Citizens urged to use special ‘Shri Ganesh in Folk Art’ postage stamp
Mumbai, September 2026 : Cultural Affairs, Electronics, Information Technology and Artificial Intelligence Development Minister Adv. Ashish Shelar has appealed to citizens to make extensive use of the special postage stamp titled ‘Shri Ganesh in Folk Art’, created by the Department of Posts to preserve and promote Maharashtra’s rich folk art and the cultural traditions associated with Ganeshotsav.
The special postage stamp was unveiled by Minister Shelar at a programme titled ‘Shri Ganesh in Folk Art’ held at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Natyamandir in Dadar. Maharashtra Circle Chief Postmaster General Ramchandra Kisan Jaibahaye, Director of the Directorate of Cultural Affairs Prashant Khedekar, Ganesh devotees and citizens were present on the occasion.
Minister Shelar said that, following directions from Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, the Maharashtra government is working towards securing a place for the state’s Ganeshotsav in UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. He said Ganeshotsav has also been accorded the status of a state festival and various cultural activities are being organised as part of the initiative.
Shelar said Ganeshotsav, which has a strong religious foundation, represents a unique blend of mass participation, creativity, innovation, artistic expression and social awareness. The traditions and practices associated with the festival have spread across Maharashtra as well as different parts of India and the world.
“It is necessary to create an appropriate platform to showcase the unique and universal cultural value of Ganeshotsav to the world,” Shelar said, adding that granting the festival the status of a state festival last year was the first step in this direction.
A range of cultural programmes are being organised across Maharashtra under the state festival initiative. A three-day classical music festival was organised at Ravindra Natya Mandir, while programmes under the state festival banner have also been held in Odisha, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Dubai, Shelar said.
The Cultural Affairs Department organises more than 1,000 programmes across the state every year. The objective of these initiatives is to take Maharashtra’s rich cultural heritage to citizens, preserve and promote it, and provide it with a platform at the global level, Shelar said.
‘Shri Ganesh in Folk Art’ Stamp to Preserve Cultural Heritage
Maharashtra Circle Chief Postmaster General Ramchandra Kisan Jaibahaye said the public celebration of Ganeshotsav initiated by Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak in 1893 brought together people from different sections of society. The festival also played an important role in promoting cultural programmes, public awareness and the freedom movement.
Today, Ganeshotsav has become an integral part of Maharashtra’s social and cultural life, Jaibahaye said.
The Department of Posts, Government of India, uses postage stamps to preserve and showcase the country’s art, culture, traditions and history. The ‘Customized My Stamp’ based on the theme ‘Shri Ganesh in Folk Art’ will serve as a lasting philatelic memento of Maharashtra’s cultural heritage, he said.
The initiative is also expected to encourage the younger generation to develop an interest in postage stamps and philately, Jaibahaye added.
Director of the Directorate of Cultural Affairs Prashant Khedekar said that the process of collecting the information required to secure a place for Ganeshotsav in UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list is currently underway. He delivered the introductory remarks at the programme.
