History of Postal Communications in India
by Sangeeta Deogawanka
Part 1 - ANCIENT INDIA
India – the land with the highest number of post offices and postal workers today, is also the country with probably the most eclectic, yet effectual modes of mail conveyance used over a span of scores of centuries, befitting its diverse topography and compelling history.
The element of romanticism was very much evident in most forms of communication adopted in ancient India. The primitive drawings and heliographic characters found in caves and the carvings of the ancient temples and pillars are vibrant stories with messages of their own. They can be interpreted as messages symbolic of the ethos of that period that have traversed across time, down the centuries. Messages were also written on leaves and stones that have been the boon of archaeological discoveries. Yet the most remarkable and emotive method of communication was through music, the rendering of the flute tenor or the melody and pitch of a song, conveying very effectively a piece of good, bad or daunting news that was conveyed instantly across the village. Messages were also conveyed by the sounds of drumbeats and crude bushfires that even cut across hills and valleys.
The need to communicate was manifested in various ways. There are various references in the most ancient works ‘RigVeda’ of a dog ‘Sarama’ being used to carry message. The ‘Atharvaveda’ records couriers and names them ‘Palagala’.
The mythology and the ancient history also records of traditional emissaries conveying messages in an unconventional manner. ‘Ramayan’ has many instances of Hanuman, being sent by Lord Ram to covey messages, flying over land and water, in particular the message to Sita who was kept hostage in Lanka. In ‘Mahabharata’, King Drupad dispatched the message to King Dhritirashtra to give away half the kingdom through the Royal Priest. Also from ‘Mahabharata’ is the romantic legend mentioning swan being used to convey the message of prince Nal to princess Damayanti.
Chanakya’s ‘Arthashaastra’ also mentions the efficient manner of collecting information and revenue data using doots, who also doubled up as spies for the King.
The practice of using homing pigeons as message carriers also prevailed from the earliest times and believe it or not still is being officially used by government departments in remote areas.
Then, of course, the legendary mail runner, who has stoked the passions of many a poet, writer and artist, who have eulogized him, was used by the Kings for purposes of invitation, chivalry and war. The mail carriers were also used by the merchants for the purpose of their business. The common man it seems either had little use for such a service or its cost were beyond his reach.
One of the earliest evidence of a systematic postal service using foot messengers is found during the reign of Chandragupta Maurya (322-298 B.C.). A courier service between the capital and the outlying provinces of the vast kingdom served the needs of intelligence gathering and collection of revenue data, whence regular messengers, doots (emissaries) and pigeons were used for conveying the royal communiqué. However its efficacy was lost upon his death and the system fell through. Emperor Ashoka also devised a very efficient means of communication that helped him create a vast empire.
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 Kolkata. She is an award winning stamp collector and author of the handbook Stamp Collecting Today. Her current focus of interest are Modes of Mail Transport in India and Postal History of Travancore State. A contributor to various websites, with many essays, blogs, health and parenting articles to her credit, she is an active citizen journalist and has also served as Parenting Expert on www.allexpert.com.
Comments, queries and exchange of ideas are welcome at s_deogawanka@yahoo.co.in
|