Three Indians get this year's Oscar Awards !...

At the 81st Oscars Annual Academy Awards function in Los Angeles today Slumdog Millionaire won eight awards, including three by Indians - A R Rahman, Gulzar and Resul Pookutty. "Smile Pinki", the tale of a Uttar Pradesh (India) girl and her fight against the social stigma of a cleft-lip, won the Oscar award for Best Documentary (Short).Composer AR Rahman has created history by scooping two Oscar awards for Best Original score and Best Original song for Slumdog Millionaire. The award for Best Song 'Jai Ho' was shared by Rahman and renowned lyricist Gulzar.Ressul Pookutty walked away with the golden trophy for Best Sound Mixing. A.R. Rahman is one of the finest composers of India and has been able to carry India's name on the global map and earlier this prestigious award was conferred on noted film director Mr. Satyajit Ray for lifetime achievement and was won by renowned costume desiger Bhanu Athaiya for film Gandhi.The critically acclaimed film 'Slumdog Millionaire' picturised in India with Indian artistes has also won eight Oscars .

ONE - Slumdog Millionaire won the best Motion Picture of the Year.
TWO - Danny Boyle best Film Director.
THREE - A R Rahman and Gulzar for the best Original Song 'Jai Ho'.
FOUR - A R Rahman for the best Original Score.
FIVE - Resul Pookutty for the best Sound Mixing.
SIX - Anthony Dod Mantle for the best Cinematography.
SEVEN - Simon Beaufoy for the best Adapted Screenplay.
EIGHT - Chris Dickens best Film Editing.


"Smile Pinki", the tale of a Uttar Pradesh girl and her fight against the social stigma of a cleft-lip, won the Oscar award for Best Documentary (Short).

This year's award for the best performance by an actor in a leading role went to Sean Penn for the movie MILK. And the award for the best performance by an actress in a leading role was won by Kate Winslet for The Reader.

Here are some philatelic items from my collection issued on Satyajit Ray and Indian Cinema.

Heartiest Congratulations to A R Rehman, Gulzar,Ressul Pookutty and all the Team Members of Slumdog Millionaire !

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Festivals of India - Maha Shivratri ......

Greetings on Maha Shivratri

Hi! Today is Maha Shivratri, one of the important festivals of Hindus celebrated all over India and other countries having Hindu community with great joy and enthusiasm. Maha Shivaratri Festival or the ‘The Night of Shiva is celebrated with devotion and religious fervor in honor of Lord Shiva, one of the deities of Hindu Trinity. Shivaratri falls on the moonless 14th night of the new moon in the Hindu month of Phalgun, which corresponds to the month of February - March in English Calendar. Celebrating the festival of Shivaratri devotees observe day and night fast and perform ritual worship of Shiva Lingam to appease Lord Shiva.According to Hindu mythology, Shivaratri or 'Shiva's Great Night' symbolizes the wedding day of Lord Shiva and Parvati. Many however, believe, Shivaratri is the night when Lord Shiva performed the Tandava Nritya - the dance of primordial creation, preservation and destruction. The day is considered to be extremely auspicious by Shiva devotees and they celebrate it as Mahashivaratri - the grand night of Shiva. I have received some nice scans of stamps issued on Lord Shiva by different countries from noted philatelist, Mr. Pradip Jain of Patna which I am showing here for today's post . My sincere thanks to Mr. Jain for his valuable contribution . Greetings to all Indians living in every corner of the world on the occasion of Mahashivratri !......Till Next Post.......Have a wonderful Festive Time !

Traditions and Customs of Shivaratri

Various traditions and customs related to Shivaratri Festival are dutifully followed by the worshippers of Lord Shiva. Devotees observe strict fast in honor of Shiva. Devotees strongly believe that sincere worship of Lord Shiva on the auspicious day of Shivaratri, absolves a person of sins and liberates him from the cycle of birth and death. Shivaratri is considered especially auspicious for women. While married women pray for the well being of their husbands unmarried women pray for a husband like Lord Shiva, who is regarded as the ideal husband.

To mark the Shivratri festival, devotees wake up early and take a ritual bath and visit the nearest Shiva temple to give ritual bath to the Shiva Lingum with milk, honey, water etc. On Shivaratri, worship of Lord Shiva continues all through the day and night. Every three hours priests perform ritual pooja of Shivalingam by bathing it with milk, yoghurt, honey, ghee, sugar and water amidst the chanting of “Om Namah Shivaya’ and ringing of temple bells. Nightlong vigil or jaagran is also observed in Shiva temples where large number of devotees spend the night singing hymns and devotional songs in praise of Lord Shiva. It is only on the following morning that devotee break their fast by partaking prasad offered to the deity.

Courtesy- Pradip Jain, Patna philapradip@gmail.com

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Philately - An Educational Tool..

Hi ! In response to my post on Climate change http://rainbowstampclub.blogspot.com/2009/02/climate-change.html , there was a comment how stamps can play an important role is explaining various topics to the children and common man. I have gone through following links. It's a wonderful presentation on global warming through postage stamps. I want to share this with you. You would really find it interesting.Apart from fun Philately is an important educational tool ! I am giving the link below with original comment.

panos giannopoulos said...

Surely stamps can be used as an educational tool to talk in an appealing way to children or general to media about global warming.More about this specific use of stamps at http://climatechange.dreamhosters.com see also a presentation with stamps talking about global warming at http://ec.europa.eu/environment/networks/cbn-e/doc/resources/climate_change_on_stamps.pdf

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Aussie Inventions

These are the beautiful booklets issued on Aussie inventions on 19 February 2009.

Inventive Australia

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Inventions that made life Easier !

Hi ! Here is a wonderful set issued by Australia on 19 February 2009 which depicts eight great Aussie inventions of everyday life. It has been desgined by famous Australian illustrator Stuart McLachlan. He has drawn on his own experiences of growing up in suburban Adelaide.He has affectionately and humorously depicted the inventions in a typical Aussie backyard of the 1980s on this new set. The multicoloured stamps are so attractive with a touch of holiday mood in its design. The inventions are depicted on stamps in a very interesting way. The FDC, Max Cards and Miniature Sheets all make a beautiful set, sure to be liked by every collector. Have a look to this fabulous set. I find all Australian stamps so beautifully designed and these are sure to be listed in best desined stamps of the world. Its great to see that the inventions have been shown on stamps in such a nice way ! This is all for Today !..... Hope this Post will add colours to your Holiday Mood... Till Next Post.... Have a Nice Time...!

Great Aussie Inventions

The inventions featured on the stamps are:

The Esky /the wine cask
The Hills hoist
Speedos /Zinc cream
The Ute /the B&D roll-a-door
The Victa rotary lawnmower

Max Cards

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Cover on Louis Braille from Algeria

Here is a nice cover which I just received from Algeria with the recent issue on Louis Braille. My speical thanks to Mr.Ouari Khemissi who sent this to me from Setif, Algeria. I have come across some more new issues on Louis Braille which have been issued to commemorate Bicentenary of his Birth. These new stamps are from Hungary, Romania, Serbia and Brazil. Complete list on Braille related stamps can be found on http://www.blindianastamps.com/ It's a wonderful website and it will help those who want to preapre a sole collection on Louis Braille or any other theme related with problem of the blindness. There are many other stamps given in the list which can be included to make a comprehensive collection on Louis Braille or theme related with visually imparied.

Bicentenary of birth of Louis Braille

4 January 2009

Romania

Serbia

Hungary

Brazil

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Regions of Russia

Voronezh region

Hi ! Today’s Post is related with my favourite theme, Tourism showing regions of Russia. A set of three beautiful stamps was issued by Russia on 17 January 2009 which picture three different regions of the country - Saratov Region Voronezh Region and Chelyabinsk Region. Here are the nice stamps and FDC. The cancellation on the FDC shows the map of the region shown on stamp. So this is a very good set and most appropriate for collectors of Bridge, Map and Tourism theme. Bridge and Map themes are quite popular with the collectors. This is all for this Morning !....Till next Post….Have a Nice Time !

Voronezh Region

Voronezh region is the subject of the Russian Federation, region in the centre of the European part of Russia, member of the Central federal district. It was formed on June, 13th, 1934. The administrative centre of the region is Voronezh city. Stamp represents: the Ramonsky castle - castle of the princess Oldenburgskaya, monument of XIX-th century architecture; natural historical archaeological reserve museum "Divnogorye"; model of plane IL-96 (manufacture of Voronezh aviation factory).

Saratov Region

Saratov region is the subject of the Russian Federation, is a part of Privolzhsk federal district. It was formed on December, 5th, 1936 by transformation of Saratov Territory. The administrative centre of the region is Saratov city. Stamp represents: bridge of Saratov - automobile bridge over the river Volga, connecting right bank of the river, where Saratov is situated, and the left coast, where Engels city is located. It was constructed in 1965, its length reaches 2803,7 metres; trolley bus model (manufacture of Joint-Stock Company "TrolZa" factory). is the subject of the Russian Federation, is a part of Privolzhsk federal district. It was formed on December, 5th, 1936 by transformation of Saratov Territory.

The administrative centre of the region is Saratov city. Stamp represents: bridge of Saratov - automobile bridge over the river Volga, connecting right bank of the river, where Saratov is situated, and the left coast, where Engels city is located. It was constructed in 1965, its length reaches 2803,7 metres; trolley bus model (manufacture of Joint-Stock Company "TrolZa" factory).

Chelyabinsk Region

Chelyabinsk region is the subject of the Russian Federation, is a part of Ural federal district. It was formed on January, 17th, 1934. The administrative centre of the region is Chelyabinsk city.

Stamp represents: panorama of Magnitogorsk metallurgical complex n.a. Lenin; fragment of lattice, personifying art of Kaslinsky art moulding; tractor model (manufacture of Chelyabinsk tractor factory)

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