The Parsi Connection to the U.S. Diwali Stamp
On October 5th, 2016, history was made at the Indian Consulate in New York City. After a persistent 15-year effort by Indian American community leaders, the United States Postal Service officially released its first-ever Diwali postage stamp - a glowing tribute to one of India’s most cherished festivals.
Few know that there is a subtle yet beautiful Parsi connection to this iconic stamp.
Farina Wadia Luther, the creative mind behind the diya (lamp) featured on the stamp, played a pivotal role in shaping its concept.
Recalling her experience, she shared: “When I was introduced to the Diwali Stamp project by USPS, my role was to guide the project managers and art directors back to the true essence of Diwali. I could think of nothing more fitting than an unadorned, unblemished diya, symbolizing light over darkness.”
But the story gets even more poetic. “I personally sourced the little diya used in the stamp. It was handmade by a potter in my hometown of Porbandar — the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi - where I grew up listening to stories of the lamps that lit Lord Ram’s path back to Ayodhya.”
Isn’t that extraordinary? A humble earthen lamp - crafted in Gandhi’s birthplace, chosen by a Parsi woman, and now shining across millions of American mailboxes.
May this flame bring light, positivity, peace, and happiness into every home and every heart.
Zareer Patell
#USDiwaliStamp #ParsiPride #LightAgainstDarkness
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