2007 Indian Stamps : Greetings

The New Year is an event that happens when a culture celebrates the end of one year and the beginning of the next year. Cultures that measure yearly calendars all have New Year celebrations. 1 January: The first official day of the year in the Gregorian calendar used by most countries.

The Telugu New Year generally falls in the months of March or April. The people of Andhra Pradesh, India celebrate the advent of Lunar year this day. This day is celebrated across entire Andhra Pradesh as UGADI(Meaning the Start of a new Year.).The first month is Chaitra Masam. Masam means month. Gudi Padwa is celebrated as the first day of the Hindu year by the people of Maharashtra, India. This day falls in March or April and coincides with Ugadi.

The Kannada New Year or Ugadi is celebrated by the people of Karnataka, India as the beginning of a new year according to the Hindu Calendar. The first month of the new Year is Chaitra.

Sindhi festival of Cheti Chand is celebrated on the same day as Ugadi/Gudi Padwa to mark the celebration of the Sindhi New Year.

In India, the Tamil New Year and Vishu are celebrated on the same day respectively in the Southern Indian states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala. They generally fall on 13 April or 14 April. The first month of the Tamil New Year is called Chithrai. Every year in the month of Chithrai, in the temple city of Madurai, the Chithrai Thiruvizha is celebrated in the Meenakshi Temple. A huge exhibition is also held, called Chithrai Porutkaatchi. In some parts of Southern Tamil Nadu, it is also called Chithrai Vishu. The day is marked with a feast in Hindu homes and the entrance to the houses are decorated elaborately with kolams.

2007 Indian Stamps : Wilson College

Wilson College is a degree college affiliated to the University of Mumbai in Mumbai. The college, established in 1832 and built in 1840 overlooks the Arabian Sea, at Chowpatti Beach in South Mumbai. It is named after its founder Dr. John Wilson, (1804-1875). The college has played an important role in the foundation of the Mumbai University and the Asiatic Society.

Rev Dr. John Wilson, our founder, established the Ambroli English School in 1832 and subsequently added to it the college division in 1836. Dr. Wilson was a learned scholar and a pioneering educationalist, whose contributions to the intellectual and social life of 19th century India were historically and socially significant of Scottish descent. He had made it his life’s ambition and vocation to spread the light of education to the people of India. In the year 2000, Dr. John Wilson was given his place as one of the seven ‘Founding Fathers of modern Bombay (Mumbai)’, by the Department of Archives, Government of Maharashtra.

So deep was Dr. Wilson’s involvement with education, that the then Governor Mountstuart Elphinstone, invited him to be a member of the senate of the newly established Bombay University. He became one of the Fellows named in the Act of Incorporation of the University of Bombay.

Dr. Dugald Mackichan succeeded Rev. Richard Stothert (1876-1884), and it was primarily through his negotiations with the government and efforts at fund raising that the present day ‘Wilson College’ building came into being.

The building was designed by John Adams in the Domestic Gothic style. On 10th March 1885, Dr. James Ferguson, Governor of Bombay laid the foundation stone. The new building was inaugurated by Lord Reay on 14th March 1889