Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and other ASEAN leaders released commemorative postal stamps on Ramayana to mark 25 years of relations between India and the regional grouping. (Photo: PTI).

The stamp set, which consists of two samples, features the two ancient Buddhist structures of Vietnam’s Pho Minh Pagoda and India’s Sanchi Stupa.

Sanchi Stupa is a Buddhist complex set on a hilltop at Sanchi Town, in Raisen District of the State of Madhya Pradesh, India. Built in the 3rd century BCE, the construction’s nucleus is a simple hemispherical brick structure built over the relics of Buddha.

Two samples of the stamp set featuring India’s Sanchi Stupa (L) and Vietnam’s Pho Minh Pagoda.

Pho Minh Pagoda, in Nam Dinh province, was commissioned by Vietnam’s Ly Dynasty (1009–1225), and expanded in 1262 during the Tran Dynasty. It was a place for royal members and high-ranking mandarins to worship and practice Buddhism.

The stamps were designed by painters Nguyen Du and Do Lenh Tuan from Vietnam and Brahm Prakash from India.

The Posts of Vietnam and India each will print 500,000 national postal stamps and 500,000 international postage stamps from the set of stamp templates.

Source: NDO