10 October,2023 07:39 AM IST | Mumbai | Tanishka D’Lyma
An envelope ready for the post
For Anamica Jain, a Bengaluru-based digital marketer, postcard writing holds the core memories of a moment in time or a place travelled to, through the photograph, writing, stamps used, and date signed. "When you receive a postcard from someone, you become a part of their journey," she adds. Jain began making her own postcards when she faced a lack of options. "There isn't a variety of postcards available outside tourist spots, and even they have a limited collection. Hence, I started creating my own by converting photographs into postcards. Soon requests poured in, and I began selling them on Instagram, too." With Christmas approaching, Jain will kickstart her annual secret Santa-like swap called Sleigh Mail where participants from across the world, or within India, will be allotted an address to mail, and receive a postcard from a secret Santa, too. "We start this early, where by November-end, all international postcards are mailed, and postcards within India are sent out by the first or second week of December," she concludes.
Log on to @postcardsfromindia
"Kids are curious and if you explain the process to them, they will follow. It requires patience and they might not be consistent after writing a few letters, but once they receive postcards or mail, they become happy and want to write more," shares Yash Shah, Mumbai-based e-commerce professional. To get his nephews hooked on to this hobby, he began designing kits for them - complete with stamps, unique postcard designs and pens. "I always want to make people happy with my postcards. I post pictures of vintage cards that I have and people often request for swaps to be sent in an envelope or written on and mailed to them. I appreciate these requests from people."
Shah met his fiancée, Shraddha Malviya, an automotive engineer from Amravati, through the postcard community. Malviya began writing postcards during the COVID-19 lockdowns to bring joy and messages of hope to people. "I love shayaris and quotes, and often use them in writing postcards to whoever would like to receive them for free. Today, many pen pals have become friends," she shares about the community of postcard enthusiasts.
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As a child growing up in Kerala, Tawfik Manham, London-based designer and storyteller, would include his drawings and scribblings in his mother's letters to his father working abroad. Later, when he moved to another city, he would write letters to his friends to stay connected. Marrying his love for drawing and handwritten notes, he would create his own postcards. "I found the email and social media messaging culture impersonal; it lacks the physical touch of a letter that includes the time and effort taken, and even your own handwriting. And with postcards, the postman who carries it can also enjoy the drawing on it," he shares. His Postcard Per Day platform - started in 2015 to draw and write a postcard daily as well as take requests for postcards - offered him the goal and platform to cultivate this hobby. This writer was fortunate to receive a postcard from Manham nearly five years ago. "People send me photos of old postcards I've sent them and that becomes a sweet memory and a bond that we continue to share," he signs off.
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Along with co-conducting Sleigh Mail and hosting postcard-writing workshops, Anushka Sawarkar Hubli, who shuffles between Pune and Thane, has also curated a list of shops to buy postcards. "Most of these are online or Instagram-based [small businesses] with a few offline souvenir shops or bookstores. When people start writing postcards, the biggest question that pops up is where to buy them from. India Post too releases a series of postcards but few people are aware of it," she notes. Hubli began writing postcards and letters a few years ago when the telegram service was permanently stopped. Not wanting to miss out on the beauty of personal and physical mail, she looked for the thing closest to it - a handwritten note, and found a community of enthusiasts to help her hobby. Those new to the culture can head to her Instagram account for writing prompts, a good way to keep up the habit of letter writing. She shares, "People might have a lot to say but they don't know where to begin, especially since we're used to short text communication. And if you're new to postcard writing, the people at your local post office will help you with the stamps needed and other information. All you have to do is ask them."
Log on to @anushka.postcards
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Kaco coloured gel pens
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Travel postcards and themed envelopes
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Cost Rs 299 onwards
Unique postcards
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Cost Available on request
With inputs from @anuskha.postcards
