This is my first serious foray into stamps from Sri Lanka. I prepared this page in May, but found myself sidetracked by a number of issues. I’ve been eager to return to the Sri Lankan stamps because they have some visually stunning issues this year. The April Sinhala and Tamil New Year set, for instance, is a standout effort in story telling through stamps.
Sinhala and Tamil New Year First Day Covers
I went back to Slpost to see if I could pull more information about the stamps and artist, but the post office website (as of publication date) is currently down, with no eta on it re-appearing. Unfortunately for the people of Sri Lanka, they are suffering through an economic collapse which has disrupted everything, including day to day operations. I can’t be sure, but I suspect the downage is from the current problems. If I can get my hands on updates on the status of the 2022 stamp program, I’ll post them for you. If you have news to share, leave it in the comments below.
I will be thinking of my readers (and there are quite a few of you from Sri Lanka!) from the country and wish you better times in the soon.
January
Handicrafts of Sri Lanka
10 stamps, 2 souvenir sheets, 2 FDCs, cancel
lithography
Arts and crafts in Sri Lanka | Time Out Sri Lanka
- Bamboo crafts – bamboo is a widely used, renewable product found across the Asian continent. Sri Lanka’s native bamboo is called Bata and is used to make everything from paper and clothing to furniture and houses. Make way for bamboo, the plant for the future | The Sunday Times Sri Lanka
This page Bamboo Processing for Sri Lanka | UNIDO Sri Lanka | Develop an eco-friendly bamboo supply chain and product industry in Sri Lanka (lankaboo.lk) has a lot of info about how bamboo is processed.
Bamboo and Cane Crafts of Sri Lanka – Asia InCH – Encyclopedia of Intangible Cultural Heritage - Leather goods – Leather Craft – Asia InCH – Encyclopedia of Intangible Cultural Heritage
- Pottery –“Pottery in Sri Lanka dates back to the year 900BC and 1120BC with the excavation of Sri Lanka’s first pot to be identified from Anuradhapura and Ranchamadama, Embilipitiya. This finding proved that tradition of pottery prevailing since proto historic period where rural, sedentary village settlement were in place. Valued ancient communities in Sri Lanka began the craft by preparing earthenware which they used for their day to day purposes such as domestic utensils, religious activities and other household tasks. Evidently seen in the areas of Ibbankatuwa and Pomparippu with human remains.”The Undervalued Craft in Sri Lanka: Pottery – Nerdynaut
- Palmyrah crafts – Palmyrah is a large leaf used to create everything from mats to baskets and trays. It’s a versatile material. Borassus flabellifer is found predominately in north Sri Lanka. Mat Weaving and Other Rush-ware, Fibre-ware and Leaf Crafts of Sri Lanka – Asia InCH – Encyclopedia of Intangible Cultural Heritage
- Rattan is a member of a large family of climbing palms. One of it’s uses is furniture making. It can also be used in crafts because of its flexibility.
- Traditional paintings – if you have a link to traditional paintings within Sri Lanka, please share in the comments.
- Embroidery – Embroidery of Sri Lanka – Asia InCH – Encyclopedia of Intangible Cultural Heritage is an excellent resource on different styles of embroidery from around the world. Their section on Sri Lankan embroidery covers a lot of details about what makes it unique. Good read.
- Ceramics – “With the country’s rich artistic and cultural heritage, Sri Lankan ceramic industry dates back to the pre-Christian era. The distinctive designs and exquisite elegance of the ceramic products manufactured by the Sri Lankan ceramic industry today vividly illustrate the influence of this rich heritage.” Ceramic and Porcelain Products in Sri Lanka – EDB Sri Lanka (srilankabusiness.com) You can see samples of Sri Lankan ceramics on the EDB site.
- Talipot crafts – these are bags and similar goods woven from the talipot palm (corypha umbraculifera). Mat Weaving and Other Rush-ware, Fibre-ware and Leaf Crafts of Sri Lanka – Asia InCH – Encyclopedia of Intangible Cultural Heritage has a great overview of the different type of weaving materials used and different techniques.
- Stone Carving – the Sunday Observer wrote an interesting article on the history of Sri Lankan stone carving. Stone carvings of ancient Sri Lanka | Sunday Observer in 2020. It covers the usual themes within the carvings and might be a good start to understanding the craft.
If you’d like to explore Sri Lanka’s rich history of crafts the Crafts – Asia InCH – Encyclopedia of Intangible Cultural Heritage site is a top notch site. Arts and Crafts in Sri Lanka, and their Traditional Significance (nexttravelsrilanka.com) offers an overview as well, and explores traditional dance as well.
Release date: January 25, 2022
March
50th Anniversary National Savings Bank
1 stamp, FDC, cancel
Release date: March 31, 2022
April
60th Anniversary Asia Pacific Postal Union
1 stamp, FDC, cancel
Release date: April 1, 2022
World Autism Day
1 stamp, FDC, cancel
Release date: April 4, 2022
Sinhala and Tamil New Year
10 stamps, 2 FDCs, cancel, presentation folder
This set celebrates the new year with a 10 stamp story panel. Each stamp explores a different aspect of the Sinhala and Tamil New Year.
- beginning to fry sweetmeats – TIme Out Sri Lanka has an article on New Year’s sweetmeats. If you’ve never had them, this might be a good article to learn a bit about them, and how diverse they can be.
- traditional folk game “Olinda Keliya” – once again Time Out Sri Lanka comes to the rescue with an explanation. You can read more here as well Not Just Sports: Take a look at “Olinda Keliya”! – The Morning – Sri Lanka News
- commencement of work.
- designing of “kolam” – “Kolams of different patterns and designs teach the abstract ideas of the philosophy that propel popular culture in the state. Made with powdered rice, kolams are a symbol of well-being and a welcome sign.” Kolam: the soul of Tamil cultural and social life (lonelyplanet.com)
- ganu-denu (Give and take) with water – “the first financial transaction (ganu denu) of the New Year. In the ancient times ‘ganu denu’ or financial transaction was done in a different way, The woman of the house would drop a new coin wrapped in clean cloth into the well and draw a bucket of water. She would then fill a bottle with that water and keep it aside, which will be renewed the following year.” Welcoming the New Year (Avurudu) in Sri Lanka (timeout.com)
- partaking the New Year meal
- traditional Swing, a Tamil custom
- offering to the “Prince of the New Year” – I’m looking for sources on this.
- cleaning the kitchen
- Tamil custom of sharing sweetmeats
Release date: April 14, 2022
September
Royal Botanical Gardens in Peradeniya පේරාදෙණිය උද්භිද උද්යානය
2 stamps, 3 stamps on souvenir sheets, FDC, cancel
The Royal Botanic Gardens can trace its roots as back to the reign of King Wickramabahu III in 1371. You can read about the history of the gardens at the Botanic Gardens International page.
Release date: September 12, 2022
October
World Children’s Day
1 stamp, FDC, cancel
Release date: October 1, 2022
Sri Lankan Athletic Centenary
1 stamp, FDC, cancel
Release date: October 6, 2022
Sri Lankan Republic Golden Jubilee
1 stamp, FDC, cancel
Release date: October 7, 2022
World Post Day
1 stamp, FDC, cancel
Release date: October 10, 2022
National Environment Pioneer Program
1 stamp, FDC, cancel
Release date: October 20, 2022
November
Vesak
3 stamps, sheet of 3, FDC, cancel
Release date: November 25, 2022
State Vesak Festival
1 stamp, FDC, cancel
The Vesak Festival in Sri Lanka |Travel Destination Sri Lanka (nexttravelsrilanka.com)
Vesak Celebration – Annual Celebration of Lord Buddha’s Brith, Enlightenment, and Departure! has a nice explanation about this important festival.
Release date: November 25, 2022
December
Endemic Butterflies of Sri Lanka
12 stamps, 3 souvenir sheets, FDC, cancel
4 colour process
- Bushbrown (Mycalesis rama)
- Sri Lanka Tiger (Paramtica laprobana)
- Palmfly (Elyminias singhala)
- Pale Ceylon 6-lineblue (Nacaduba sinhala)
- One spot grass yellow (Eurema ormistoni)
- Lesser Albatross (Appias galene)
- Indigo royal blue (Tajuria arida)
- Forester (Lethe dynsate)
- Cerulean (Jamides coruscans)
- Tree nymph (Idea iasonia)
- Tropic dart (Potanthus salra)
- Tricolour pied flat (Coladenia lissa)
SLButterflies Good site on Sri Lankan butterflies
Endemic Butterflies in Sri Lanka | Cinnamon Nature Trails Sri Lanka
Release date: December 1, 2022
Christmas Nativity Scenes
2 stamps, souvenir sheet, FDC, cancel
Release date: December 6, 2022
Sri Lanka – Japan Diplomatic Relations
1 stamp, FDC, cancel
offset
Release date: December 12, 2022
Need something else to read? Check out this index Index of Stamp Posts
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