A Scented with fragrance of sandalwood Stamp

SANDALWOOD - Prized since time immemorial for its fragrance and medicinal properties, Sandalwood enjoys a very special status in India. An intrinsic part of Hindu religious rituals and social customs, Sandalwood finds mention in Indian classical literature and scriptures dating back to 2000 BC, including the " Ramayana " the poetry of Kalidasa, as also Buddhist texts which attribute it to the Bodhisatva Amitabha. The Sandalwood tree is currently found in India, Sri Lanka, Australia, China, Taiwan, Hawaii and some other South Pacific islands. In India the tree grows in the southern deciduous forests of the Western Ghats and the Deccan plateau, mainly in the States of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Botanically known as "Santalum album" the Sandalwood tree belongs to the Santalacea family and is a hemiparasite. This means that the roots derive nutrition from neighbouring plants. Sandalwood is also known to be resistant to insects. As the tree grows, the essential oil develops in its roots and heartwood, which is the core of the sandalwood tree, and this can take up to 15 to 20 years. It is interesting to note that the sandalwood tree is not felled. Instead the tree is uprooted in the rainy season, when its roots are rich in the precious oil. It is said that one ton of the heartwood can yield upto 60 Kgs of oil. Sandalwood is an integral part of the indian heritage, which we need to treasure and conserve, and the Department of Posts is proud to issue a perfumed commemorative postage stamp on this national treasure. This stamp, with its unmistakable fragrance of sandalwood, is the first perfumed stamp brought out by India Post.