Announced by the USPS on June 29th:
Among the most important holidays on the Hindu calendar, the annual autumn festival celebrates the triumph of good over evil. Diwali is usually observed over five days; in 2026, the main day of the festival will be Nov. 8. This second Diwali stamp issued by USPS features a rangoli, a vibrant floor pattern traditionally made from materials such as colored rice powder, chalk and flower petals and believed to bring good luck. Photographed by Bijay Dixit, the rangoli was created by artist Sangita Bhutada, a native of India and longtime resident of the Houston area who has been a practitioner of this ancient folk art for nearly 30 years. The stamp was designed by Jennifer Arnold, and William J. Gicker was the art director. The Diwali stamp will be released in October.
No specific date was given.
The latest information will appear below the line, with the most recent at the top.
Updated September 22nd:
Here are the first-day postmarks for this issue:
The Digital Color Postmark for this issue measures 2.73″ x 1.05″
The Pictorial Postmark for this issue measures 1.72″ x 1.41″
Updated September 17th:
[ceremony details] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
U.S. Postal Service Celebrates Festival of Lights With New Diwali Stamp
What: The Postal Service will celebrate the Hindu festival of Diwali with a new stamp. Diwali falls on the eve of, or on, the new moon that occurs between mid-October and mid-November. In 2026, the main day of the festival will be Nov. 8.
News of the stamp is being shared with the hashtag #DiwaliStamp.
Who: Shibani Gambhir, USPS sales intelligence and support vice president, will serve as the dedicating official.
When: Wednesday, Oct. 21, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. ET for retail sales and cancellations and 6 p.m. ET for the ceremonial first-day-of-issue unveiling and reception
Where: Embassy of India
2107 Massachusetts Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20008
RSVP: Attendees are required to register at www.usps.com/diwalistamp.
Background: This stamp celebrates the joyous festival of Diwali — also known as Deepavali —with an image of a rangoli, a vibrant floor pattern traditionally made from materials such as colored rice powder, chalk and flower petals. One of the most important annual Hindu events and usually observed over five days, the autumn festival marks the triumph of good over evil.
People create rangolis in and around their homes during Diwali to bring good fortune. The stamp features Bijay Dixit’s photograph of a rangoli made by artist Sangita Bhutada, who has been creating rangolis for nearly 30 years. Bhutada crafted this intricate design of blue, orange, green, red and white with starch-based colored powder and colored sand. It is set against a purple background.
William J. Gicker served as the project’s art director. Jennifer Arnold designed the stamp, which will be sold in panes of 20.
The Diwali stamp will be issued as a Forever stamp and will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce price.
From the Postal Bulletin:
On October 21, 2026, in Washington, DC, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Diwali stamp (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate), in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 582900). This stamp will go on sale nationwide October 21, 2026, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.
This stamp celebrates the joyous festival of Diwali—also known as Deepavali—with an image of a rangoli, a vibrant floor pattern traditionally made from materials such as colored rice powder, chalk, and flower petals. One of the most important annual Hindu events and usually observed over 5 days, the autumn festival marks the triumph of good over evil. Rangolis are thought to bring good fortune, and people create them in and around their homes as part of their Diwali celebrations. The rangoli featured in the stamp art was made by artist Sangita Bhutada with sand and starch-based powders of blue, orange, green, red, and white. Jennifer Arnold designed the stamp using Bijay
No automatic distribution.
How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
The first-day-of-issue postmark is a postmark notating the day a stamp is first authorized for use by the Postal Service™. Customers have 120 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. All requests for first-day-of-issue postmarks (Traditional or Digital Color Postmark) must be sent to the following address with the choice of Traditional or Digital Color Postmark identified. All orders must be postmarked by February 21, 2027.
FDOI – Diwali Stamp
USPS Stamp Fulfillment Services
8300 NE Underground Drive, Suite 300
Kansas City, MO 64144-9900
Technical Specifications:
Issue: Diwali Stamp
Item Number: 582900
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever®
Format: Pane of 20 (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: October 21, 2026, Washington, DC 20066
Art Director: William Gicker, Washington, DC
Designer: Jennifer Arnold, Washington, DC
Artist: Sangita B. Bhutada, Richmond, TX
Photographer: Bijay Dixit, Houston, TX
Modeler: Daryl DeMont
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Press Type: Muller A76
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 20,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III, Block Tag Applied
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.7700 x 1.0500 in. / 19.5580 x 26.6700 mm.
Overall Size (w x h): 0.9100 x 1.1900 in. / 23.1140 x 30.2260 mm.
Full Pane Size (w x h): 5.5500 x 5.7600 in. / 140.9700 x 146.3040 mm.
Plate Size: 320 stamps per revolution
Plate Number: “P” followed by four (4) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Plate number in four corners
Back: © 2026 USPS • USPS logo • Two barcodes (582900) • Plate position diagram (8) • Promotional text
Updated September 16th:
This stamp will be issued October 21 in Washington, DC.
