US Postal Service releases new Diwali postage stamp featuring Indian artist's rangoli art

Washington: The US Postal Service (USPS) has released a postage stamp commemorating the festival of Diwali, featuring an intricate rangoli pattern created by Sangita Bhutada, a Houston-based artist.

India's Ambassador to the United States Vinay Mohan Kwatra, USPS Senior Vice President Shibani Gambhir and Bhutada unveiled the stamp at a function at the Indian embassy here on Wednesday evening.

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The USPS described rangoli as a vibrant floor pattern traditionally made from materials, such as coloured rice powder, chalk and flower petals, and believed to bring good luck.

Bhutada is a native of India and a longtime resident of the Houston area. He has practised the ancient folk art of rangoli for nearly 30 years.

The stamp was designed by Jennifer Arnold, and William J Gicker was the art director.

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Bhutada told PTI that the USPS reached out to her for making the stamp more than a year back.

"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 was eight feet in diameter and used bright colours, such as blue, orange, green and red, besides white.

This is the second time that the USPS has released a postal stamp on the occasion of Diwali. The first one 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 exquisite designs.