The stamp features a colourful rangoli designed by Indian artist Sangita Bhutada.
The United States Postal Service (USPS) has released a new Forever stamp to mark Diwali, according to reports by The Times of India, ANI and Hindustan Times. The stamp features a colourful rangoli design set against a purple background.
The artwork was created by Sangita Bhutada, an Indian artist based in the Houston area who has practised the traditional art form for nearly 30 years. Her eight-foot diameter rangoli was made using coloured sand and starch-based powders, a process that took between eight and 10 days to finish.
The stamp was officially unveiled on October 21 at the Embassy of India in Washington DC. The ceremony was attended by Indian Ambassador Vinay Mohan Kwatra and USPS senior vice-president Shibani Gambhir.
This is the second time the USPS has released a stamp for the festival, following an initial issuance in 2016. The new stamp was photographed by Bijay Dixit, designed by Jennifer Arnold, and directed by William J Gicker.
The USPS has printed 20 million stamps, which are sold in sheets of 20. Each individual stamp is valued at 82 cents, while a sheet of 20 costs $16.40. As a Forever stamp, it remains valid for one-ounce first-class mail in the US even if postal rates rise in the future.
