{"product_id":"the-philately-bookmark-nataraja","title":"The Philately Bookmark - Nataraja","description":"\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe Philately Bookmark: Nataraja\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e is a brass bookmark inspired by the 1949 Trimurti definitive postage stamp.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eReimagined as a lasting object for readers, the bookmark carries the artwork and character of the original stamp, including its delicate perforated edges. Once part of India’s early post-Independence postal series, the Nataraja stamp brought Indian art into everyday letters and postcards.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA keepsake for readers, collectors and lovers of Indian heritage, made to mark pages and preserve stories that have travelled through time.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eQuantity - 1 pc Bookmark + Gift box\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMade in India from the finest recyclable brass metal.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGolden brass color finish\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHigh-quality electroplating and lacquer for long-lasting protection and shine.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAttached with a colored tassel encased in a brass cap.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA complimentary box for gifting.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOne leaflet explaining the historical significance of the stamp\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDimensions: \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMade in small batches in India\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe Nataraja Stamp, Reimagined in Brass\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cem\u003e- A small piece of India’s artistic and postal history\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt the heart of this brass bookmark is an image inspired by the Nataraja stamp, one of India’s early post-Independence definitive postage stamps.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIssued in 1949, the two annas Nataraja stamp was part of India’s first definitive series after Independence, a set created for everyday postal use. Unlike commemorative stamps, which mark a special occasion, definitive stamps were meant to travel widely on ordinary letters, postcards and parcels. In this way, the Nataraja stamp carried Indian art into daily life, moving quietly from hand to hand, letter by letter.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe design is inspired by Nataraja, Lord Shiva as the divine dancer, one of Indian art’s most powerful expressions of movement, rhythm and cosmic balance. In this graceful form, Shiva’s dance evokes creation, preservation and transformation, held together in a single sacred image.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis piece is a tribute to India’s artistic inheritance, the beauty of correspondence, the pleasure of reading, and the enduring charm of objects made with care.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA bookmark for journeys. A keepsake for memory. A stamp for stories that have travelled through time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePhilately Range - An Ode to Stamp Collecting\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003e- A Founder’s Note by Anand Prakash\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eLong before emails, instant messages and social media, there was the quiet joy of a letter. And with every letter came a stamp, a small piece of paper that could carry a world within it.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMy own fascination with stamps began as a child in Mussoorie, when I was studying at Wynberg Allen School. We had a stamp-collecting club, and I remember being completely drawn into this world of miniature art, distant countries, old histories, and careful collecting. We made collages with used stamps, exchanged duplicates, arranged them by theme, and slowly began to understand that a stamp was never just a stamp. It was a little window into geography, culture, travel, kings, queens, monuments, wildlife, flowers, aircraft, freedom movements and the stories nations chose to tell about themselves.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThere was a shop in Mussoorie called The Doll Shop, and during our outings, we would often visit it with great excitement. The owner had a fascinating collection of stamps, and for us, it felt like entering a small museum. With the little pocket money we had, we would buy a few stamps every month. He taught us the value of unused stamps, and I remember carefully choosing what I could afford. I was especially drawn to old Indian stamps, while other students collected by theme. Some chose flowers, some aeroplanes, and some were fascinated by the shiny circular stamps from Bhutan.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI still have my old collection from those years. It has travelled with me through time, even though I no longer pursue the hobby with the same vigour.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn many ways, this new range of gifts and souvenirs is my ode to stamp collecting, or philately, as it is formally known. Philately is more than a hobby. It teaches patience, curiosity, observation and care. It encourages us to look closely, to ask where something came from, why it was issued, what it represents, and what story it carries. Through stamps, one learns about the world in the most charming and unexpected way.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI also feel that many of us have slowly forgotten the importance of hobbies. In a time when phones and social media fill every empty moment, we have fewer quiet pursuits that stay with us, teach us, and keep us meaningfully occupied. Hobbies are important not only in childhood, but also later in life. They give us joy, discipline, memory and a sense of continuity.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAt Anand Prakash, we have always loved objects with stories. This philately-inspired collection brings together stamps, writing, paper, brass, memory and Indian craftsmanship. It is created for collectors, writers, travellers, students of history, and anyone who still finds beauty in things made to be kept.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFor me, this range is not just about stamps. It is about childhood, letters, pocket money, Mussoorie outings, school clubs, old albums, forgotten hobbies, and the quiet thrill of holding a small object that has travelled through time.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFor those who collect stories, not just stamps.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Anand Prakash","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48842324541657,"sku":"BM401","price":1390.0,"currency_code":"INR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0509\/6371\/0103\/files\/057A7247.jpg?v=1782118965","url":"https:\/\/anandprakash.com\/products\/the-philately-bookmark-nataraja","provider":"Anand Prakash","version":"1.0","type":"link"}