Thiruvananthapuram, 05 August (H.S.) :India Post will honour the iconic Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram by introducing a permanent pictorial cancellation and a special postal cover highlighting the shrine’s architectural and cultural heritage.

Kerala Governor Rajendra Arlekar will formally unveil the pictorial cancellation at a function to be held at the Fort Post Office in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday, August 10.

With the introduction, Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple will become the fourth temple in Kerala to receive a permanent pictorial cancellation from the Department of Posts. Sabarimala, Guruvayur and Madhur Sree Madanantheswara Sidhivinayaka Temple in Kasaragod have previously received the distinction.

It will also be the 43rd permanent pictorial cancellation introduced in Kerala to commemorate places of historical and cultural significance.

Unlike commemorative stamps and cancellations issued for a limited period, permanent pictorial cancellations remain available indefinitely at designated post offices. From August 10, letters and parcels posted at the Fort Post Office will be eligible to carry the special cancellation.

The design features the temple's imposing eastern gopuram along with an image of Lord Padmanabhaswamy in the Ananthasayanam, or reclining, posture.

India Post will also release a premium special cover featuring the deity in gold foil against the backdrop of the temple's gopuram. The cover is expected to be priced between Rs 100 and Rs 200. Around 2,000 copies will be made available in the initial phase.

The initiative follows a request from the temple authorities.

Renowned as an outstanding example of Dravidian architecture, Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple attracts devotees and tourists from India and abroad. The temple gained worldwide attention in 2011 following the discovery of enormous treasures in its underground vaults.

Postal authorities expect the pictorial cancellation and special cover to showcase the temple's cultural legacy and architectural grandeur to philatelists and collectors across the world.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman