On Oct. 5, 2016, the long-awaited
United States postal stamp commemorating the Hindu festival of Diwali
was officially unveiled at the Indian Consulate in New York City.
The
announcement of the Diwali stamp sparked celebrations within the Indian
American community. People across the aisle marveled at the design of
the stamp, which is a photograph featuring a traditional Diya oil lamp,
sitting on a sparkling gold background. But the dream became a reality
following years of hard work and advocacy. Among those whose
perseverance and patience played a crucial role in bringing the Diwali
stamp to fruition was Ranju Batra, chair of the Diwali Stamp Project.
A
year later, the Indian American activist reflects on the journey that
led to the realization of this dream, and the impact of this cultural
symbol.
“It
was a peaceful movement which we won last year,” Batra told India-West.
“I look at the Diwali stamp as a powerful civilizational bridge that
has been forged between the nations of USA and India. Just like a stamp
has its glue it goes on the paper, I feel our hearts and minds are glued
together at this point because there is a whole lot of excitement about
the Diwali stamp.”
The release of the Diwali stamp, said Batra,
evoked an overwhelming response, adding that the United States Postal
Service officials informed her that they had received orders from as far
as Indonesia, Singapore, and India.
Recalling a meeting in
Washington, D.C., with the USPS team, that had been facilitated by
Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney two weeks before the dedication
ceremony, Batra said: ‘They asked me, ‘You were saying all along that
the stamp is going to sell a whole lot, do you still believe that so
many stamps are going to sell?’ I said, ‘Of course’, and they also asked
me if I’d be willing to sell stamps on their behalf.”
She did, and by doing so, she created a history of sorts when she single-handedly sold 170,000 Diwali stamps.
“No
other stamp has sold as much on day one as the Diwali stamp in USPS’
200-year history,” Batra told India-West, noting that the postal service
does not authorize any single person or an entity to sell stamps on
their behalf, but this was one of those rare occasions.
Batra said
that in 2016, shortly after the stamp came out, she personally visited
several post offices and requested them to display a sample at their
respective offices.
“The stamp is so pretty, even when Americans
see it, they are like, ‘Oh! I don’t use stamps as much but I’ll buy it.’
It’s a matter of pride for the Indian community,” she said.
The
Diwali stamps are here to stay, stated Batra, adding that she has
initiated a drive to check the availability of these stamps at every
post office in the country. Her goal, she said, is to keep the light of
the Diwali stamp shining bright.
“Two things are close to my
heart, the Diwali stamp and Diwali holiday,” she told India-West. “I’ve
already started working towards the holiday.”
Recalling the more
than two-decade-long uphill battle undertaken by several Indian American
community leaders/members before her to get the approval, Batra said
that she was told it was a lost cause since their efforts yielded no
results.
“I kept asking myself, ‘How is it possible that they are
issuing other stamps but refusing to issue Diwali stamps when there are
so many Indians and they are trying so hard?’ Then I found out they
were trying the wrong way,” said Batra.
In a meeting with the USPS
officials, arranged by Maloney, Batra said she questioned them about
what could be done to set the ball rolling.
“They said, ‘Ranju, a
postage stamp goes on paper.’ We were collecting signatures online. They
could not care less,” Batra told India-West. “They want their stamps to
be sold and we wanted our Diwali stamp.”
She
then enlisted the help of other community members/organizations – who
had put in years of hard work into this campaign – and started working
towards a common goal.
“It wasn’t an online petition. We created
paper petitions…it was going person to person, explaining them what we
were doing, having their signatures, addresses…,” said Batra. “It wasn’t
just Hindus or Indians. It was Christians, Muslims, Chinese,
Koreans…Not a single person said they didn’t want to.”
In her
final petition, which featured images of stamps celebrating Christmas,
Hanukkah, and Eid, among others, she wrote: “We are very happy that you
have issued all these stamps, and now it’s time for a Diwali stamp.”
“I kept pushing them to issue a Diwali stamp,” said Batra. “And finally, they heard it.”
Batra said that the Diwali stamp isn’t just a stamp, it represents something much larger.
“I
feel the Diwali stamp is not just a celebration of a religion or a
nation but it is the spirit of inclusiveness and cultural understanding
that it represents,” Batra told India-West. “I’m happy to say that
Diwali stamp is here and it is here forever. This will be a matter of
pride for generations to come.”
“In this digital age, a small
piece of paper called Diwali stamp celebrates the heritage of over a
billion people. To me, Diwali stamp gives out a message of human unity
and peace. I’d say Diwali has really put its stamp on America,” added
Batra.
Source : http://www.indiawest.com
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