Canada Post releases new stamp to mark Diwali

Canada Post has released Diwali stamps since 2017. The latest, released in Toronto on Wednesday, is designed by Ritu Kanal of Underline Studio and features an image of a Rangoli pattern, and includes the word “Diwali” in Hindi and English. The stamp is available as a booklet of six and an Official First Day Cover, Canada Post said in a release.

“Intricate floor patterns called Rangoli are works of art meant to be swept or washed away. Often made with grain, flower petals, coloured sand or rice, they adorn living rooms, courtyards and entranceways during Diwali,” it said.

Meanwhile, the council of the GTA city of Mississauga decided on Wednesday to move away from a proposed ban on fireworks. Instead, according to the local outlet Insauga, restrictions imposed include specified hours during which fireworks can be used on private property without a permit. The occasions on which such fireworks are allowed are to mark the New Year, Victoria Day, Lunar New Year and Canada Day, other than Diwali.

The council decision was unanimous. “I am delighted that Mississauga has decided against banning fireworks. Banning is overreach. The solution has to be regulation, education and effective enforcement,” city councillor Dipika Damerla said.

The Canadian National Council of Hindus or CNCH expressed “gratitude” to the city. In a post on social media, it said, “You’ve shown how inclusion, safety, & respect for traditions can go hand in hand.”

Several other groups including the Canadian chapter of the Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA) and the Canadian Hindu Chamber of Commerce, as well as several individuals, had interacted with the council to rethink its previous stand.