Indian States: Bhopal Indian States: Bhopal By Christer Brunström Bhopal joined the ranks of stamp issuing nations in 1872 with two designs which remained virtually unchanged until 1901. Despite this, there were numerous varieties of each design resulting in 78 major catalogue numbers. Christer Brunström describes these and later issues, overprints and surcharges. Fig 1 1937 official depicting the Moti Masjid, Bhopal In 1984 the Indian city of Bhopal made the headlines all over the world with news about a horrendous disaster. No less than some 32 tons of toxic gases had leaked from the Union Carbide pesticide factory resulting in some 4000 deaths and more than 50,000 injured people. It is Fig 3 1884 ½a. in the smaller design with apparently the worst industrial accident the name of the ruler printed. Again, the in world history. Today, thankfully, Bhopal issue is plagued by spelling errors – note Fig 2 A 2a. value has recovered from this tragic event. It the reversed ‘N’s in the inscription is the capital of Madhya Pradesh state in with the name of central India and is an important centre of the ruler, ‘Nawab the country’s flourishing textile industry. Shah Jahan Begam’, The city is also home to numerous embossed in Urdu important and historic buildings including Fig 4 The ½a. value issued the Moti Masjid (Pearl Mosque), which is in 1891 with the letter ‘A’ the biggest building of its kind in missing from ‘NAWAB’ India (Fig 1). Along with Hyderabad, the Feudatory State of Bhopal was the major Muslim state in Central India. It was founded in the early 1700s by Dost Fig 5 A complete Muhammad Khan, sheet of the an Afghan who had imperforate ¼a. come to India to value from 1894 seek his fortune. The (Reduced) showing years leading up to the two main 1818 were eventful; varieties: the value it was in this year that in brackets (row 1/1) the ruler entered into and ‘NAWAH’ instead an alliance with the ‘NAWAB’ (row 4/4) British. In a mostly male- dominated surrounding area, the State of Bhopal was ruled by very strong and capable women, who ruled under the title Begam. This period lasted from 1819 until Her Highness Nawab Sultan Jahan Begam It was during the reigns of these female abdicated in 1926, ending rulers that numerous improvements this exceptional period were made in the state. Waterworks were in the history of Indian constructed, as were railway lines. Several princely states. Being a important palaces were also built. Of mainly Muslim country particular interest to the readers of this the local postal authorities magazine is the creation of a Bhopal refrained from showing postal system. any of the women rulers on Bhopal’s postage stamps Stamp issues (nor the subsequent male Bhopal joined the ranks of stamp ruler) keeping with Islamic issuing nations in 1872 during the reign traditions of not depicting of Nawab Shah Jahan Begam. There human beings. were basically two types of designs 74 G.S.M. May 2017 Indian States: Bhopal until 1901. However, there were numerous varieties of each design resulting in 78 major catalogue numbers. Fig 6 Examples of The first type has an Bhopal stamps used octagonal frame with the on cover are hard to inscription of the ruler’s find. This block of title in English and the eight perforated ¼a. denomination in Urdu. stamps was used to The people who prepared make up a rate of the printing plates were 2a. (Reduced) either very sloppy or very bad at spelling because there are numerous varieties with wrong or missing letters. Mosque). Bhopal. Madhya Pradesh. India Pradesh. Madhya Bhopal. Mosque). These mistakes sometimes make it a lot easier to identify a certain issue as they are frequently very similar in design. The central part of the design was left free for the embossing of the ruling Fig 7 A 1908 1a. Fig 8 A 1908 2a. Begam’s name in Urdu (Fig 2). There were inscribed ‘REVENUE inscribed ‘H.H. two varieties of this embossing device, AND POSTAGE’ BEGUM’S SERVICE’ with the Begam being either referred to and overprinted as ‘Shah’ or ‘Sultan’. Stamps lacking the ‘SERVICE’ for embossing were considered to be invalid official use for postage. In 1878 a new and smaller type of design was introduced. The text surrounding the central design is still in English but rather than just embossing Fig 9 In 1930 a new Fig 10 ½a. service the ruler’s title it is now printed. This set of service stamps stamp inscribed type is also plagued with spelling errors, were issued inscribed ‘BHOPAL GOVT’ including reversed versions of the letter ‘POSTAGE’ at left printed by Perkins ‘N’ (Fig 3 and Fig 4). Bacon in 1932 Base image credit: Ajith Kumae. Moti Masjid (Pearl (Pearl Masjid Moti Kumae. Ajith credit: image Base Over the years there were several and overprinted in versions of the smaller stamps. They were 1935 with a new generally printed in sheets of 32 (4×8), ¼a. denomination some of which show numerous spelling varieties. Shown here is a complete sheet of the 1894 redrawn ¼a. value (Fig 5). This issue exists both imperforate and perforated. There are two main varieties: Fig 11 The 1a.6p. triangular service value in brackets (row 1/1) and ‘NAWAH’ stamps inscribed ‘BHOPAL STATE (instead of correct ‘NAWAB’) in the last POSTAGE’ introduced in 1937 stamp in row 4. All stamps have the letter ‘G’ in the lower left-hand corner. Finding covers from this early period can be a bit of a challenge. Figure 6 is a cover franked with a block of eight perforated ¼a. stamps making up a rate of 2a. (the stamps have been affixed upside down but shown here rotated 180 degrees). The top left is position 1 on row one as it is the only stamp in the block Fig 12 1937 service pictorial where the denomination in Urdu is in depicting Bhopal’s Taj Mahal brackets. The cancelling device on these early covers is frequently just a blotch of black colour. Just before Bhopal ceased issuing postage stamps in 1908 there was a 1a. as the stamp issued in 1908 with the only difference being the addition of ‘H.H. BEGUM’S issue recess-printed by Perkins Bacon. SERVICE’ in the inscription. The four values were also overprinted ‘SERVICE’ in two It shows the Bhopal coat of arms and is different types (Fig 8). inscribed ‘REVENUE AND POSTAGE’ In 1930 there was a new set of four service stamps in basically the same design as before (Fig 7). This and all subsequent stamps can but inscribed ‘POSTAGE’ and overprinted ‘SERVICE’ (Fig 9). By now the printing contract be used in thematic collections featuring had gone to the Government Printing Works, Nasik. fish on stamps. If you look carefully at In the 1932–1934 period, the contract to print Bhopal’s reverted to Perkins Bacon. The the coat of arms it includes a fish on each state name is now given as either ‘BHOPAL STATE’ or ‘BHOPAL GOVT’. side. At stamp exhibitions I have spotted In 1935–1936 three of the previous stamps were overprinted with new denominations on this particular design in many thematic mostly the 2a. and 4a. stamps (Fig 10). exhibits devoted to water, sea-life and From 1935 Bhopal’s stamp output became more varied with the issue of the first similar topics. triangular stamp. It was then followed by two more denominations over the next years which On 1 July 1908 the regular postal still featured the Bhopal coat of arms (Fig 11). The three basic stamps are inexpensive but service in the state was taken over by the there are some costly varieties. Indian Imperial Post Office. However, In the 1936–1949 period a number of pictorial stamps featured some of the more famous Bhopal’s postal service continued to landmarks in Bhopal (Fig 12). Moti Masjid (Pearl Mosque) and Moti Mahal (Pearl Palace) handle official mail and Perkins Bacon were built during the reign of Sikandar Jahan Begum. Shah Jahan Begum built her own Taj printed a set of stamps in the same design Mahal (the more famous version is located at Agra). G.S.M. May 2017 75 Indian States: Bhopal Thematic appeal Bhopal even offers a couple of stamps for thematic collectors specialising in animals on stamps. In 1940 there were two stamps depicting a tiger and a spotted deer (Fig 13). Strong interest from thematic collectors has pushed the catalogue value to more than £50 for a mint pair. In 1944 an entirely new set of service stamps was introduced. It features the arms of Bhopal. There was more than one printing of Fig 13 The tiger and spotted deer designs issued in 1940 some of the values resulting in pronounced are popular with thematic collectors shade varieties. Once again the perforation process was the main problem at the Bhopal State Printing Works which had produced all stamps since 1935. There are completely Fig 15 Service stamp with imperforate varieties or missing perforation the more common of the rows (Fig 14). Some of these varieties are Fig 14 1944 service two 1949 2a. surcharge quite scarce but the basic set is affordable but stamp featuring overprints (above left). not that often seen. the arms of Bhopal. Examples with the second Imperforate and type of overprint (above The 1949 surcharge imperf between right) are catalogued at In 1949 there apparently was a need for 2a. varieties are known £1900 mint or used stamps and so the 1½a.