The Ganesh Himal Mountain Range

Rising up to the heavens, paying homage to the elephant headed Hindu diety, the Ganesh Himal mountain range makes up part of the mighty Himalayas. Along with Sagarmatha (the Sanskrit name of Mt. Everest) which dominates the entire world at 8848m, many of the peaks in the Himalayan range rise above 8000m. 

While also an impressive range, the Ganesh Himal range in comparison has no specific touristic appeal, and are not often climbed. It has four peaks that rise above 7000m. The tallest of these is the Ganesh I (or Yangra Kangri), at 7424m. This Napalese stamp issued in 1979 depicts the Ganesh IV (Mount Pabil) which is 7102m high. 

Pabil is the 69th highest mountain in Nepal and the 64th most important. This is out of a total of 866 peaks in the country. The southern face of this mountain reminds one of an elephant, with a ridge that resembles a pachyderm's trunk, which perhaps was the inspiration for the name of the entire mountain range.

The Ganesh Himal range lies on the border between Nepal and China, approximately 75km north-northwest of Kathmandu, and can be seen from the Nepalese capital city. 

NB : The Nepalese currency is the Rupee, which is divided in to 100 Paisa. 

** All stamps and photographs used in this post are part of the author's personal collection.

References : 

Wikipedia

Peakvisor.com

3 Little Known Gemstones found in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is renown for the sheer length and breadth of gem stones found there. While the stunning Blue Sapphire reigns supreme among the precious stones in this country, there are a large number of stunning semi-precious stones in Sri Lankan soil too. 

The following rare and lesser known stones were recently celebrated in a series of stamps issued in 2021.

Taaffeite

Taaffeite is considered to be one of the rarest gemstone minerals in the world. It was named after the Austrian gemmolosit Richard Taaffe, who came across it as a cut and polished stone in Dublin, in 1945. This is also considered the first gem to be initially identified from an already faceted stone. Previous versions of the gem have been mistaken for spinel, which is very similar in its chemical composition. 

Subsequent chemical and x-ray analysis confirmed that the main components of taaffeite are beryllium (also found in emeralds and aquamarines), magnesium and aluminium. 

There tends to be confusion between spinel and taaffeite due to it's structural similarities. However, unlike spinel, taaffeite can be distinguished based on it's double refraction property. 

This is an extremely rare mineral, and is found in alluvial (a type of soil which consists of earth and sand left behind upon a land where once a river flowed) deposits in Sri Lanka and Tanzania. A lower grade taaffeite is found in limestone sediments in China. 

Taaffeite can be pink, mauve or lilac, or be a reddish or brownish transparent. It also occurs as colourless, purple, greenish, violet or bluish. Because of its distinction as being one of the rarest minerals on earth, taaffeite is used exclusively in the gem industry. 

Spinel

Spinel is also found in the gemstone bearing gravel in Sri Lanka as well as in Myanmar, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Kenya and Tanzania. The composition of this gem is Magnesium and Aluminium. They occur in a wide variety of colours, but usually in shades of red, lavender, blue, green, brown or yellow. Many spinels from Sri Lanka are black, but the rare cobaltian variety is unique to the island. 

The 500 carat Samarian spinel is the largest ever found, while two spinels, the Black Prince's Ruby and the Timur Ruby are both part of the British Crown Jewels. 

Spinels have been used in jewellry for many centuries, often having been mistaken as corundums, especially rubies. Yet they remain popular for the same purpose today, given their strength and suitability for most settings and their comparatively lower cost. 

Sinhalite

Sinhalite was first found in Sri Lanka in 1952 and was named after the sanskrit name of the island. They are considered to be a rather rare gems, often found as small rough stones in Tanzania, Myanmar and Madagascar. 

Curiously though, sinhalites in Sri Lanka are found in rough pebble form and are often quite large, at 100 carats or more. The largest known sinhalite was found in Sri Lanka and it clocks in at 252 carats. 

These stones take on yellowish, yellow-brown, dark brown, greenish-brown, light pink and brownish-pink hues. It shares chemical similarities with peridot, chrysoberyl and zircon and is often mistaken for these stones. 

Due to it's rarity, Sinhalites are also mainly used in jewellery manufacturing. 

Topaz and Zircon are other semi precious stones that are frequently found in Sri Lanka, but these can hardly be called elusive. 

** All stamps and photographs used in this post are part of this author's personal collection.

References: 

International Gem Society

Jewels For Me

Wikipedia

The Elusive Snow Leopard

The beautiful Snow Leopard (Panthera uncia) lives in 12 countries that reach across the mountains of Central Asia and the Indian Subcontinent. Of the estimated 4500 - 7000 Snow Leopards found in the world, more than 60% is to be found in China. Mongolia has the second largest population of these elusive big cats. Mongolia issued a series of stamps celebrating the Snow Leopard in 1985. 

Adult Snow Leopards grow to around 2m in length, including its long, fluffy tail and just under 1m in height at the shoulder. They weigh between 23 - 41kg and live in very cold, snowy and rocky mountainous terrain, in elevations of 1800 - 2500m. 

Snow leopards have the densest and longest fur of all the big cats. Their long tails store a hearty layer of fat, and help in maintaining their balance when walking or climbing along the edges of rock faces. The dense fur on these tails also help the cats to keep their faces warm when bedding down. 

Similar to their more colourful Leopard cousins, the Snow Leopard too is also a solitary animal who only gets together with another during the mating season. Adult females give birth to 2 - 4 cubs, and take care of them for almost 2 years, at which time, they part ways forever. In the wild, they live for up to 18 years, and significantly longer when in captivity. 

These elusive cats have been listed on the IUCN red list as "vulnerable". Along with the loss of its natural habitat, they are often found to attack livestock such as Sheep and Yak, many Snow Leopards end up being the victims of the herdsman's spear. They are also poached for their skins and for their body parts which are used in various countries for supposed medicinal purposes. 

However, all countries in which the Snow Leopard lives have granted them the highest levels of security from poaching and killing. Regardless, Human/Leopard conflict remains rampant, and the species is still not out of the woods from its endangered status.   

** All stamps and photographs used in this post are part of this author's personal collection. 

References

https://panthera.org/cat/snow-leopard

https://www.britannica.com/animal/snow-leopard

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snow_leopard

https://ptes.org/grants/worldwide-projects/snow-leopards-mongolia/#:~:text=Mongolia%20is%20home%20to%20the,becoming%20increasingly%20shared%20with%20humans.

https://www.discoverwildlife.com/animal-facts/mammals/facts-about-snow-leopards/

The 4468 Mallard

The 4468 Mallard is an A4 steam locomotive built in 1938. With it's sleek, streamlined design which was very different to the engines built before, it was used primarily for the transport of express long-haul passengers at very high speeds along the east coast mainline, between Edinburgh and London's Kings Cross Station. 

The trains on the British rails were generally restricted to a speed of 90mph. But in July of 1938, the Mallard broke the land speed record for steam locomotives by clocking in at 126mph. This plaque is to be found on the side of the engine, and was fitted after the end of World War II.

84 years later, this record is yet to be broken. 

The Mallard locomotive and it's tender are 70ft long, and weighs 165T. It's painted in garter blue and has red wheels with steel rims. However, during the war, the engine was painted black. 

The engine burns 1T of coal at all times and has a water capacity of 5,000 gallons. The train's boiler is 6.5ft in diameter. The steam guage can measure a maximum pressure of 300lbs/sq. in., but at its optimum, the driver should maintain a pressure of around 250lbs/sq. in. in order to enjoy the maximum amount of power. The Mallard's tender can carry almost 8T of coal. 

True to the British quirkiness surrounding their tea, there is a small shelf right over the door to the firebox where the driver keeps oil, ensuring that the oil stays warm; along with a small caddy of tea, which also stays hot throughout the journey. 

At the point of it's retirement from service in April 1963, it had covered almost 1.5 million miles. After complete restoration at the Doncaster Works, the Mallard is now on display at the National Railway Museum in York. 

And finally, why "Mallard"? There are several British locomotives named after birds. These include the Osprey, the Golden Eagle, the Peragrine, the Kingfisher, the Falcon and the Merlin. When Sir Nigel Gresley designed this engine, he lived in a property that had a moat around it, which was frequented by ducks. 

It was also probably meant to suggest its ability to travel swiftly through the air. 

The Mallard has been celebrated in several British postage stamps over the years, given its iconic standing in the history of railways. This stamp was issued in 1988, and is one of 4 stamps which made up a series on transport and communication in the UK. 

** All stamps and photographs used in this post are part of this author's personal collection. 

References : 

https://www.railwaymuseum.org.uk/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYwFavyERsI

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LNER_Class_A4_4468_Mallard

Antique furniture from Hungary

At the turn of the millennium, a series of stamps were issued showcasing a selection of antique Hungarian furniture. Karosszék (armchairs) and kanapé (couches) being the items predominantly featured in this series. Some of these are from as far back as the 17th century, to as recent as 1935. 

According to the information given in the stamps, these particular pieces of furniture are to be found at the Museum of Applied Arts or in the Museum of Ethnography; both of which are located in Budapest, Hungary. 

Well-known local architects and/or designers such as Lajos Kozma, Ödön Faragó and Ferenc Steindl as well as furniture houses such as Lingel Karoly are the creators of these “lumbargoods”. A quick Google search values some of these chairs and couches for as much as € 2000! 

** All stamps and photographs used in this post are part of this author's personal collection. 

 

Tidbits of History and Culture on a Postage Stamp

Stamp collecting is the first serious hobby that I started. More than 3 decades later, I am still collecting, storing and cateloging these little gems. Though the use of postage stamps just might be on their way out with the advent of electronic means of communication, I do hope that this extinction takes a long, long time to actually happen.

The very first self-adhesive postage stamp issued in the world is the Penny Black. Featuring the image of Queen Victoria and issued in Great Britain, it was valued at 1 penny. About an year later, a middle class English woman was advertising for stamps with which to decorate the walls of her house. 

And so started one of the most popular hobbies of all time. 

Today, a great many stamps are issued by each country to showcase their culture and individuality, and to commemorate special occassions. Going through my collection in my ripe old age of 44 today, I realize just how much information is captured in, what is, essentially a receipt for your payment for postage services. 

And so, I thought of doing a series of posts about the various stamps in my collection. 

I hope you enjoy!