The Department of Post, Karnataka Circle, on Sunday, released Special Postal Covers on Invention of Khaki in Mangaluru and Mangalore Tiles. As many as 10 picture postcards depicting historical personalities, Jina Ratna Bhushanaru, were also released.
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It was the Basel Mission which invented Khaki in Mangaluru and also came up with Mangalore Tiles. The Special Postal Covers were released on Sunday as it was on this day (October 30) that Basel Mission came to Mangaluru in 1834. The United Basel Mission has sponsored the release of the Special Postal Covers.
The Special Postal Cover on Khaki comes with the photograph of Basel Mission Weaving Establishment, that contains an image of weaving in the background.
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India Post said that John Haller, qualified weaver from Europe, invented Khaki dye from the bark of semicarpus tree at Basel Mission’s weaving establishment in Balmatta, Mangaluru, in 1851. It was Chief Lord Roberts, a British Indian Army Commander, who was impressed with Khaki during his visit to the weaving establishment and introduced it as uniform for the British Army world over.
The Special Postal Cover on Mangalore Tiles comes with an image of different forms of Mangalore Tiles, containing the image of Basel Mission Tile Factory in the background.
According to India Post, it was Missionary George Plebst who redesigned semi-circular terracotta country tiles into ridge design Mangalore Tiles using the clay from the banks of the Netravati.
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While designing Mangalore Tiles, he combined the knowledge of tile manufacturing in Germany with observations of the traditional potters tiles in India. The new design led to founding of Basel Mission Tile Factory in 1865 at Jeppu, which led to establishment of tile factories in Mangaluru, including Albuquerque and Sons (1868), Rego and Sons (1871) and Sujirkar’s Tile Factory (1918), it stated.
The Department of Posts released picture postcards on the theme, Jina Ratna Bhushanaru, featuring Chavundaraya, Atthimabbe, Chennabairadevi, Janna, Rathanakaravarni, Shanthala, Ponna, Rani Abbakkadevi, Pampa and Ranna who have made significant contribution to Kannada language, literature and land. Each one of these picture postcards contain unique QR codes. On scanning the QR Code, one will get web link giving details of the personality represented in the picture postcard.
Chief Postmaster General, Karnataka Circle, S. Rajendra Kumar released the Special Postal Covers and picture postcards.
Vijay Harvin from United Basel Mission’s Sudhana Church, Senior Senior Superintendent of Post Offices, Mangaluru, N. Shriharsha and the former Chief Postmaster General, Karnataka Circle, Charles Lobo, participated in the function.