Joint Issues : India - Israel

Stamp Design/Theme: Holy Days & Celebrations, Festivals of lights, Deepavali in India and Hanukkah in Israel.
Occasion: 20 years of diplomatic relations between India and Israel.

India:
Issue Date: 05.11.2012
Setenant Pair, Sheetlet
Denomination: Rs. 5 each, Sheetlet Rs. 100

Israel
Issue Date: 05.11.2012
Set of two stamps. (In sheet of 15 each)
Denomination: 2 NIS each

Deepavali or Diwali, popularly known as the "festival of lights," is a five-day Hindu festival which starts on Dhanteras, celebrated on the thirteenth lunar day of Krishna paksha (dark fortnight) of the Hindu calendar month Ashwin and ends on Bhaubeej, celebrated on second lunar day of Shukla paksha (bright fortnight) of the Hindu calendar month Kartik. In the Gregorian calendar, Deepavali falls between mid-October and mid-November. The Indian stamp shows a row of traditional earthen lamps or diyas, representing Deepavali.

Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights and Feast of Dedication, is an eight-day Jewish holiday commemorating the rededication of the Holy Temple (the Second Temple) in Jerusalem at the time of the Maccabean Revolt against the Greeks of the 2nd century BCE. Hanukkah is observed for eight nights and days, starting on the 25th day of Kislev according to the Hebrew calendar, which may occur at any time from late November to late December in the Gregorian calendar. The Israeli stamp features a menorah with the word “Zion” inscribed inside a Magen David star.