Gandhi Handbook

Hello Gandhi Philatelist,

Recently I was looking Gandhi Handbook and I was surprised when I saw 1997 Austria special cancellation postmark of temple (Birla Temple) in Gandhi Handbook by Manik Jain and Mrinal Kanti Ray.

Also this book was acknowledge by lot of Gandhi philatelist and some of the Gandhi stamps collectors and philatelist provided philatelic material to be included in this Gandhi Handbook.

So this Gandhi Handbook should be bible for Gandhi stamp collectors as well Gandhi philatelist, but I don't think it is.!!

It has lot of Bogus (never exist) philatelic material which are made using forged rubber stamp and some of them even don't make sense.

Not sure how this BOGUS or FORGERY went through this Gandhi Handbook.

I don't trust this kind of philatelic literature any more as it looks like it was made specially to help forger who create all bogus philatelic material.

This Gandhi Handbook has lot of information not only about stamps and philatelic material related to Mahatma Gandhi but also it has information about coins, currency notes, labels, medals, newspaper,folders, printing error waste, overprints stamps etc.

I am not here trying to prove right or wrong, but my only goal or aim to educate if any new stamp collectors who are trying to collect stamps and philatelic material so they know where they are jumping.!!

Above is image of page 21 of this Gandhi Handbook where it is mentioned that 

"Special Postmark (in black) showing Birla Mandir at Delhi where Gandhi was assassinated in prayer meeting"

This statement or description is completely INCORRECT and chance of getting mislead by this is very high.

Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated at Gandhi Smriti (Birla House) not at Laxminarayan Temple (Birla Mandir). 

This is very general knowledge question and even some less educated people who are not collecting stamps also know about it because it is related to Gandhiji.!! Just ask anyone in India "where Gandhiji was assassinated" and they will say "Birla House".!!

So I am surprised how this was missed by all experts philatelist who reviewed this book.!!

Birth, Death and other personal information are very basic information about Gandhi's life. So how can this mistake (BIG) go through in Gandhi Handbook even after lot of Gandhi philatelist contributed to this book and acknowledge this book and  I guess they might have reviewed this book too.!!

So now how we can trust on some of the more complicated Gandhi philatelic material such as 1948 India Gandhi stamps philatelic material or any other special cancellation in that Gandhi Handbook.

Also chances are for similar things might happen in other items such as coins, medals etc.!!

Gandhi Philatelic collection is very very complicated because according to me there are more forgery than genuine philatelic material and it require very in depth research which consume lot of time in order to find authenticate philatelic material.

All my blog reader know how following 2009 Gandhi special cancellation from Winnenden Germany is BOGUS and it took me very long to nail that information out and I cannot do it without help  of internet. Some of the philatelist even won MEDAL with this.!!

Yes, medal with bogus following special cancellation from Winnenden, Germany.!!! 

Wondering what philatelic judges were doing.!! Because some times judges know exhibitor or might be more educated than judge because of world wide recognition.!!

http://gandhistampsclub.blogspot.com/2010/01/fake-gandhi-postmark-cancel-from.html

So what are chances of getting above cancellation into philatelic books and magazine if it was not proven that this was Germany cancellation was BOGUS.

I think a lot and it might be selling as RARE cancellation at high price as it will be glorified by everyone.!!

So how can you find information about any regular rubber stamp applied on 1948 Gandhi stamps of India which happened 60+ years ago. There is no way to find out information older than 5-10 years!!

So now my question is do you really trust Gandhi Handbook when looking for information ?

I don't trust Gandhi Handbook (my personal opinion) because if they miss very basic information then what are chances of other philatelic material information.!!

So what do you think about this Gandhi Handbook.

Thanks

Gandhi Stamps Club.