried flower buds of the clove tree (Syzygium aromaticum)

Nutmeg - Myristica fragrans

Nutmeg is the seed of  of the drupe of the nutmeg tree, Myristica fragrans. When fully ripe, the drupe opens up in two, revealing the seed (the nutmeg) which is involved by a sort of net like structure, the mace.

The pulp of the drupe can be eaten and both the nutmeg and the mace can be used in culinary as spices of similar flavours, although mace is more spicy than nutmeg.

Further to the two sheets another two stamps were used to complete postage

:

- Sandaya Kumary (1945-1994) was a very popular Sri Lankan actress who participated in 41 movies throughout her career.

The 5 rupee stamp honouring her is part of a 6 stamp set (3 x 5; 10; 15; 20 Rupees) honouring Sinhala Cinema, issued on 21JAN2012.

- Last but not at all least we have on the cover a 25 rupee stamp with a vignette. The stamp, issued on 13SEP2017, features a painting of Dondra lighthouse, which is particular because it is Sri Lanka's tallest Lighthouse (49 m) and also due to the fact that it is located on the southernmost tip of the Island.

The all important vignette features none other than the Royal Family of Sri Lanka, that is the Ratnapala Family,  and boy do they look a fine bunch! :-)  

COVER N. 606 -  SRI LANKA

Postmark: Headquarters P.O. Colombo Mail 19.06.2025

Posted on the 19th June; Received on the 2nd July 2025

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Another interesting cover from Sri Lanka, this time supported in a pre-stamped envelope using a pre-stamped envelope. Bohomȧ  sthoothi, Ravi.

Sri Lanka, under its former designation, Ceylon, became independent on the 4th February 1948, although according to the provisions of the 1947 constitution, the role of Head of  State would fall on the Governor-General who represented none other than the British Crown, the former colonising power.

This status quo would be profoundly altered in 1972, when the country adopted a new constitution and a new designation, as Sri Lanka.

Under the new constitution the Head of the State would be an elected President, thus formally severing the dependency ties with the British crown, although the state would remain a member of the British Commonwealth.  

The formal session officialising the independence of Ceylon took plane on the 10th February 1948 when the new parliament was inaugurated by the Duke Of Glocester.

This important moment in time was celebrated by Sri Lanka Post with the 110 Rupee  single stamp souvenir sheet on the cover, illustrated with a painting depicting de formal inauguration session.

The pre-printed 50 Rupee stamp on the envelope is illustrated with aone of a pair of Elephant lamp dating from the 12th century AD, found in 1951 during archaeological excavations at the Deigama Kota Vehera stupa (a Budhist temple) site.

As usual with Ravi's letters, this one was also sent from Colombo's main Post Office.

COVER N. 604 -  SRI LANKA

Postmark: Headquarters P.O. Colombo Mail 19.06.2025

Posted on the 25th June; Received on the 2nd July 2025

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Handicrafts... one of the most sincere and quintessential artistic expressions of any culture. Unique, specific to a people, a community, a society, a nation, a country and yet, sometimes, the forged by time result of cross-cultural influences, what makes any such piece even more interesting, for in a way it embodies the knowledge, the feelings, the essence of sometimes opposing cultures, the conqueror and the conquered, the master and the slave, the coloniser and the colonised....

Palmyrah weaving..... they do it in Sri Lanka, in India....

I was 6, my sister 10.... we too learned to weave palm leaves so as to create baskets and other stuff... we were in the South of Portugal, Faro, the Algarve province....

That's the beauty of culture.... it is permeable, borderless and a lot richer because of that!

Bohomȧ  sthoothi, Ravi. Great cover!

The 10 x 15 Rupee stamp set on the cover, themed on Traditional Handicrafts of Sri Lanka was issued on 25JAN2022.

Each stamp showcases one of the country's most traditional handicrafts, these being, left to right, top to bottom:

Traditional painting on pottery and ceramics; Leather based crafts; stone carvings; Pottery; Embroidery; Ceramics; Talipot based crafts; Bamboo based crafts; Rattan based crafts and Palmyrah based crafts.

Postmark, as usual, from the central P.O. at Colombo.

 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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Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka / ශ්‍රී ලංකා ප්‍රජාතාන්ත්‍රික සමාජවාදී ජනරජය 

The Flag

The National Flag of Sri Lanka represents the country and her heritage as rallying device that integrates the minorities with the majority race.

Sri Lanka National Flag is an improvisation of the civil standard of the last king of Sri Lanka, Sri Wickrama Rajasingha.

The civil standard had a passant royal lion with a sword in it’s right fore paw at the center, and a bo-leaf on each of the four corners on a plain border.

When Sri Lanka gained her independence from Great Britain on February 04, 1948, it was the lion flag of the last king of Sri Lanka was hoisted once again.

The first Prime Minister of independent Sri Lanka, D.S.Senanayake, appointed a committee to advice the government on the design of a new national flag. The design approved by the committee in February 1950 retained the symbol of the lion with the sword and the bo-leaves from the civil standard of the last king of Sri Lanka, with the inclusion of two vertical stripes green and orange in color.

The significance of each symbol of the national flag is as follows:

The lion in the flag represents the Sinhala race.

The sword of the lion represents the sovereignty of the country.

Curly hair on the lion’s head indicates religious observance, wisdom and meditation.

The beard denotes purity of words.

The handle of the sword highlights the elements of water, fire, air and earth.

The nose indicates intelligence.

The two front paws purport to purity in handling wealth.

The vertical stripe of orange represent the minority Tamil race and the green vertical stripe the minority Muslim race.

The four virtues of kindness: KINDNESS, FRIENDLINESS, HAPPINESS, EQUANIMITY are also represented in the flag.

The border round the flag, which is yellow in color, represents other minor races.

The bo-leaves at the four corners of the flag represent Buddhism and it’s influence on the nation. They also stand for the four virtues - Kindness, Friendliness, Happiness and Equanimity.

The maroon colored portion of the flag manifests the other minor religions.

The national flag was hoisted for the first time on March 3, 1950.

Source: National Flag

The Emblem

The national emblem of Sri Lanka is used by the State of Sri Lanka and the Sri Lankan government in connection with the administration and government of the country. The current emblem has been in use since 1972 and created under the ideas and guidance of Nissanka Wijeyeratne. At the time, he was Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Cultural Affairs and Chairman of the National Emblem and Flag Design Committee. The designer of the emblem was Venerable Mapalagama Wipulasara Maha Thera, and the artwork was by S. M. Seneviratne.

The emblem features a gold lion passant, holding a sword in its right fore paw (the same lion from the flag of Sri Lanka) in the centre on a maroon background surrounded by golden petals of a Blue Lotus the national flower of the country. This is placed on top of a traditional grain vase that sprouts sheaves of rice grains that circle the border reflecting prosperity.

The crest is the Dharmachakra, symbolizing the country’s foremost place for Buddhism and just rule. Traditional Sinhalese heraldic symbols for the sun and the moon form the supporters. Sun and Moon, and Lion depicting

Source: Sri Lanka Emblem

The Stamp

200 Rupee stamp issued on 23NOV2007 as part of a three stamp set (50; 100; 200 Rupees) illustrated with monocromatic versions of the National Emblem.

My Thanks to my friend Ravindra Ratnapala for helping me add Sri Lanka to my National Covers collection.

COVER N. 599 -  SRI LANKA

Postmark: Illegible 11.06.2025

Posted on the 11th June; Received on the 20th June 2025

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Come to think of it, when I had the pleasure of meeting Ravi here on my side of the turf, a couple of months ago, we did not talk much about stamps.

Still, I asked him about  the very curious Sri Lanka Post issue comprising no less than 18 stamps  dedicated to healing masks that he kindly and generously had sent me on a cover and a postcard, since I wanted to know that I had got the story behind those masks right. 

I also mentioned that for some unknown reason one of the stamps was missing from the postcard, since there were only 17 stamps on the cover and postcard.

Now, I'm sure that the first thing he did when he got back to Colombo was to mail me a cover with the missing stamp on it. And not only did he do that, but he also added what must be a rarity: a pair of stamps, with one suffering from a printing error, i.e., the omission of  the yellow legend that is present on the lower right corner in all the stamps of the series. What a treat, Bohomá Sthoothi, my friend!

Further to the two mask stamps on the top right corner, issued on , we have, left to right, top to bottom:

_ Sri Lanka holds the distinction of  having launched the first regular radio broadcasting service in Asia, from Colombo,  in 1924. The following year, what was then Radio Colombo and is now Radio Ceylon, was established, its regular broadcasting having begun in December 1925. 

To celebrate the 100th anniversary of  radio communication in Sri Lanka, the 15 rupee stamp on the top left corner of the cover was issued on 16DEC2024. the building on it being the original Radio Ceylon's facilities which still exist, albeit with a slightly modified facade, from what I could see in photographs I consulted on the internet.

- The National Hospital of Sri Lanka, located in Colombo,  opened its doors in 1864, during the office tenure of   Governor Henry George Ward. 

From its initial capacity of 200 beds, in one and a half centuries  the facility grew to the present 3,404 beds, which temporarily accommodate some of the more than 2 million patients that year after year benefit from the services its medical staff provide to the population.

Celebrating its 150th anniversary, Sri Lanka Post issued on 20MAR2015 a 10 rupee stamp illustrated with the still existing first building of the hospital, which is now called the Historical National Hospital and a typical staff group - doctor; nurse and helper -  talking to a hospitalised  patient.

- World Children's day is celebrated each year on the 20th November, the day when  the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted the Declaration of the Rights of the Child, in 1959, and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, in 1989.

Celebrating World Children's Day 2024, Sri Lanka Post issued a 50 Rupee stamp on 01OCT2024, illustrated with a drawing with children playing together.

- Claiming to be the "largest and most prominent educational institution in Sri Lanka", the Royal College of Colombo was founded in 1835, following the Eton School model, as the Colombo Academy, by  Sir Robert Wilmot-Horton, the Governor, between 1831 and 1837, of what was then the colony of Ceylon.

In 1881, following the approval of Queen Victoria, the Academy would be renamed the Royal College of Colombo, thus becoming the only School outside England to be granted the use of the Royal epithet in  its designation.

On the occasion of the 175th anniversary of its establishment, Sri Lanka Post issued, on 16JUL2010, the celebratory stamp on the cover.

COVER N. 579 - SRI LANKA 
POSTCARD N. 180 - SRI LANKA

Postmark: Headquarters P. O. Colombo Mail 16.04.2025

Postcard Image: 18 Sanni Masks

Posted on the 16th April; Received on the 30th April 2025

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As I type Ravindra is set to fly off from Portugal, after a short visit in which we had the opportunity of meeting and spending some time together,

During one of our meet ups I could ask him about the amazing stamp issue that he used on a cover and a postcard that he recently sent me which I really found interesting. Bohomȧ  sthoothi, my friend.

Sanni Yakuma is a traditional healing ritual of Sri Lanka performed by dancers wearing the masks that are reproduced  in the stamps, each of them corresponding to a certain demon that needs to be exorcised so that the ill person can be cured. 

There are 18 demons, each corresponding to a certain type of ailment, hence the 18 stamps on the issue (although there's one demon missing in my postcard.... maybe there's also a demon for missing stamps disease....😂)

The 18 x 15 Rupee stamp issue began to circulate on 08AUG2018 al, the stamps being included in a mini-sheet, as is very usual for Sri Lanka's very interesting issues.

To send me the stamps that could not be glued onto the cover, Ravi used a postcard  illustrated with another set of the 18 demon masks featured in the stamp issue.

 

A usual, the postmark  was applied at Colombo's main Post Office.

COVER N. 578 - SRI LANKA 

Postmark: Headquarters P. O. Colombo Mail 08.04.2025 (?)

Posted on the  8th April; Received on the 21st April 2025

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A while ago I got these nice covers (#484  and #518) from Ravindra with stamps dedicate to the Scouts movement, that fueled back some rather old memories for me.

Ravi now sent me another cover with another 3 stamps of the same issue. Bohomȧ  sthoothi, Ravindra, 

This time, though, I will have the opportunity to thank him in person, since Ravi is in Lisbon and we'll be meeting soon. Welcome to my country, friend.

The three stamps on the cover are part of a ten x 50 Rupee stamp set dedicated to the Scouting Movement in Sri Lanka, issued on 21FEB2024.  The stamps have been issued both as a single mini-sheet with the 10 stamps or as 2 x 5 stamp souvenir sheets, one dedicated to Boy Scouts and the other to Girl Guides, the sheets being shape cut in the format of both organisations emblems. 

POSTCARD N.177 - SRI LANKA

Postcard sent on the 19th March, received on the 1st April 2025.

Postcard image: Nine Arch Bridge, Ella - Lanka. 

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Ravi sends me another great card from Sri Lanka. This time with another aerial view of what I hear is a quite famous bridge in the country, and which had also been previously covered in Postcard #145. Bohomȧ  sthoothi, Ravindra!

What I find amazing in this image is the general idea it lets one have of the scenery engulfing the viaduct. In fact as opposed to the also great image on postcard 145, the orographic accidents of the scenery and its overwhelming green nature, really lends the viewer an idea of the surroundings and of what an immensely difficult task it must have been to build such an imposing infrastructure in the early days of the 20th century.

Again, as I mentioned a propos the shot on postcard #145,  I cannot even imagine the impact on the image of a cloud of white smoke coming out of the locomotive on the photo, against all that deep green....ah, things were much harder and I am sure "those were not the days", but there is a beauty in steam locomotives that has yet to be matched...  😀

Ravindra had already sent me most of  the ten 15 Rupee stamps issued in minisheet form on 03FEB2020, celebrating World Wetlands Day, which is annually commemorated on that particular date.

On this particular postcard he was careful to use the 4 stamps on the set which he had not used before, a gesture I truly appreciate. As such, from left to right top to bottom, we have:

- Nipa Palm (Nipa fruticans), a species which can be found in the costline and estuarine habitats of the Indian and Pacific Oceans, being uncommon in that the trunk actually grows beneath the ground, while the leaves grow upwards, above the surface.

- Bruguiera cylindrica, another mangrove dweller of tropical Asia, which can grow up to 20 metres high

- Large-leafed orange mangrove (Bruguiera gymnorhiza), a relative of the previous species, of the same Rhizophoraceae family,  with which it shares the Genus. It can be found in mangroves from the Western Pacific across Indian Ocean coasts to Cape Province, South Africa.

- Stemonoporus moonii, a member of the Dipterocarpaceae family, endemic to Sri lanla and Critically Threathned due to loss of habitat.

The fifth stamp on the postcard is illustrated with an image of a Scyphiphora hydrophyllacea, another mangrove dweller that occurs from India to tropical Asia and the western Pacific. It is the sole species of its genus, in the Rubiaceae family.

Postmark, as usual, from the central Post Office at Columbus, Sri Lanka's economic capital.