THE US Postal Service (USPS) has released a postage stamp commemorating Diwali, featuring an intricate rangoli design created by Sangita Bhutada, an Indian-born artist based in Houston.
India’s ambassador to the US, Vinay Mohan Kwatra, USPS senior vice president Shibani Gambhir and Bhutada unveiled the stamp at a function at the Indian embassy in Washington on Wednesday evening (21).
Rangoli is a traditional Indian folk art in which colourful patterns are created on the floor using materials such as coloured rice powder, chalk and flower petals. The designs are believed to bring good luck.
Bhutada, who has lived in the Houston area for many years, has practised the art for nearly 30 years.
She said that the USPS had approached her to create the design more than a year ago.
“I shared a dozen sketches with the USPS, of which they selected four. The actual work on the rangoli took about 10 days. The only suggestion I received was to use bright colours that would be rendered better on the stamp,” she said.
The original rangoli measured eight feet in diameter and featured blue, orange, green, red and white.
Jennifer Arnold designed the stamp, using a photograph of Bhutada’s artwork by Bijay Dixit. William J Gicker was the art director.
This is the second Diwali stamp issued by the USPS. The first was released in 2016.
“The USPS has been issuing postage stamps since 1893 to commemorate cultures from around the world. Our stamps allow us to weave together a tapestry that reflects the rich and multifaceted heritage of America,” Gambhir said.
Addressing the gathering, Kwatra thanked Bhutada for keeping the age-old tradition of rangoli alive through her designs.
(PTI)
