Shri B.J. Kumar was a veteran philatelist. He had participated in various philatelic exhibitions and written articles on philately in different newspapers and philatelic magazines. His magazine U-Phil Times was published from Kanpur for a long period but few years ago he could not edit it because of his old age illness. Uttar Pradesh is proud to have such great philatelist from Kanpur who spent a long time in promoting philately. He organized philatelic exhibitions at Kanpur with the help of Deptt. Of Posts at and always donated special prizes for youth class from his Philatelic Society “United Philatelists”. Sometimes we meet some persons in life unknowingly who make our life special in some way for a lifetime. We are always grateful to them. Shri B.J. Kumar was such a person for me who showed me the spectacular picture of stamp collecting. I found that stamp collecting was not just hoarding stamps but much more than it. I had a long association with him since my school days. In fact I entered the field of Philately under his guidance and was able to participate in International Philatelic Exhibitions Mladost-84, Bulgaria and Mophila-85, Germany from youth class. With his blessings I am able to edit this magazine independently. He was the guest of month for March issue of Rainbow Stamp News. But unfortunately he passed away on 5th march 2008. I am presenting here his article in his loving memory as well as a philatelic tribute to him- Editor
Indian Post Offices on Foreign Lands
By late Shri B.J. Kumar
In the wake of the Indian traders who spread across Southern Asia and East Africa, there came in due course a postal administration established by the Indian Post office, using Indian stamps. The Indian Post Office has also been a historical centre, which has shown way for the organized postal communication in areas of Middle East comprising Arabia, Persia and Turkey and in the Far East to straits settlement Sarawak and Borneo. The Indian Post Offices in the Turkish, Arabia and Persian Gulf date back to more than 100 years. The first Indian post offices established in these foreign countries were at Bushire and Muscat and they were opened as regular post offices on 1st May, 1864.
Bahrain’s postal administration dates back to 1884 when an agency of the Indian Post office was opened in Manama, the chief town of Bahrain Island. Indian stamps were used there for 50 years without any overprint and they can only be distinguished by their post marks “squared circle” variety found on stamps of Queen Victoria and double ring hand stamps on the stamps of subsequent reigns. In 1933 the contemporary Indian definitive up to 5 rupees value was overprinted “Bahrain”. Indian stamps of K.G. VI were also overprinted and some of those have been found with forged overprints- inexplicable state of affairs since genuine specimens are quite plentiful. When India attained freedom in 1947, responsibility for Bahrain was transferred to the colonial office and postal matters were delegated to the Overseas Mail Branch of the G.P.O. in London.
In 1909 an Indian Post Office was opened at Dubai and a small single circle date stamp inscribed “Dubai –Persian Gulf” was used to cancel Indian adhesives. This cancellation remained up till the outbreak of World War II and is not too difficult to find, but before 1914 it is a scarce item. Two double ring date stamps were used contemporaneously in the twenties and thirties and these are the postmarks most usually encountered. A very rare item is the “Experimental P.O. K- 46” postmark introduced during the last war for use on mail from servicemen stationed there. In 1943 a machine cancellation with wavy lines was adopted and this was used until recent times. When India became free in 1947. Great Britain took over the administration of the Indian postal agencies in the Gulf.
About the Indian stamps used in Muscat we will have to go through history of the area also. The Persians were driven out of Zanzibar and its dependencies in 1944 by the great Imam Achmed Bin Said at Busaidi of Oman and for more than a century after-wards, Zanzibar and that part of Arabia known until recently as Trucial Omanate were under the same rulers. The bicentenary of the foundation of Al Busaid dynasty was celebrated in 1944 by a set of four stamps showing an Arab dhow and a map of Arabia and East Africa. The first stamps of Muscat, which appeared that year, consisted of the contemporary Indian definitives overprinted in Arabia to commemorate the Al Busaid bicentenary as well. This is the short history of Indian post offices on foreign land before India attained freedom in 1947.
In the 1971 war with Pakistan, the big thrust in the Barmer area gave India effective control right upto Umarkot and Naya Chor, 45 Kms, inside Sind. At the time the war ended, Indian troops were occupying a position only 1.5 Kms from the town. Another thrust was launched some 150 Kms. To the south of Rann of Kutch area. The major gain here was the elimination of the bulge into Indian territory at the centre of which stood the sub-divisional town of Nagar Parkar. This India gained an area of 375 Sq. Kms. Now the Indian column edged northward to join with the forces launched from the Barmer border at Chachro, about midway between the two thrusts. Chachro town is 73 Kms. From Gadra Road, a town on the Barmer border from which the Naya Chor thrust was launched. Its peace time population was 10,000 of which only 4,000 remained behind. Chachro town was a very important Communication centre of the enemy. Its name was derived from the name of the father of the ruler of Sind, Raja Dahir. His father’s name was CHACHRI. It was first called Chachri meaning town of CHACH. Its history is traceable from 644 A.D.
To serve the area round about Chachro a Sub Post office was opened on the afternoon of 11-1-72 in the Office of the Head master of Govt. Primary School. Chachro as the original building of the Post Office was destroyed in the war by fire and it was now used as mess by 4 Madras regiment. In the beginning the letters etc. were cancelled with “EXPTL. P.O. J-519” date stamp which was replaced with “Chachro P.O.” date stamp on 28-6-72. Pin Code No. 344503 was also allotted to this P.O. when it was introduced in the other towns of India. Only four defacing seals were provided to this office; viz, Date stamp, Seal stamp, Name stamp and Due stamp. Registered letters were also accepted by this post office. On the average 250 to 300 letters were received daily at Chachro for delivery. There also existed Army Post Office (F.P.O. 1932) and A.P.O. was responsible for carrying Dak between India and Chachro. Chachro P.O. was not only delivering Dak in the village round about Chachro; viz; Bapardya. Dhokla, Khivsar, Rajora, Amad Katarah etc. Chachro P.O. was closed on 15th Dec. 1972 when the Indian Forces were withdrawn from occupied territory of Pakistan. It is the only civil Post office opened on the soil of any foreign territory since India attained freedom in 1947.
Indian Post Offices on Foreign Lands
By late Shri B.J. Kumar
In the wake of the Indian traders who spread across Southern Asia and East Africa, there came in due course a postal administration established by the Indian Post office, using Indian stamps. The Indian Post Office has also been a historical centre, which has shown way for the organized postal communication in areas of Middle East comprising Arabia, Persia and Turkey and in the Far East to straits settlement Sarawak and Borneo. The Indian Post Offices in the Turkish, Arabia and Persian Gulf date back to more than 100 years. The first Indian post offices established in these foreign countries were at Bushire and Muscat and they were opened as regular post offices on 1st May, 1864.
Bahrain’s postal administration dates back to 1884 when an agency of the Indian Post office was opened in Manama, the chief town of Bahrain Island. Indian stamps were used there for 50 years without any overprint and they can only be distinguished by their post marks “squared circle” variety found on stamps of Queen Victoria and double ring hand stamps on the stamps of subsequent reigns. In 1933 the contemporary Indian definitive up to 5 rupees value was overprinted “Bahrain”. Indian stamps of K.G. VI were also overprinted and some of those have been found with forged overprints- inexplicable state of affairs since genuine specimens are quite plentiful. When India attained freedom in 1947, responsibility for Bahrain was transferred to the colonial office and postal matters were delegated to the Overseas Mail Branch of the G.P.O. in London.
In 1909 an Indian Post Office was opened at Dubai and a small single circle date stamp inscribed “Dubai –Persian Gulf” was used to cancel Indian adhesives. This cancellation remained up till the outbreak of World War II and is not too difficult to find, but before 1914 it is a scarce item. Two double ring date stamps were used contemporaneously in the twenties and thirties and these are the postmarks most usually encountered. A very rare item is the “Experimental P.O. K- 46” postmark introduced during the last war for use on mail from servicemen stationed there. In 1943 a machine cancellation with wavy lines was adopted and this was used until recent times. When India became free in 1947. Great Britain took over the administration of the Indian postal agencies in the Gulf.
About the Indian stamps used in Muscat we will have to go through history of the area also. The Persians were driven out of Zanzibar and its dependencies in 1944 by the great Imam Achmed Bin Said at Busaidi of Oman and for more than a century after-wards, Zanzibar and that part of Arabia known until recently as Trucial Omanate were under the same rulers. The bicentenary of the foundation of Al Busaid dynasty was celebrated in 1944 by a set of four stamps showing an Arab dhow and a map of Arabia and East Africa. The first stamps of Muscat, which appeared that year, consisted of the contemporary Indian definitives overprinted in Arabia to commemorate the Al Busaid bicentenary as well. This is the short history of Indian post offices on foreign land before India attained freedom in 1947.
In the 1971 war with Pakistan, the big thrust in the Barmer area gave India effective control right upto Umarkot and Naya Chor, 45 Kms, inside Sind. At the time the war ended, Indian troops were occupying a position only 1.5 Kms from the town. Another thrust was launched some 150 Kms. To the south of Rann of Kutch area. The major gain here was the elimination of the bulge into Indian territory at the centre of which stood the sub-divisional town of Nagar Parkar. This India gained an area of 375 Sq. Kms. Now the Indian column edged northward to join with the forces launched from the Barmer border at Chachro, about midway between the two thrusts. Chachro town is 73 Kms. From Gadra Road, a town on the Barmer border from which the Naya Chor thrust was launched. Its peace time population was 10,000 of which only 4,000 remained behind. Chachro town was a very important Communication centre of the enemy. Its name was derived from the name of the father of the ruler of Sind, Raja Dahir. His father’s name was CHACHRI. It was first called Chachri meaning town of CHACH. Its history is traceable from 644 A.D.
To serve the area round about Chachro a Sub Post office was opened on the afternoon of 11-1-72 in the Office of the Head master of Govt. Primary School. Chachro as the original building of the Post Office was destroyed in the war by fire and it was now used as mess by 4 Madras regiment. In the beginning the letters etc. were cancelled with “EXPTL. P.O. J-519” date stamp which was replaced with “Chachro P.O.” date stamp on 28-6-72. Pin Code No. 344503 was also allotted to this P.O. when it was introduced in the other towns of India. Only four defacing seals were provided to this office; viz, Date stamp, Seal stamp, Name stamp and Due stamp. Registered letters were also accepted by this post office. On the average 250 to 300 letters were received daily at Chachro for delivery. There also existed Army Post Office (F.P.O. 1932) and A.P.O. was responsible for carrying Dak between India and Chachro. Chachro P.O. was not only delivering Dak in the village round about Chachro; viz; Bapardya. Dhokla, Khivsar, Rajora, Amad Katarah etc. Chachro P.O. was closed on 15th Dec. 1972 when the Indian Forces were withdrawn from occupied territory of Pakistan. It is the only civil Post office opened on the soil of any foreign territory since India attained freedom in 1947.
