Jalpaiguri, Sept. 29: For the philatelists of Jalpaiguri, the place to hang out from Friday will be the art gallery.

The postal department will host a four-day philately exhibition titled, Prateek 2004, at the hall. It will be the first of its kind in the town.

?We are celebrating the 150th anniversary of the first postage stamp of India. A four-day exhibition will be organised in Jalpaiguri on the occasion,? said John Samuel, the postmaster-general of north Bengal and Sikkim.

According to postal officials, rare stamps of India and other countries will be sold at the festival. Around 50,000 stamps will be displayed at the venue.

Philatelists from different parts of India will also exhibit their prized stamps at the exhibition alongside those from Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan.