Canada Post celebrates Diwali with Oct. 15 stamp

By David Hartwig

Canada Post commemorates the multi-day celebration of Diwali with a stamp issued Oct. 15.

Also known as the Festival of Lights, Diwali is a five-day festival that begins this year with observances on Oct. 18 leading to the main day of Diwali on Oct. 20. Diwali is observed by Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains and other communities around the world.

The nondenominated permanent-rate (currently $1.24) stamp is issued in booklets of six. At the time of publication, customers in the United States cannot purchase these or other products from Canada Post due to U.S. Customs changes.

The design features the word “Diwali” in Hindi at the top of the stamp and in English at the bottom. Between the text is a depiction of rangoli, which is a temporary artwork made from grain, flower petals, sand, rice and other materials and created on the floors of living rooms, courtyards and entranceways. These works of art are meant to be swept or washed away.

Canada Post said that making the floor patterns is traditionally practiced by women and the designs are passed down through generations from mother to daughter. “Motifs range from geometric shapes to sacred or celestial symbols and auspicious animals, plants and flowers,” Canada Post said.

The stamp was designed by Ritu Kanal of Underline Studio, who told Canada Post about her own experiences creating rangolis. “I was about seven when I first helped my mum decorate for Diwali and make rangolis outside our door,” Kanal said. “We’d use white and colored powders, starting with a simple grid of dots that we’d lay out first and then fill in with color to form geometric patterns.”

For many homes in India, making these floor patterns is a daily ritual. “My mum’s side of the family had a tradition of having a small rangoli pattern on the doorstep throughout the year, not just on Diwali,” Kanal said, “so I grew up doing those a lot at my great-uncle’s house and when visiting my grandparents.”

Rituals and decorations such as rangolis are intended to welcome Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of wealth and prosperity. Special offerings, feasts and gift exchanges are also central to the occasion, with families gathering to enjoy fireworks and festivities.

This marks the seventh Diwali stamp issued by Canada Post. The first Diwali stamps from Canada Post were issued Sept. 21, 2017 (Scott 3023-3025), in a joint issue with India (2961-2962). These were followed by a Diwali stamp in 2020 (3251), 2021 (3304), 2022 (3354) 2023 (3410) and 2024 (3461).

Lowe-Martin printed the 2025 Diwali stamp by lithography in 55,000 booklets of six (Canada Post product number 414301111). The stamp measures 28 millimeters by 35mm.

An official first-day cover (414301131) has the stamp placed in the center of a larger rangoli design which encompasses the cover. The stamp is canceled in Scarborough, Ontario, and the postmark shows a lotus flower. The FDC was printed in a run of 4,500.

For those outside of the U.S., the stamp booklet and FDC are available from Canada Post at www.canadapost.ca/shop, and by mail order from Canada Post Customer Service, Box 90022, 2701 Riverside Drive, Ottawa, ON K1V 1J8 Canada; or by telephone from Canada at 800-565-4362, and from other countries at 902-863-6550.

Connect with Linn’s Stamp News: 

    Sign up for our newsletter