GANDHI Philately Study Circle: Canada Diwali Stamp on Gandhi Statue Commemorative Unveiling Cover from Ottawa.

Hello Gandhi Collectors,

A statue in commemoration of the life of Mahatma Gandhi was unveiled at Carleton University on Sunday, Oct. 2, 2011 on the occasion of the celebration of Gandhi Jayanti, Gandhi’s birthday.

Looks like this was combine effort of Embassy of India, Carleton University in Ottawa, Mahatma Gandhi Peace Council of Ottawa and other local organisation.

As I mentioned in my October 2nd blog post that I worked with my friend in Ottawa to celebrate unveiling of Mahatma Gandhi statue by making Commemorative Unveiling Cover.

I made total 10 cover with stamp including Diwali stamp of Canada on some of this cover and mail it to myself and my friends in Canada and USA. This cover has hand cancellation of October 2nd, 2011 from Ottawa Post Office and also automatic postmark cancellation while going through postal stream Also this cover has receiving barcode from USPS in front as well as in back. Even though it was Sunday certain post office in Canada are open 7 days a week. Following is the post office details which is around 15 minutes drive from Carleton University.

Post Office
1910 ST-LAURENT BLVD
OTTAWA ON K1G 1A0

Diwali is popularly known as the "festival of lights", is an important festival in Hinduism, Jainism, and Sikhism, celebrated for different reasons, occurring between mid-October and mid-November and Mahatma Gandhi as a hindu he celebrated since his birth as he was firm believer in God.

Cover has Canada Diwali stamp which shows Canada's respect to other religion. Canada has not honored Mahatma Gandhi with stamp even though it is common wealth nation along with Australia and New Zealand but United Kingdom issued Mahatma Gandhi stamp in 1969.

I am not sure why they did not honored Mahatma Gandhi with stamp but they issued Diwali stamp so I used Diwali stamp which is officially issued by Canada Post. ( Diwali Stamp from Canada is not personalised or custom postage stamps).

I take full responsibility about authenticity of following cover.

Not sure whether Gandhiji will be happy with my selection of Diwali stamp because after reading his view about Diwali I also agree with him.

562. SPEECH AT PRAYER MEETING
NEW DELHI,
October 22, 1946
Gandhiji said that a correspondent had drawn his attention to the fact that he
had said nothing against illuminations at Diwali in his message on Monday. It was
an accidental omission. He had been opposed to illuminations even in the olden days
when there was no food shortage. To burn oil or ghee today when there was not
enough to eat was unthinkable. Real India did not reside in cities like Delhi. It
resided in the seven lakhs of villages. For the hungry and naked villagers there could
be no Diwali illuminations or any other kind of festivity. It was their duty to abstain
and save all the ghee, oil and money they could.

Above statement is taken from :- http://www.gandhiserve.org/cwmg/VOL092.PDF (page 388).

Following is the article screenshot from Carleton University web page. You can read more by clicking caption under image.

http://www1.carleton.ca/newsroom/news-releases
/high-commission-of-india-unveils-gandhi-statue-at-carleton/

Following is the details about the events. You can read more by clicking caption below image.

http://www2.carleton.ca/km-theatre/events/
gandhi-jayanti-2011-october-2/

Whenever Mahatma Gandhi is honored in the world there will be critics who will try to oppose anything related to him. And guess what there was also campaign to stop installation of this statue and it failed like other campaign to stop it. You can read more new from National Post by clicking capiton at bottow of the image.