A while ago, Anu (aka Gummu) from Bangalore 🇮🇳 surprised us by mailing six postcards to Postcrossing’s PO box, each with a quirky illustration, fun stamps and a piece of a postal story! You see, each postcard had a little chapter of the adventure that was searching for these same postcards in her hometown. We’ll let Anu tell the story, as it was written to us on her postcards: 😊
"Dear team Postcrossing, hello from Bangalore!
July 2019. It has been years since I entered a post office. I’d occasionally send a new year greeting or a birthday card. Signing up for Postcrossing brought back to mind all the post office coordinates around where I live, as did the fact that I hadn’t set foot in the gorgeous old GPO (General Post Office, Govt. of India) building in my city forever. So here’s a story in 6 cards…
August 2019. The first visit to GPO revealed a philately desk and a shop. There I found this 20-card booklet, Bangalore in the 70s, illustrated by Paul Fernandes, Bangalore-based artist. Each card is an amazing, nostalgic throwback to a city we loved, loved, loved, but have seen slowly disappear over the last three decades. I picked up two booklets, gifted one and used up mine in no time. Went back for more but it was out of stock everywhere!
November 2019. Got a lead from the GPO that they may be available in one Post Office in another area. I head off on a Friday afternoon. At first, the staff said, no sorry, no stock. I get to speak to a junior branch manager, who, after listening to my quest said, “Let me make some calls…”
Subhash, the junior branch manager, made 6 calls over half an hour. Got phone numbers of staff at other branches and finally, tracked down a PO sales exec who had them at an exhibit at the agricultural university, just outside the city. Told me he would be there until 5pm, set me up with the sales exec’s phone number. Thanking Subhash profusely, I set off. If you know Bangalore traffic, you’d start to get nervous bout me ever getting there on time.
I made it to university by 4:45pm and discovered the beauty of the campus, green sprawling, rows of mango trees. Spied the convention hall where the exhibit was happening. Turned out to be an exhibit by uni students on the lives of insects (fascinating!) and located the young sales executive. He had kept aside 20 card booklets for me!
Happy dance! Learnt from the sales person that India Post is planning to do another run of this card set. I hope they do! They are delighted that Postcrossing is going strong. I’ve spread the joy a bit by sharing the cards with old Bangaloreans, and with postcrossers. So, thank you team, for igniting the love for sending, receiving, reading, writing and connecting with the world.
Love,
Anu"
Thank you Anu, for sharing your adventure and Paul Fernandes gorgeous postcards with us!
We love the story as much as we love the multi-postcard format — so pleasing! Imagine writing a story like this to a friend or little one, in postcard-sized installments that keep them peeking into the mailbox everyday for more… wouldn’t that be lovely? Pick a story or maybe an adventure you’ve recently lived, an unsuspecting friend and go surprise them with a few postcards! 😊
54 comments so far
I do like arty cards; it seems that not everyone does!
Beautiful cards and lovely story !
Very lovely story. :-)
They're very kind and lovely people in the world. We don't see them all the time but when you do, you met them like Anu and Anu met them...
Thank you for sharing your story. Very kind.
What beautiful and colorful cards. Thanks for sharing the story with us.
The thought and love went into retrieving the cards and sharing it so wonderful. Thanks for sharing.
Many years ago I told one of my goddaughters about Beatrix potter sending letters with a story in for birthdays. She was very taken with the idea. So for her 5th birthday, I sent 4 postcards with a short story written across them, the pictures on the front illustrated it - she was so thrilled! I must do that again for her 18th!
Such a nice story! And Anu survived the traffic!
Wonderful cards absolutely great story. Thank you so much for sharing.
Those cards are absolutely precious. They are beautiful ! Thank you for sharing them with postcrossers. Your story is interesting of the city that sounds exotic to me far away from here.
Anne
Thank you for the beautiful share! What amazing illustrations. Your efforts to do this are wonderful, thank you so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Awesome! Love those beautiful postcards! :)
this postcard adventure was delightful:) While being in this Covid-lock-down I have sent the travel-buddy who would have been on an NCL transatlantic cruise to the Azores, Lisbon and Spain (cancelled April 18) with me a different postcard from a set of d'Avignon, France for each week. He is not a member of Postcrossing and I wanted him to know how delightful these little surprises in the mail are and cheer our lives.
Amazing cards! Thanks for sharing
Wonderful cards & a great story! Thank you for sharing it with us!
Oh those cards are gorgeous!
The power of the mail system throughout the world is absolutely amazing. Lovely story.
Love seeing these postcards. Thank you!
What gorgeous cards, and a great story. I'm so glad you were able to connect with someone who had the cards for you!
What beautiful postcards and I love the story!!
There is so much to like here: Anu's love of her city, her persistence in locating more of these wonderful cards, the fact that she sent you her story, and her general appreciation of Postcrossing. Thank you for sharing.
I have not been active with my Postcrossing in the past few months. However, this delightful tale put me back in the spirit of writing cards. I will be back to my Sunday evening habit of writing cards to mail out on Monday. Thanks for the inspiration.
These cards are absolutely beautiful. ❤️❤️ I love the story as well. 😸
Beautiful cards, totally worth the effort to retrieve them!!
I loved reading Anu's story and felt like I was right along for the journey.
Thank you for sharing.😁🎉
These cards are absolutely delightful and I love the story.
wonderful postcards, great story, love it
I love those cards!
And the stories!
in love with the cards 😍
Anu, thank you for sharing with the Postcrossing staff the lovely postcard art of Paul Fernandes. It's exactly the kind of postcard I love! And, Postcrossing staff, thank you for sharing Anu's stories with the rest of us!
I do like the Paul Fernandez cards. Charming. And the idea of writing a story in installments.
What a great story. And such lovely postcards. Paul Fernandez is a gifted artist!
Those are fabulous! What a cool thing to do :)
What a lovely story and concept! Now I'm going to be thinking about how to serialize a story over postcards...
so nice idea
Cool! Like a puzzle... Love it!
Love the postcards! and the story. Thank you for sharing 🌼
Can I say just how much joy this has brought my way?! First, the chase, then the sharing. Most of all, reading all these comments and feeling very much part of this absolutely amazing community. Just... happy sigh :D.
so cool
Amazing cards and story! :) Congratulations to both designer and Anu for sharing these precious illustrations. :)
Great postcards, great story. they have brightened up my day. Thanks for sharing!
These are beautiful cards and a fun story! It's good to know that mail is coming through from India! The one I sent to India, in early March, has expired. I hope that one day, that Postcrosser receives my delayed postcard in her mail!
What a wonderful set of cards and a great adventure! This is an example of how a postcard's story can be as powerful as its image, and both came together perfectly in this series! Viva Anu and Bangalore!
Happy to see another Indian postcrosser getting featured on the blog. 😍
Beautiful set of cards! Wonderful story. They brightened up this gloomy day!
These cards are truly beautiful, and I loved reading the story behind. Thanks for sharing it with us! 😘 I'll surely try to write a multi-postcard story myself. 😊
Beautiful!
COOL illustrations! What a find ... 💚them!
Fabulous story, Anu. As an illustrator myself, I loved all of these, especially the way you have made them your own. Being from India myself, I think our Post Offices are some of the most interesting in the world - the way they still feel old while using barcode scanners - such a seamless blend of past and present! If you ever happen to come over to Mumbai (whenever we are able to travel, that is!) I would be happy to walk you through the largest post office in India - Mumbai GPO (and also tips on surviving traffic!)
Till then, stay well :)
The story makes the postcards really alive.... They match each other perfectly! The idea is gorgeus as well, it seems strange to me I've never tried that kind of story telling myself. :)
Many thanks for sharing!
Thank you for telling your story and the cards are amazing.
Hope India Post is coming with another run of this special card set.
Enjoy Postcrossing and stay safe.
MissSassiFras.. so glad to hear!
Ashwin, weren't you on the the blog as well recently for your gorgeous illustrations? I'm filing away that Mumbai GPO visit for soon :). Thank you.
Great little story, and those cards are gorgeous. I use a couple apps to send cards to my mom every day when I travel, it's a bit of a travel journal with a photo from the day. (Felt is a great one, but only does cards. Touchnote does cards and postcards.) Lately of course I haven't traveled much, but I have sent her a few anyway, just to document the times.
How nice! Love the story!
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