History of Postal Communications in India

by Sangeeta Deogawanka

Part 4 – MEDIEVAL INDIA (1030 – 1757 AD)
Structure of the land postal systems in Pre-Mughal period

India has always evoked a sense of wonder and curiosity since time immemorial. Its rich culture, spices and trade supremacy in the realm of ancient maritime activity, enthused many an invader over the centuries. Each of them left his mark on the administrative and communication machinery. As India has undergone a long period of variable sovereignties, communication systems have not endured. Even the well-structured postal communication of the Mauryas and Guptas of ancient India became redundant.

Thus the overland trading activities along the northern precincts and sea borne trading hegemony with Europe, Africa and Asia become significant to studies of postal history. For they laid the foundations of a rudimentary postal system in medieval India, that was to remain for centuries to come.

Postal systems are cardinal to an empire’s administration. Yet, this has regrettably been unacknowledged by the conventional historian even though reams have been written about lifestyle and art! Though there is mention in the ancient Hindu texts, detailed records are either lost in obscurity or buried in libraries and regional untapped scriptures. Therefore one may treat the chronicles of early travellers as annals of the earlier epoch, until better resources and records come to light.

Herein, the records of travelling historians Marco Palo, Ibn Batuta, Ferishta and Ziauddin Barani have assumed significance as vital reference links for studies on medieval India. Albeit, there is the occasional lack of information on postal systems in Southern extremities of India, that remained outside the ambit of most foreign invasions.

The nomenclature adopted for the postal systems of medieval India adheres to the treatise that each ruler established his own postal system, tailored to meet the needs of the sovereign. This was essentially a royal or State postal system used for effective rule. Thus, the period under review vis-à-vis the postal system, has been divided according to the period of regime or from invasion onwards).

Under Mahmud of Ghazni (1001 -1025)
With dominion over North-Western and Central India, Ghazni established an elaborate network of foot messengers. Those for intelligence gathering were called ‘Sarran’ and horse couriers for urgent missives were called ‘Khail Sarran’, paid bonuses for their special service. A mounted courier service called ‘Askudars’ conveyed private correspondence of important chieftains and also the official correspondence. Each province had a Postal headquarter, overseen by a Post Master called ‘Sahib-i-Barid’. His importance in the administrative hierarchy is evident from the responsibilities bestowed upon him ~ administrative report of the province, and conduct of the military officers. The ‘Sahib-I-Risalat’ who was the head of the correspondence department, functioned as the emissary of the conqueror, receiving information through postal agencies and acting upon them.

Under Mohammad of Ghor (1186 - 1206)
With the stretch of empire from Delhi to Bengal, the Arabic model of postal system was adopted. So the ‘Dhawa’ (runner), ‘Qasid’ (messenger) and ‘Ulagh’/ ‘Ulaq’ (horse courier) took precedence, even over the ‘Khola’ or secret service agent employed by the Pala administration in Bengal. These were more in the nature of news-couriers, the ‘dhawa’ doubling up as errand boys, and the messengers acting as conduits for forward transmission of messages. The camel riding horse couriers were called ‘Jamaza’.

Under Qutub ud-din Aibak (1206 - 1210)
He consolidated the system established by his predecessor Mohammad of Ghor. A messenger post system was introduced by Qutub ud-din Aibak that was later expanded into the Dak Chowkis by his successor.

Under the Mongol invasion of Genghis Khan (1221 - 1226)
The Mongols under the dominance of Genghis Khan in particular, achieved a speed of communication similar to that of the ancient Persians. Their chief contribution was the development of roads and posts in the areas under their control, which in India merely covered the northern fringes. Genghis Khan established the ‘Horse Post House’ or yamb messenger system, found at a distance of every 25 miles. In between, were intermediary posts, which also served as sleeping quarters of the imperial foot runners, furnished with bells on their girdle. The runners were each assigned a 3-mile stretch, operating on a relay system, thus covering a ten day’s journey in one. Though the period of Mongol influence was confined to a small time frame and terrain in India, the foundations of the first international postal system was being laid, so two innovations maybe noted. The practice of clerks at every Post House with clearly assigned duties, and the system of express delivery of letters. These riders deployed for urgent delivery, also wore jingling bells at waist like the foot-runners. The express relay system covered 250 miles in day and equally a night.

To be continued.

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part  6 & 7 | Part 8 | Part 09 | Part 10 |

Copyright © 2007, Sangeeta Deogawanka, Kolkata

Sangeeta Deogawanka is a freelance writer & researcher based in India. A decade-old nouveau collector she has already achieved the distinction of being a philatelic gold medalist, besides having authored the award-winning handbook Stamp Collecting Today. Her ongoing focus of interest is Modes of Mail Transport in India and Postal History of Travancore State. She has also begun her thematic collecting with some non-conformist themes. A contributor to various websites and magazines, with essays, blogs, environmental, philatelic and parenting articles to her credit, she has recently made a foray into science-fiction as well. As web consultant, she has lent her expertise to freelance and writing sites. As an active citizen journalist, she has earlier served as Parenting Expert on http://allexperts.com/ , and is currently involved with various global issues besides volunteering as Channel Steward for the Hinduism section of the largest citizen publication http://www.helium.com/