2017-02-16 Thu

This stamp was issued by the regional postal service of Bhopal during the British Raj in 1937.

Bhopal was founded by a Mughal soldier Dost Mohammad Khan , it came under the control of Nizam of Hyderabad in 1723. After the third Anglo-Maratha war Bhopal state came under the administration of British East India Company.

After 1908 during the reign of King George V, Bhopal state printed this simple stamp design which was not so attractive. Hence in 1935 the state changed the whole printing process and issued something that would be more attractive for the collectors today.

These triangular stamps had a “Service” overprint on them. This stamp also had a number of errors which were common among this issue. This series of triangular stamp were never used officially without the overprint. Few theories came forward for this overprint; one was that British government took the charge of this postal service and these stamps were used only the British government. However, there is no such documentation of this theory.

These stamps were reissued in 1939 in a different colour (green). These issues came again in 1941, when their postage quantity was reduced.

Bhopal remained under the protection of British till independence and later in 1949 the Bhopal state signed the agreement for merger with the Indian Union.